User reviews

Jessica Steen's character was not typical to any she has played in the past, thus her believable performance was quite an achievement. She is a very talented and diverse actress still waiting to truly be discovered!

This is the fourth film in a series following the movies "Apocalypse", "Revelation" and "Tribulation" and for those who have seen the third movie ("Tribulation") they will realize that it starts off with a big surprise: "Helen Hannah" (Leigh Lewis) is not dead. Instead the guillotine blade was stopped by the anti-Christ "Franco Macalousso" (Nick Mancuso) just prior to killing her. The reason for this is because Franco Macalousso wants to stage a "show trial" to convince everybody that "the Haters" (i.e. Christians) are an enemy who need to be exposed and exterminated if they don't receive "the Mark". As a result a top attorney by the name of "Victoria Throne" (Jessica Steen) is selected to prosecute the case and ensure the maximum propaganda effect. On the other side is a lawyer named "Mitch Kendrick" (Corbin Bernsen) who is essentially drafted to stage a fake defense. But Mitch doesn't like the hand he is dealt and decides to change the nature of the trial so that God is the defendant and Hannah is merely his puppet on a string. Although Franco Macalousso likes the idea Victoria realizes that her carefully crafted script is now useless and that she no longer has complete control over the course of the trial. At any rate, rather than disclose what happens next I will just say that this was an entertaining addition to the series which had some good points and some bad points as well. I liked the actors involved and the overall story. However, the script was extremely uneven and the sets were also rather limited. Even so I think most people who enjoy films of this nature will like this one too. Slightly above average.

In an unidentified period in the future, nations become just one in the One Nation Earth, leaded by Franco "Lucifer" Macalousso (Nick Mancuso). The Christian opposers, leaded by Helen Hannah (Leigh Lewis), are systematically eliminated and Helen is put on trial in the O.N.E. Court of Justice. Her lawyer is Mitch Kendrick (Corbin Bernsen), a man who lost his father, murdered by the followers of Lucifer, and the attorney is his ex-lover Victoria Thorne (Jessica Steen). On the beginning of the trial, Mitch changes the defender, stating that Jesus Christ should be judged, and not his follower Helen, beginning the greatest trial in the history of mankind. The premise of "Judgement" is very interesting, but the movie is horrible. The screenplay is awful, having situations, development of characters and lines very shallow, and sometimes very ridiculous. The acting, with the exceptions of Leigh Lewis and Corbin Bernsen, is terrible. The "actor" called "Mr. T" is unbelievable, probably one of the worst performance I have ever seen. A couple of weeks ago I saw another Christian movie ("Left Behind") and I liked it, but "Judgement" is really a bad movie, for Christians only. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "O Julgamento" ("The Judgement")

first I'd like to say that I am a firm believer in Christ and his Gospel, and I respect these Christians for TRYING to make a decent film. I also love to laugh at bad movies. With this said, I can honestly say that this movie was HILARIOUSLY AWFUL! Every character with the exception of the lawyer and maybe Hannah or whoever was as flat as if they'd been run over by a steamroller. The arguing about the resurrection part of the courtroom sounded like a plug from a book by Josh McDowell. The Antichrist guy just looked like some frumpy dude with alot of regalia. It was never explained why this was the Greatest Trial In History or whatever - it looked like just another Christian being persecuted. The part about the baby killing could have turned out to be interesting if the lawyer had used the evidence, but that was completely abandoned and left us scratching our heads as to why it was included in the first place. The ending was abrupt and just as unsatisfying as the rest of the movie (do they all die? do they get away? will there be a sequel? who knows???)

The best (or worst) thing about this film was the almighty MR T. Everything he said was barked in familiar Mr. T fashion, which increacesed the hilarious rating of this movie to "over the roof." His role as the Christian who wants to act too fast instead of sitting around and "waiting on God" was perfect for him, but like someone else said, he is the exact same person as he is on the A Team.

Christian filmmakers, if you're reading this, PLEASE, PLEASE make good movies. The last thing we need is another bad Christian movie. Good movies include original plots, characters with depth, well written scripts, put together in a way that is not formulaic, contrived, or cliched. Characters are not just props to plug your message into. The message needs to come through in the whole story, which is told by the lighting, the soundtrack, the camera, the dialogue, and just about every other aspect. In "Judgement," the message came may have come through, but the story didn't.

