The Exorcism is the latest possession horror movie and the second in a row for Gladiator and Romper Stomper movie star, Russel Crowe. Directed by Californian front-runner, Joshua John-Miller, the movie follows a troubled actor as he takes on the role of a priest for an upcoming horror movie about a malevolent demon.
The Story Behind The Exorcism
Haunted by the losing his wife to breast cancer, Anthony (Russel Crowe) found himself turning to drink and drugs. As is so often the case, Anthony’s battle with the demon drink eventually led to his family turning their backs in him, pushing the protagonist deeper into his deep and dark hole of self-pity.
The Exorcism picks up with Anthony after he has clawed his way out of his self-made abyss of depression and, with the help of rehab, has won his bravely fought battle with hard liquor and narcotics. He is back at home and even has the chance of rebuilding a relationship with his daughter (who has moved back into the family home after being excluded for damaging the principal’s car).
In a bid to get his life back on track, the previously esteemed actor is in the process of booking a job to play the lead role as a priest in a remake of the 1974 classic, The Exorcist. Encouraged by his daughter, Anthony lands the role and things are finally looking up for him. However, soon into filming, Anthony’s mental state begins to rapidly deteriorate and it becomes quickly apparent that outside forces are in play as things take a sinister turn.
Just like The Exorcist, The Exorcism is a slow-burner. However, unlike the iconic movie of yesteryear, it’s devoid of tension and sparse on the creativity. Concentrating too much on creating a dark and drab atmosphere, The Exorcism seemingly forgets that it’s supposed to be a horror movie, only to finally remember in the closing sequences. The result is a long, drawn out 80 minutes or so, with a somewhat decent ending.
A Path Well Trodden
To be fair, I can imagine it to be pretty hard to inject any sort of fresh ideas into possession horror movies these days. Its all been done, time and time again. Having said that, however, I would rather a movie chock full of horror clichés and tropes than to have to sit through over an hour of needlessly lengthy “story building”, especially when there’s no real story being built.
The one saving grace for the whole movie was Russel Crowe’s portrayal of a brooding actor with a chequered past. With two back-to-back possession horror movies under his belt, however, I can’t help but wonder if the Australian actor is falling into the trap of becoming typecast. The man is a renowned actor and has the talent to seamlessly fall into any given role. After the likes of Romper Stomper, Gladiator and American Gangster it’s beyond comprehension that he would put his name to the likes of this yawn-fest.
Summary
The Exorcism stands as a shining example that this particular sub-genre has been milked for all its worth. There hasn’t been any signs of a different approach to these movies since they merged possession horror with a courtroom genre in The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Regardless of such, I’ll continue to subject myself to the cookie-cutter genre through hope alone, although this is akin to being stranded at sea and hoping for a McDonald’s.
If you’re a fan of Crowe and horror alike, The Pope’s Exorcist is a far better option. On the other hand, if you like Crowe and are looking for a reliable sedative, look no further than The Exorcism.
