Marcus is the main source of comedy as a fearless hero who makes light of every situation. Marcus agrees to let a director/producer (Iris Bahr) and cameraman (Adam Grimes) film his last exorcism.
The crew goes into very rural Louisiana and meet a religious, conservative father (Louis Herthum), a skeptical son (Caleb Landry Jones), and daughter Nell, a sweet girl undergoing major stress about the “demon defiling her.” The father is sure Nell is possessed, and Marcus encourages this with Latin demon books, set up props and fake moving scenery. After a first “failed” exorcism, Marcus continues as the plot twists and turns, becoming creepier as it goes along.
The movie’s sluggish build-up makes you almost forget this is a scary movie, until the end, which goes in an opposite direction and completely removes the “realism” most of the movie tries to portray. The ambiguous ending leaves you saying “huh?”
It’s refreshing to see a scary movie that has a comedic side but still delivers the chills and thrills. This pseudo-mocumentary enthralls and renewed my faith in decent horror films.
