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Reviews
The Last Exorcism
Reviewed by: Ryan Turek, Managing Editor
Rating: 5 out of 10
Movie Details: View here
Cast:Patrick Fabian as Cotton Marcus
Ashley Bell as Nell Sweetzer
Louis Herthum as Louis Sweetzer
Iris Bahr as Iris
Caleb Jones as Caleb Sweetzer
Tony Bentley as Pastor Gerald Manley
Directed by Daniel Stamm
Review:
A witch, the Jersey Devil, a serial killer who strives to be a legend, a city-stomping behemoth of unknown origin, aliens and a haunted house. All of these subjects have one thing in common: The reinvigorated faux documentary (or "faux doc" as some are calling it) structure many filmmakers are adhering to as a way to freshen up familiar trappings of the horror genre, furthermore tap into society's You Tube generation and incessant craving for "reality" entertainment. It was only a matter of time before this was applied to possession and exorcists. And so, here we have The Last Exorcism, a schizophrenic, mediocre film that never lives up to its truly terrifying potential to bitch slap the soul or make you feel spiritually unclean. And, oh Lord, that ending. What a whopper worthy to be exorcised from the final cut.
Between this film and Ti West's House of the Devil, I'm thrilled to see that there's this palpable desire among filmmakers to return to the creepy devil-fueled fare of the '70s and '80s. In those two decades, we saw films that either delivered on subtlety or went to extremes with goat beasts and wild-eyed Satanists running amok. My heart holds love for movies in both categories - believe me, I love The Devil Rides Out, Race With the Devil and, of course, The Exorcist (much of The Exorcism of Emily Rose succeeded for me) - but The Last Exorcism works best when director Daniel Stamm, whose previous film was A Necessary Death, embraces the quiet moments, allowing both his sound design and actors sell the "creep out" factor. This only carries Stamm so far, however, before the film feels like its poking about after fulfilling its checklist of scares.
Throughout The Last Exorcism, Stamm appears to be continually at odds with the documentary format. The use of a soundtrack for films of this type arguably don't work. It instantly removes you from the intimacy of the material, separating you from the fact that you might just be watching footage you're not supposed to be watching in the first place. You're no longer a witness. You're a movie-goer. Here, Nathan Barr's soundtrack hits you with piercing stings and ominous rumblings, neither of which are welcome especially during the scares which could probably work on their own without the reminder from the score that "this is scary!" You also have to wonder how many camera men they've got to cover the action that unfolds. For the film's purpose, there's a camera man and someone on sound, however, its far too "produced" with all the right reaction shots at just the right time you need them. There should be something raw about this film. It appears as if Stamm simply wanted to drop the documentary approach and tell a straight-up movie.
Those technicalities aside, and they're big ones to point out since the "approach" to the material is the thrust of The Last Exorcism, where Stamm excels is in the performances he extracts from his actors. Patrick Fabian is the film's real revelation as Reverend Cotton Marcus, a Louisiana preacher and family man who has been doing exorcisms for years. Fabian, with the assist of Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland's script, makes Cotton an instantly amiable, layered character with a good sense of humor (reciting a banana bread recipe during a sermon to prove his congregation will "amen" to anything) and a warm heart. It's the type of swift and well-executed character set-up that's sorely lacking in genre films today. So when he embarks to Ivanwood, Louisiana to exorcise a young woman named Nell (Ashley Bell), you've got his back. And even though he's been duping people for years with his exorcisms, you don't feel any disdain for this because his intentions are pure and his invitation to bring a camera crew along on his last job is organic and justified.
Once the film dispenses with the clever laughs - the film is definitely clever at times - and Cotton's initial exorcism, during which he demonstrates all of the tricks of the exorcism trade, Stamm is allowed to test his chops in the "scares" department when the story calls for things to get a bit more real than Cotton anticipated. The results are varied at best. Stamm can create an unsettling atmosphere and when Nell begins to get a bit loopy he knows when to simply let an eerie noise play out to make your spine tingle. But there's always this omnipresent feeling that Stamm is holding back and not letting some of the scares go too far. The titular exorcism itself is also weak, in spite of actress Ashley Bell's ability to contort her body.