I rented this knowing it was going to Christian propaganda, and that it would offer some fun MST3k style. What I didn't know was just how jaw-droppingly crude and inept the writing would be.

Corbin Burnsen must have been way behind on house payments to agree to have done this movie. To go from a star of the highest rated show on TV ("L.A. Law") to this drek was a fall indeed. Even Mr. T seems to be slumming. Neither has to stretch, as the characters they have here are almost identical to Arnie Becker and B.A., respectively.

The courtroom procedure in this movie is sillier than in "Ally McBeal," and that's saying a lot. What is particularly amusing is the presentation of the One World Ruler. Whether it's books or films in this gender, he's pretty easy to spot - he's the only character whose name has a pronounced vowel at the end. But the people who take the stuff seriously must be slow on the uptake, so the producers also dress him in sinister suits, give him a decadent haircut, and give an office where he keeps a big picture of himself hanging behind the desk. He's really, *really* evil, get it? Ruling the world must leave one with more slack time than say, running your average restaurant, because he's on ready call to be a witness at the trial of the title.

Oh, there are prequels and sequels. Probably with other washed up actors, in addition to actors so obscure even they don't know their own names. I think I'll pass.

I started to watch this movie but gave up because it was so poorly made. I looked at the reviews and, for the most part, Christians thought it was manna from heaven, and others thought it stank. But this shows the differences between Christians and others - Christians, for the most part, are seriously deluded in their beliefs, and any film like this will have them patently ignoring their senses and lauding nonsense. Seriously, how can any sane, non-delusional human being say this load of tripe is the best movie every made? And why do 'others' say it like it is? The answer is because Christians are delusional and others are realists. I know which group I prefer.

Being a huge fan of this incredible series of Last Day Films, AND of Cloud Ten Pictures, I was anxious to see the next installment, following up the action-packed, suspenseful, previous films. In comparison to parts 2 and 3, this movie seemed out of place. It did not have the expected suspense and action we have come to expect, and it seemed to fall just a little short as a court-room drama. But as a movie that stands alone, not to be compared, I can honestly say it was still a good film. The plot was interesting, and the characters were true to themselves. After being led to believe thet Helen Hannah died in the third film, I was confused when I saw the previews of this one, and she was the main charactor again. But after watching this one, the explanation of her being alive was very acceptable, and a pleasant suprize.

Leigh Lewis does an OUTSTANDING job as Helen, and we have grown to LOVE this character, and no one can replace the sinister face of Nick Mancuso as the antichrist. Corbin Bernsen reminded me of William Shatner, a tad TOO dramatic, but yet, acceptable in the role as Mitch, the reluctant lawyer. And I must say, I have always been an admirer of Mr.T, and knowing about his real life Christianity has caused me to respect him more, but his acting skills are weak. He has only mastered ONE style and that style is seen in every film he does. Watching him BARK out his lines without EVER changing his facial expressions, got a little old after the first few minutes. All in all, it was a very good film with a POWER-PACKED message. Cloud Ten Pictures have set the standard for Christian films, that none have been able to top. Hollywood WILL be feeling the effects. if this series continues with another sequel, I can only hope it returns to the same action and suspense we have come to expect from the 2nd and 3rd parts.

Thank you Cloud Ten, for still giving us quality films we can watch, and enjoy, and share with our friends. I remain faithful and loyal.

This movie is so bad that it may make the list of worst movies of all time. The world has a one world goverment led by the devil. The hero of the movie is put on trail for "hatred of the human race." Nothing rings true in the movie. It all seems so dumb that you wonder why anyone would have any part in the movie. There is no real story, no one can act plus it has Mr. T in the movie. That should tell you the type of actors the movie has in it.

You can thank God that there is not a one world government and that I am not the leader. If I were the leader and you liked this movie I would put you on trail for hatred of movies (and art).

You will see some born again members of the God squad give this a review with five stars. If you rent or buy this movie try not to curse.

