Godsend (2004 film)
A couple clones their dead son with horrific consequences.
Godsend is a 2004 psychological horror thriller film directed by Nick Hamm from a screenplay by Mark Bomback. The film stars Greg Kinnear, Rebecca Romijn, and Robert De Niro, and follows a couple who are offered the chance to clone their deceased son by an enigmatic doctor. It was released on April 30, 2004, by Lions Gate Films and was both a critical and commercial failure.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Nick Hamm
- Producer
- Marc Butan
- Sean O’Keefe
- Cathy Schulman
- Mark Canton
- Writer
- Mark Bomback
- Starring
- Greg Kinnear
- Rebecca Romijn
- Robert De Niro
- Cameron Bright
- Music
- Brian Tyler
- Cinematography
- Kramer Morgenthau
- Editing
- Niven Howie; Steve Mirkovich
- Studio
- 2929 Entertainment; Atmosphere Pictures
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Paul and Jessie Duncan are a happily married couple with an eight-year-old son named Adam. The day after his eighth birthday, Adam is killed when he runs into the street to fetch a basketball. While leaving a church, the Duncans are approached by Dr. Richard Wells, an old professor of Jessie's, who offers to clone Adam illegally. They reluctantly agree, moving and assuming new identities. The new Adam appears normal until he reaches his eighth birthday, when he experiences a violent nightmare. Richard explains that because Adam II has reached the age at which the original Adam died, his life cannot be predicted. Adam II continues having night terrors that become visions, which he experiences while awake, causing him to lose control. He sees a boy named Zachary being laughed at in a school, alternating with images of the school burning and a woman attacked with a hammer. Adam becomes bitter and delinquent, bullying another boy. One night, a mother calls about her missing son; the next day, the Duncans see the drowned boy being retrieved from a river. Paul believes Adam was involved. With Richard's help, Paul learns the school in the visions is Saint Pius and Zachary's last name is Clark. He tracks down a former nanny, who says Zachary was deeply disturbed, bullied at school, and set fire to the school.
Production
In October 2001, Nick Hamm was hired to direct Godsend. Robert De Niro was cast in September 2002. The filmmakers included a scene from the 1977 Robert Wise film Audrey Rose, which has a similar plot, in one of the night terrors. As part of the promotional campaign, Lions Gate set up a website for the fictional Godsend Institute that claimed to be able to resurrect the dead. Due to many inquiries asking if they really resurrect dead family members, Lions Gate changed the website to inform people it was only an advertisement.
Reception
Godsend was poorly received by critics, earning a 3% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 136 reviews, and was noted for implausible plot devices. Metacritic gave the film a score of 24% based on 32 reviews, indicating generally unfavorable reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of D+. Roger Ebert awarded the film two stars out of four, and Leonard Maltin gave it two-and-a-half stars. The film opened with $6,800,617, ranking fourth, and went on to earn $14,379,751 domestically and $30,114,487 worldwide against a $25 million budget.
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