The Last Exorcism is a mixed bag of frights* watered down by the script's desire to throw a few twists into the last half of the film to keep the viewer second-guessing the reality of Nell's predicament. These turns in the plot make the film feel a bit bloated and, like a fault of another smart faux doc Behind the Mask, you begin to grow distant from the main protagonist in the final act. Overall, the film tries, but it doesn't focus to try hard enough - all show and no go. It wants to make you a believer in its events, but it falters at carrying you all of the way. Worse still, the heavy metal album cover of a finale is preposterous and loud enough to almost make you forget the elements of the film that worked. Heaven help us, indeed.
*How this film landed a PG-13 while Paranormal Activity landed an R-rating is baffling.
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Comments
Posted by: Matthew H. on June 25, 2010 at 15:01:52
Maybe because Paranormal Activity had 30 f-bombs. . .
Posted by: Matthew H. on June 25, 2010 at 15:02:36
39, to be exact.
Posted by: Ryan Rotten, Managing Editor on June 25, 2010 at 15:06:54
There you go. The F-bombs completely flew right by me.
Posted by: Jud on June 25, 2010 at 15:34:30
Back when it was called Cotton, and I first read the plot, I was in. Then I saw the trailer and was completely out, so not surprised at the less than enthusiastic review here. The trailer was really, really bad. If a movie about demon possession is rated PG 13, then something is wrong.
Side note, I really like the end of Behind the Mask. The Leslie Vernon character is very likeable, until you're reminded of what his motivations are. When that happens you're like, wait a second I forgot this dude was here to kill innocent people. With that you connect with that documentary crew, and I feel like that's an accomplishment when shooting that whole POV/DOC style of movie.
Posted by: Drew on July 2, 2010 at 15:44:59
when i saw The Last Exercism 4 the 1st time i thought it look awsome...and i was for sure that i was going 2 be one hell of a scary film! But i find out it has a pg13 rating....why do i have the feeling that this is going 2 turn out like The Exorcism of Emily Rose did?
Posted by: Myerschild on July 6, 2010 at 09:46:00
@ Jud
I agree with you about Behind the Mask. It is possibly one of my fave horror films of all time and is only beaten as the best faux doc i have seen by cloverfield, but thats no bad thing as for cloverfield really nailed that genre of film.
Posted by: rigor morris on July 14, 2010 at 02:00:21
i have to disagree on ''behind the mask''. too talky and tried to be too comical. ''man bites dog'' did it right.
just mho.
Posted by: rigor morris on July 14, 2010 at 02:03:55
paranormal inactivity IS an F Bomb !
Posted by: Red X on July 14, 2010 at 19:55:16
paranormal inactivity and Blair Witch Project are ****.
If you want good documentary movies see
Cannibal Holocaust and Cloverfield
back to The Last Exorcism
I will give it shoot.
Posted by: SweetBlood on August 27, 2010 at 05:10:33
I really really hated this movie and the ending is just horrible. The entire theater was pissed off. We were cracking jokes through the entire movie too because it was just a joke. If they would have went further with the scares they would have had an almost decent flick. I honestly would give this a 3/10. It just didn't cut it for me.
Posted by: Andrew on August 27, 2010 at 07:14:53
The people that wrote this movie should be punished for that ending. This might rank number 1 on my all time list for bad endings. If you want to watch a good movie, watch the first 85 minutes. Then towards the end, when you see the main characters drive down a street and pass a cafe, walk out of the theatre and save yourself from wanting to pound your face against the wall when you see the ending.
Posted by: Jess on August 27, 2010 at 15:00:32
complete disappointment! I was so hyped up for this movie and it was horrible... only 10% of the movie was scary and the ending was a disaster! I wonder what the director was thinking when they watched the movie and its ending for the first time!... I saw the midnight showing and everyone (in the packed theatre) was pissed off. Some people even boo'd when it was over... Worst exorcism movie of all time! should have been a comedy not a horror flick... =/
Posted by: conno on August 27, 2010 at 16:41:15
somebody went number 2 in the urinal
Posted by: conno on August 27, 2010 at 16:47:44
this movie needed guns,girls, and fast cars.It wasnt scary at all.If Nell was naked and cotton had a lambo and ak47,the movie would be dope.if the story involved a satanic demon and an angel warrior with a shotgun the movie would be dope.Did anyone notice cottons crotch partway through the movie?it looked like a boner
Posted by: Samone on August 28, 2010 at 20:58:08
OK,"I WISH I HAD 2 EXTRA HANNDS, SO I COULD GIVE IT 4 THUMBS DOWN"LOL....ENTIRELY TOO SHORT, PLOTLESS,RIDICULOUS CLIFT ENDING, AND WATERED DOWN EFFECTS....SAVE YOUR MONEY...PLEASE
OH AND EXTRA NOTE..I LOVED BEHIND THE MASK, its comical...