There are excellent movies out there about God and religion. This is not one of them. Pray that we are not subject to many more movies like this.

Lo, there shall be an ending! And with "Judgment" the Helen Hannah End Times saga draws to a strong finish that course corrects the misstep that was "Tribulation." In fact, "Judgment" all but ignores that anomaly by returning to "Revelation" and bringing back its breakout character Willie and giving a larger role to widow Selma Davis. This film features a compelling courtroom drama ably led by Corbin Bernsen leavened with an action-packed subplot starring Mr. T plotting a daring rescue raid on the One Nation Earth courthouse where Helen Hannah is being held prisoner.

The supposed star power of Gary Busey, Margot Kidder, and Howie Mandel in the previous picture "Tribulation" is dimmed and outshone by that of Corbin Bernsen and Mr. T in this one. Bernsen plays with aplomb defense attorney Mitch Kendrick, set up to fail in a scripted show trial the outcome of which is predetermined. Of course Mitch flips the script and engages in some courtroom hijinks that were inventive and exciting. I never watched Bernsen's 1986-94 legal drama "L. A. Law," but his impressive performance here has me wanting to check it out and to see more of his work.

Mr. T is Mr. T and we wouldn't want him any other way, right? I mean, he is B. A. Baracus all the way, stewin' and fussin' in the van, firing a million rounds of a high-powered weapon and hitting nobody, and surviving unscathed an incendiary grenade that detonates about a foot away from him. Fun stuff. His presence added immeasurably to my enjoyment of the film.

Also buoying this fourth film up and beyond its predecessor was its rightfully returning Leigh Lewis as Holly Hannah to a starring role. After mostly warming the bench for the last two pictures, she gets her turn at bat and knocks it out of the park. Lewis really held her own in those intense scenes with Bernsen. No mean feat, I'm sure.

The film isn't perfect, of course. When Mr. T is getting his phony mark of the beast the cameraman has Mr. T's face blocked by the actor playing the technician. That was just sloppy direction. That technician also tells Mr. T afterwards that his hand will feel like it was in a waffle iron. But later Mitch Kendrick peels off his phony mark like a Cracker Jack box tattoo. Continuity has never been this series' strength, from Macalousso's ever-changing appearance (he goes for the blow-dried look in this picture) to characters inexplicably returning from the dead (no complaints, however, as I really liked Patrick Gallagher's unsung hero Jake Goss).

Speaking of returning characters, I cheered when Willie Spino was called as a witness! Wow, great to see Tony Nappo again. He gets one scene and showboats all the way through it, much to my delight. I only wish the alluring Carol Alt had returned as Cindy, the Jezebel to his King Ahab. A plot point I wish were developed further was Macalousso's drawing out people's innate abilities of telekinesis, as with Willie, but also presumably ESP. Macalousso revealed he possesses the ability to read minds when visiting Mitch and knowing his suicidal thoughts, secret sins, and soul-crushing shame.

Another strong performance was Jessica Steen as prosecuting attorney Victoria Thorne. She mentions that Satan is called "Lucifer" in the Bible, but good luck finding a modern translation that retains that term. "Lucifer" appears only once, in Isaiah 14:12, and you'll find it in the tried n' true translations of yesteryear like the Douay-Rheims and King James, while most modern (per)versions of God's Word substitute the phrase "morning star." But in Revelation 22:16, Jesus Christ declares himself to be the "bright and morning star." Why would a translator use the same term for Satan and Jesus? Mayhaps Macalousso's minions are already at work subverting truth and sowing confusion? (On this topic, a highly recommended documentary is "New World Order Bible Versions.")

Bernsen's greatest moments are those where he's cross-examining the Antichrist himself. He poses a powerful question: Millions of Christians have given themselves over to martyrs' deaths rather than renounce Christ. Who in this courtroom would take a bullet for Macalousso? Cue the crickets. Meanwhile Mr. T is doing Mr. T things and bringing the series across the finish line. He even gets the last word!

