I really liked this movie. It poses an alternate view about our beliefs about life, and about religion. It shows how the majority isn't always right, and just because `something' isn't the norm, or is unacceptable, doesn't mean that `something' is wrong. Anyway, a good movie that will make you think about your own religion and the afterlife. My only minor complaint is I do not like it when a horror movies don't show the blood scenes. We all know what I'm talking about. You see an axe life up in the air, maybe a shadow on the wall, and a splatter of blood. Other than the cut violence editing scenes, it was a good movie

very nice directorial and acting work by Bill Paxton. I loved this movie! It is about sick and evil people who can do horrible things in the name of religion/delusion.

Matthew McConnaughey plays Adam Meiks, a man who enters an FBI agent's office to explain that he knows the identity of the infamous "God's Hand" killer; he tells the story in flashback form to FBI man Powers Boothe (who is always a bit weird to me in every role he plays). Meiks tells about his father, a loving father but religious zealot (Bill Paxton, for whom this film is also his directorial debut) who claims to have been commanded by God to kill "demons" living among them. He enlists his two young, impressionable sons to help him in this pursuit. The younger son follows along and believes in everything the father says, while the older son questions his father and attempts even to stymie his apparently delusional plans. The story takes various twists and turns before revealing its true nature and its interesting twist. Throughout the tale, the viewer feels such a great amount of sympathy for the older son, struggling against the helpless feeling he has under the increasingly more zealous and seemingly insane regime of his father.

The tone of the film is dark, and the viewer will think s/he has made up his mind about the outcome but will be surprised. I did not expect much from this film, actually, so I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. I like films with a slight twist, with emotional turmoil and genuine suspense, and this film provides all of the above along with excellent performances from Paxton, McConnaughey, and the two young boys who play the younger versions of the Meiks boys. If you are easily frightened or offended, this film might not be your style, but I would otherwise recommend it for an interesting and alternate view on how people perceive and justify their actions.

I really liked this movie. Was suspense, thriller, and mystery,Good acting, And great scrip. I really liked it was, rich and scary. Glad I bought it!
A+

I happened to catch this film on the Sci-Fi Channel on cable last night, and am I ever glad that I did! This has got to be one of the best films that I have ever seen in this genre. It is a veritable masterpiece, delivering a great storyline, an amazing directorial debut by Bill Paxton, and excellent performances by the entire cast. What could be better?

The film revolves around the happy and loving Meeks family, which consists of a Texas widower (Bill Paxton) and his two boys, Fenton and Adam. All is well until late one night, when this pleasant, mild-mannered father claims to have received a visitation from an angel with a very special message for him from God. It seems that demons are among us, disguised as human beings. It appears that Dad, as well as his boys, are being given a very special mission. They are to destroy these demons. God will supply the weapons and the names of those who are to be destroyed. Dad will be able to ensure that he is destroying a demon simply by laying his hands upon the purported demon. Therein lies the tale, and it is a positively chilling one.

This living nightmare is recalled in flashback by one of the now grown boys (Mathew McConaughey) to FBI Agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe), who is investigating a series of killings referred to as the "God's Hand" murders. He recounts what life was like for the Meeks family after dear old Dad got his divine calling and woke them up one night from a sound sleep to tell them of his new found mission. The boys are sworn to secrecy and are called upon to assist with this divine calling. While the younger boy, Adam, gets with the program, the older son, Fenton, is clearly disturbed by what he sees as the psychotic transformation of his formerly benign father. He is only hoping that things will blow over, and Dad will return to normal. Unfortunately, things will never again be the same.

Bill Paxton's directorial debut may best be described as stunningly self-assured. His direction is deft, yet restrained, as he is obviously someone who knows that less is more. He certainly realizes that what passes through the viewer's imagination can often be far more terrifying than any garish special effects. Consequently, this is not a film for those who look for mindless blood splatter and gore, as there is virtually none of that in this film. The camera rightly turns away at the crucial moment, leaving the viewer's imagination to work overtime.

The performances that are exacted from the cast are uniformly terrific, but there are two that merit special note. Bill Paxton is simply astounding, giving a bravura performance that is complex and compelling. The viewer believes all along that he is truly a loving father, even when he is seemingly at his most psychotic and on his divine mission destroying demons. Matt O'Leary also gives a singular performance as young Fenton, the son who has difficulty accepting the tune that his beloved father is now singing. His is an angst filled performance that will tear at the viewer's heart.

This is truly a terrific tale of gothic horror and one that deserves to become a classic. It boasts an intelligent and clever screenplay by Brent Hanley with enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing until the very end. It is a screenplay that has many layers of complexity. The question for the viewer is whether or not Dad was simply a delusional psychotic killer or truly acting upon a divine mission. This may not be as easy to answer as one may think.

All in all, this is a superlative film that is worthy of being in one's personal collection. Bravo!