It’s not easy these days to be truly surprised by a new movie, especially a horror film. Lets face it, we’ve seen almost everything there is to do in film, one way or another over the years especially in a genre like horror. That is what is so refreshing about producer Eli Roth’s new film “The Last Exorcism,” although we have seen elements of this film before it is presented here in a new and original way. So often the technique of using documentary filmmaking as a narrative tool has been done before, most famously in “The Blair Witch Project” and most recently with “Cloverfield.” But that trick can get old quick and if it is not backed up with an interesting story its not going to work. In this film it’s used so tastefully and in order to tell the story that it feels original, organic and makes the film totally different than anything we’ve seen before.
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One of the things that help to make this film so strong is that it is pretty damn interesting on its own long before the actual “scary” parts begin. In fact, if the exorcism never took place this would still be a fascinating film about a minister who has lost his faith and realizes that he may have never had it in the first place. Actor Patrick Fabian is wonderful as Rev. Cotton Marcus, a “snake-oil salesman” of a minister who wants to come clean about his devious ways. Fabian is so likable and strong as the character that you believe in this world right away. The documentary film that is being made about Marcus allows us to get a glimpse into Marcus’ life that we would not have gotten otherwise and of course that style eventually leads to some scary moments once the actual exorcism aspect of the film begins. With the exception of a few moments that seem pushed, this storytelling device helped make the film work and never took away from the story at hand.
The film begins by introducing us to the Reverend Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) a southern preacher who has lost his faith. A documentary filmmaker has decided to make a film about Marcus and is filming his Sunday church service. Marcus talks directly to the audience about his life’s story. He is the son of a preacher and one of the most beloved ministers in the area. Cotton has been preaching since he was a boy and is candid about the “show” that southern ministers perform, even going as far as working in a “banana bread” sermon in order to prove that no one is actually listening to the words that he is saying. Cotton explains that he has also worked as a successful exorcist for many years and that he has basically just been stealing money. Now he wants to come clean by exposing the practice for what it is … a hoax. Cotton receives several letters requesting his help releasing demons from possessed people and assures the filmmakers that none of this can be real. He agrees to choose one of the letters randomly and take them on as a client to prove that exorcisms are not real by revealing his secrets to the camera like a magician revealing his secrets to an audience. Unfortunately he picks the wrong letter.
This leads the good Reverend and the filmmakers to journey to the Sweetzer farm where they meet the Sweetzer family. First they run into the son, Caleb (Caleb Landry Jones), a strange and creepy young man who wants nothing to do with Cotton and his crew. Caleb encourages them to leave by throwing mud at their car. They don’t listen, of course, and are quickly introduce to Louis Sweetzer (Louis Herthum) upon arrival at the farm. Louis begins to explain what has been happening and that some of the farm animals have been slaughtered by the strange events. Cotton quickly realizes that he has made a terrible mistake when he is introduced to Nell (brilliantly played by newcomer Ashley Bell) the sweet and innocent young girl that is supposedly possessed. See Cotton has a rule … no exorcisms on children. Cotton decides to break his rule and perform his act on Nell. While everyone believes that it worked at first, Cotton quickly realizes that he may be dealing with the real thing and that he is unequipped to handle it. He seeks help from a local minister familiar with the Sweetzers’ problems but Louis doesn’t want his help so it is up to Cotton to save Nell. Now, Cotton most face his own demons if he has a chance at beating the ones that have now possessed Nell’s soul. What follows will truly surprise and disturb you.
Without giving too much away I will say that you will never see the ending coming. It is truly a surprising and shocking ending, that being said, I’m not sure I understood what happened. It kind of came out of left field but I enjoyed the film’s originality and the filmmakers’ courage to take a big swing at something. In some ways it is much different than the film that you have been watching but it fits into the wild world that has been set up and you believe that this could happen, even though it is a little unbelievable. All the acting in the film is excellent and I like that the filmmakers chose basically unknown actors for the roles. Both Fabian and Herthum are strong but it is Bell’s performance that steals the film. She has such an unassuming quality about her that you can’t help but feel sorry for what she is going through, which makes it even that more terrifying when she becomes possessed. Dare I say that this might be the best “possessed performance” since Linda Blair in “The Exorcist?” I’m sure that comparison will become common in describing the film and her work once it is released. Bell truly gives a star-making performance in this film. In the end, The Last Exorcism is an original and frightening film that wisely uses many of the devices that are common in these types of movies but then transcends them in a new and original way that makes this film exciting and a must-see for any hardcore horror fan.