The making-of feature on the DVD is worth watching if for no other reason than to see Mr. T singing "Happy Birthday" to Corbin Bernsen on his 46th birthday in September of 2000. Another fun clip shows Mr. T joking with his stand-in, referencing Clubber Lang and "The A-Team." This feature also reveals just how young writer/director Andre van Heerden was. Still in his late twenties, it led me to forgive a lot of the series' shortcomings. Andre appears to have left the glitz and glamor of the Toronto movie scene as IMDb lists his last credit in 2016.

Most annoying character award goes to Selma Davis, who when she wasn't badgering and belittling Mr. T was making a self-righteous speech. Her grandstand play in court served more to elevate her outsized ego than forward the cause of Christ. It was a stretch that this character even got into the heavily guarded courtroom as if on cue, and then could spontaneously pour forth pages of apologetics cribbed from Lee Strobel's "Case for Christ." I felt a twinge of conscience in joining with Macalousso's mob in cheering when Selma was ordered removed from the courtroom!

Most superfluous character award goes to Dawn, the blink-and-you'll-miss-her recruit with the bad Scottish accent she likely learned watching "Star Trek" reruns. I thought, whose girlfriend is she that she landed this role that served zero purpose in the plot?

Random thoughts:

Only film of the series refreshingly free from televangelist clips (though apparently Jack Van Impe visited the set and indulged in an Epic Rap Battle of Bible verses with Nick Mancuso, the devil himself! Okay, I lied about the "rap" part, but the behind-the-scenes feature confirms the rest. Man, I wish there were video of that titanic throwdown!).

The frequently seen portrait of Franco Macalousso from a distance looks uncannily like that of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. Intentional, providential or just serendipitous?

Selma mentions her husband being murdered in front of her (in "Revelation"), but no mention is made of her ill-fated young daughter. I thought that was a grievous oversight, as losing a child would at least equal the heartbreak of losing a spouse.

I initially suspected the character "Mitch Kendrick" was a wink and a nod to fellow Christian filmmaker Alex Kendrick, of "Fireproof" and "Courageous" fame, but Kendrick's first film "Flywheel" was still a couple years away at the time of "Judgment."

In closing, I rank the films with "Apocalypse" as the best of the bunch, "Revelation" and "Judgment" a virtual tie and bringing up the distant rear "Tribulation." If I didn't have the four DVDs in a nice box set, I'd ditch "Tribulation" as it really has no bearing on the series' overarching narrative and has no rewatchability appeal.

I'm glad I finally saw this series 20-plus years after its release. But... when push comes to shove, and I can only take one End Times movie tetralogy to that desert island, it would have to be the O. G. "Thief in the Night" saga of the Seventies and Eighties. I just hope Gilligan can pedal fast and long enough to keep the DVD player powered up!

I liked this relatively low budget, but entertaining film.

Setting is the future time known (in the Bible) as "The Great Tribulation":

According to some Christian scholars (yes, there is disagreement on the details of the end time)...according to some, there will be approximately 7 years when a great, charismatic, peace making brilliant man unites all the world "One World Earth"!!! Peace and unity. No "nationism" All nations as One!!!

Just one tiny problem.

The charming charismatic world leader, who actually brought peace (temporarily) to Israel and has seemed to stop all wars, is basically Satan or a total tool of Satan.

Think of a larger than life Hitler or Stalin. This charismatic world leader (here named Franco Maccalouso) has previously mandated (on pain of death) that all must bear some kind of identifying mark on their hand or forehead. No one can buy or sell without it either. And he wants to encourage his people to turn in any known Christians (which he calls "haters") so he can kill them.

Thus, he sets up a televised scripted trial of a prominent world-famous "hater" former broadcaster and news person Helen Hannah, to incite the world against those who choose Jesus over him. (Here, imagine the show trials and/or faked signed confessions Hitler or Stalin extracted from some of their high profile victims...)

Enter Corbin Bernsen playing the disturbed and depressed lawyer forced by bitter former lover Jessica Steen to act as Helen's defense attorney. Yes, there's a bit of LA Law here.

The best scenes in the movie take place in this surreal round courtroom, where judge and audience are elevated on platforms maybe 15 feet high above the lawyers and defendant.