Posted by: cory on August 28, 2010 at 21:40:35
"The Last Exorcism" was one of the WORST movies I have EVER seen. That ending was just thrown-together-at-the-last-minute dribble! It made ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE!!! The only portions of the film that were well thought-out and well-done were the Christian-bashing portions. That is CLEARLY where the brunt of the film-maker's creativity and energy went. I mean, okay...the film-maker is no fan of Christianity, I get it. But, when he is NOT Christian-bashing, could the guy at least TRY to give us a movie worth the price of admission?
Posted by: Eo on August 29, 2010 at 12:16:07
another crappy misfired review...they just keep getting better and better....
Posted by: bobby on August 29, 2010 at 14:23:08
The movie was horrible. nell killed a cat. yah not that scary. would of been more worth it if it had nudity and some curse words.
Posted by: Joe on August 30, 2010 at 10:33:36
to answer all the questions of how the ending made "NO SENSE" you have to pay attention in the first part of the movie when Cotton is talking to people asking around the old guy talks about the some religious cult established around here but thats behind the point, Nell basically kind of warned them and it happened in the pictures, Cotton was engulfed in flames facing the demon, the other two were hacked the father had nothing to do with anything he was tied up an taken by flames
Posted by: keke on August 31, 2010 at 23:13:58
@Cory. If you paid attention to the details througout the movie, you would regret even making such an opinion towards the ending.
The ending did make sense and to me it was very interesting and well thought of so you just can' go say it was thrown together, it seems easy to say but it's not true. I can just tell that it wasn't, it was thought behind it. But the very last part of the ending where everybody got killed off so sudden was a little bit eh, i think they shoulve prolonged it just a tad :)
Posted by: Gina on September 1, 2010 at 09:28:43
This movie sucked! The best parts were in the coming attractions which of course always happens so people end up watching it. The whole theater laughed and talked thru the whole thing and the ending was the worst!
Posted by: Polanski's Arrest Warrant on September 1, 2010 at 14:19:13
Why does everyone say dribble? It's drivel. When you misspell words, use poor grammar and sound like an illiterate ****, it really takes the heat out of your argument. I really wish that people here on the Internet would just take a few extra minutes to proofread what they write. Either that or go back to grade school and learn English as your second language now that you have mastered *******se and all. ****ing crybaby trolls.
Posted by: YOU DUMB ASS on September 2, 2010 at 17:42:01
wow dude your usch a dumb ass, if i was your boss i'd fire you for knowing nothing about movies!!
If you came to this movie hoping for a documentry or something like that than you just went to the wrong place. A movie format is a movie format weather its a faux documentary (or Mockumentary as normal poeple call it)or a comedy, its still a movie made to entertain for the main reason! For me the ending was very good and for poeple who actually know something about devil mythology and like to know stuff, knew that at the end Nell was giving birth to the antichrist and Pastor Manley killed it because he actually knows a thing or two about excorsiscm unlike cotton marcus who thinks excorcism is just a buissnes.
Posted by: MIndbomb on September 2, 2010 at 18:08:44
It's kind of funny how many people didn't understand the ending or at least consider it fully. It is actually quite layered. Seriously people THINK about what you consume. There is another possibility about the ending. It may not be correct, but you should never take anything at face value. (yes that's a friggin' hint)
Posted by: Everett on September 3, 2010 at 11:29:27
I really didn't think Cloverfield was a great horror doc. There were so many flaws in the film and the poor CGI effects kill the suspension of belief.
I don't really consider Cannibal Holocaust a horror doc as it was only part of a whole film.
Man Bites Dog and oddly enough The Legend Of Boggy Creek did it right. Even though Boggy is cheesy as hell it somehow worked for me.
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