Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Begotten

Play trailer Poster for Begotten 1991 1h 18m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
70% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
God Killing Himself (Brian Salzberg), Mother Earth (Donna Dempsey) and Son of Earth-Flesh on Bone (Stephen Charles Barry) are players in a myth of primal gore.

Critics Reviews

View More
Janet Maslin New York Times 08/30/2004
2.5/5
Mr. Merhige's concentration, while impressive in its way, seems almost entirely self-contained, with little effort to engage an audience on even the level of myth; the film's approach is far too grotesque for that. Go to Full Review
Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 01/01/2000
If you're squeamish you should avoid this like the plague; others may find it hard to shake off the artistry and originality of this visionary effort. And if you're looking to be freaked out you shouldn't pass it up. Go to Full Review
Michelle Kisner The Movie Sleuth 11/11/2023
Begotten holds power as a bizarre and mystifying piece of art that still haunts viewers. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 05/29/2016
B+
This one is made for freaks and those who love strange films. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 06/12/2005
3/5
Andy Klein Los Angeles CityBeat 06/23/2004
4/5
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Hamish G Nov 21 An absolutely awe inspiring, eerie, near perfect masterpiece. Probably my favourite film of all time. There's nothing else like that. See more Sauron A Oct 16 Garbage movie with no plot and no interesting characters.Pointless movie,I didn't manage to finish it because it's so boring to sit through.Random flashes of black and white bullshit with no meaning. 1/10 See more Ian Burt R Oct 9 I'm giving this 5 stars, because of how disturbed I was after watching it, and i'm a horror buff. Most movies you sit down, with a choc-ice, popcorn a drink and watch a horror movie, which has a plot, main characters, scary music and jump out of your seat sudden scary scenes. Well, this is nothing like that style of movie whatsoever. I watched Begotten in a dark room, on my own, and I struggled that night coping. This is downright creepie, eerie and weird and unlike anything i've ever seen. It has to be appreciated for what it is. Don't expect a movie, expect weirdness, art, contrast, visual and audio creepiness. This is a sit on your own, in the dark with no one around movie.....and then try and sleep afterwards! It's subliminal. The visions and sounds of the movie were played over and over again in my head when i tried to sleep. It is the most eerie creepy disturbing movie i've ever watched. See more Joshua H Jun 16 Begotten is a confusing mess that tests ones patience See more Teddy B Jan 1 Less Dali and more Warhol, 'Begotten', although likeably ambitious, doesn't rise above being a thin test of its audience's patience. I don't believe that was the intent of the director. See more Courtney K @c0urtn3y 06/30/2024 for a movie that's 100% visual, it doesn't really show you anything. See more Read all reviews
Begotten

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Movie Info

Synopsis God Killing Himself (Brian Salzberg), Mother Earth (Donna Dempsey) and Son of Earth-Flesh on Bone (Stephen Charles Barry) are players in a myth of primal gore.
Director
E. Elias Merhige
Producer
E. Elias Merhige
Screenwriter
E. Elias Merhige
Production Co
Theatre Of Material
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 18m