If you like courtroom dramas, this is a reasonably good movie for you to watch, whatever your beliefs (or anti-beliefs). Bernsen's courtroom sparring with Steen, and with witnesses, is quite good. And my young son likes Mr. T. the tough "hater" activist in the subplot...

PS If you are a lawyer, watch for an amazing reference to the founder of the Harvard Law School, Simon Greenleaf, a world renowned expert on evidence.

This isn't the Da Vinci Code with its bad scholarship. This reference will stand. Be sure to check the reference for yourself!!!

I wanted to get an idea of what American Christian cinema was like and decided to watch this. This movie divided the world into "good Christians" and everyone else. Everyone else is portrayed as having a permanent sneer on their faces and basically devoid of everything good in humanity. That is an incredibly bigoted and ignorant viewpoint. I get that the movie is trying to tell a story about the anti-Christ manipulating mankind but it takes the us vs them aspect way too far. All the usual tropes about the big bad government oppressing Christians, a world government, and "good Christians" being the only truly good people are in there. So I guess if you grew up in a non- Christian country or family you are out of luck, sorry pick the right religion next time.

On top of that the movie is just not good, the acting is amateurish, the sets are crude, camera work is B- movie grade, and the story feels very forced and contrived.

I realize that this is what is considered to be a "B" grade movie, but what can you expect with Hollywood not wanting to pour money into a movie that only a small percentage of people are going to watch.

The people in this movie may not all be big name actors, but some of them are. I, for one, am pleased to see Christian actors doing a movie, not for the money they will make, but for the message that it brings.

If you liked this movie, please watch Left Behind, it explains the Rapture in greater detail and is more of a descriptive movie than a "thriller." There is also Left Behind II-Tribulation Force, and Left Behind-World War III (which is called Nicolae in the book series) is coming soon. Also there is Deceived, Tribulation, and Revelation. These are all movies made by "Cloud Ten" productions.

Thanks, good luck, and God Bless

Although there have been a number of movies attempting to portray these events, and so many of them have been very poor, this movie does an excellent job! One must have a strong intellect and an open mind to understand why this is such a great movie and the actors do a very good job. Unfortunately most who have discussed this movie are commenting on the content rather than the production. Because they disagree with Biblical themes, this movie tends to hurt their puerile little feelings and, they intensely dislike the movie on that prejudice. They claim that evangelicals are judging them...while they are clearly judging those of whom they accuse! They claim short-sightedness...which they demonstrate in their lack of objectivity. And many claim intellectual insults...while they err in their spelling. Sad, but typical of the declining U.S. culture. As George Bernard Shaw once stated: "some people think they are thinking when they are really just rearranging their prejudices".

It seems Macaluso the anti-Christ is putting in a lot of time in dealing with this one newscaster who has denounced him for who and what he is. It's been three films now and there might yet be more in the offing.

Leigh Lewis has returned as Hannah Hunter, a Katie Couric like news anchor, who denounced Macaluso on network television and is now a fugitive in the one world government that Macaluso has made for himself as dictator of the world. She was caught in the last film, but he spared her for this film Judgment where she is now to be tried for her crimes.

In Judgment the Christians are now called Haters and it's big time illegal to be one. What Nick Mancuso as Macaluso wants is a Stalinist like show trial and you need the cooperation of all the parties for that one. That would include the defense attorney, but prosecutor Jessica Steen assures everyone that her old boyfriend Corbin Bernsen is the right attorney for their purposes.

In the meantime such zealous Christians as Mr. T and Selma Davis are planning a rescue of Lewis before the trial. And Bernsen is not quite what he seems to Mancuso and company.

Call me old fashioned, but what seems to be implicit here is that man is incapable of solving his own problems. And when a guy comes along who does solve our age old disputes and brings world peace, inherently he HAS to be evil. A lot of that attitude is a self fulfilling prophecy, we can't do anything for ourselves, don't try, but trust in some higher power for this world or a good place in the next. And then the problems don't get solved in any event.

Judgment is a low budget Christian film on the days after the Rapture and before the Second Coming as some Christians conceive them to be. Remember it's all in the realm of speculation. Take out the religious component and we call it science fiction.

We may yet see Hannah Hunter and Nick Macaluso back again for those interested.

Poorly made propagandist film that is fourth in the line of similar. the devil (Mancuso---why oh why Nick?) as Satan goes to the trouble to try a holy-roller in court. Eh? Why bother? CLOUD TEN has yet to prove it can do anything more than film a religious tract. I know Mr. T needs the work but why Nick would bother, I do not know. If one were to make an attempt at allowing logic in this film it vanishes with bad editing and poorly contrived sets. The shark cage type cell the defendant is place in is amusing as is "Corbin Carbolic's" attempt at high drama.Waste of film...waste of time.

I have rented all four in the series. They are all well done films. Nick plays Lucifer in all three and his role is believable. The story was surprisingly good. It seems the more they make of these films, the better they get. Mr. T. is in this one and his role is small. His role is not like the other roles one would see him in such as the A-Team. It had good court drama and a logical discussion about God. The series is starting to run out of steam, but it will be interesting when Left Behind 2 comes out. 5/10

As the final instalment (at the moment) of the Helen Hannah v O.N.E this is pretty good.

Cloud Ten are getting more and more quality actors with each feature and it shows.

A fairly riveting courtroom drama that is definitely less preachy than Tribulation.

This movie, as well as the other three in the series{Apocalypse, Revelation and Tribulation) should appeal to christians and non christians alike as it tells a fictional Biblical story without preaching. To those christians who only want factual Biblical stories, this probably won't appeal to you because it is fiction. The movies do not go into what the Bible says about the end times. The movies are well written, and there is a lack of profanity. The special effects are dazzling, but the violence is not suitable for young children. That said, there is very little "hollywood" blood and guts. People get shot and beheaded, but it is not shown in gory detail. The characters are well developed and the acting is superb.

I think this movie must be part of a series; having seen the 'part IV' in the title here at IMDb makes some of the movie make more sense (i.e., the baby-killing reference mentioned in another post). It's fitting that Corben Bernsen portrays a lawyer in this movie, since that's what I knew him best as (from L.A. Law), but I think he does a fine job in this movie. His presence was the best part of this movie and Mr. T did indeed provide some comic relief. Other than that, the production apparently had a low budget based on the props; the courtroom looked like something out of Star Trek; the defendant's hair was alternatively blonde or high-lighter yellow, depending on the lighting. I could go on but I agree with the previous poster, please make GOOD Christian movies.

As a believer during the Apocalypse series and subsequent Left Behind films and watching everything that came to the silver screen I can't believe I missed this one. The script was superb and the team effort from the cast was incredible. I realize it was a low budget film with no special effects and bells and whistles to draw one to the theater. I watched this tonight on YouTube and was thoroughly impressed. I kept watching for poor performances to answer the poor reviews that many people gave the film. I guess I was so caught up in the story line and the joy of seeing an impressive Corbin Benson performance and an okay job from Mr. T. Along with Corbin, Jessica Steen was also great. I encourage anyone who wants to share their faith with friends and neighbors to invite them over for a night of popcorn and low budget filmmaking with a great message. I've often wondered how many people have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus by watching a fun movie with friends that carried a 'saving' message. May the Lord Bless those in the business of making movies for a living, with a message of love and hope, that didn't give in to the temptation of the enemy to make movies that the majority of the 'lost' world wants to see.

I rate this movie as tops in the series. Best of the four. Not the greatest action but good acting makes this believable. Nick Mancuso does an excellent job of portraying the devil in this court room battle putting God on trial. Hope to see more great Christian movies like this from Paul LaLonde.

I believe the movie was awesome especially for those who really have read the word of God, what was seen is really what can happen at that time in History. So check yourself and get your house in order, if you are a non-believer that's fine because no one has a Heaven or Hell to put you in, you send yourself there. To the cast and crew from the movie Judgment, keep on doing the work for the Lord. I am not going to respond to the lame comments that others made about this great movie, but I will say, that the characters in this movie were phenomenal, it's really hard work especially, when you talk about doing a movie nowadays about the end times and tribulation, trials, etc... I was very thrilled and excited to watch this, movie.