It should be noted that this film has no connection to The Pope's Exorcist, where Russel Crowe also was the lead. Writer /director Joshua John Miller however does have a connection with The Exorcist. He is the son of Jason Miller, who played Father Damien. Some more trivia for you. Jason Patric is the half brother of Joshua. Do these facts impact the film? I would say yes.
The Exorcism is about Anthony Miller (Russel Crowe) who had to deal with his own demons and is given an opportunity to get back into acting. It's a horror film about an exorcism. Now, it has been a very long time I have seen The Exorcist but if I am not mistaken, the house and the rooms used in seems very reminiscent of the house and rooms in The Exorcist. If this is true, that is obviously deliberate. It seems that Russel Crowe is less picky when it comes to his roles. Why else would he do yet another exorcism film? What would make this different from the one he did before? Well, you see, while the supernatural elements are important, there are two plot elements that are slightly more important. His relationship with his daughter, after the death of his wife. And his own struggle. I won't go into this too much since I would be spoiling things, but there is a very good reason why Anthony Miller is having a hard time.
If I had to guess, I think this shifts the focus to the more psychological aspects of life and family dynamics, which some people didn't care for. But if you think about it, the film basically is telling you that the demon in this film is not the worst that could happen to a person. Or, if you want to be philosophical, the demon is a manifestion of the true evil that has occurred. So instead of giving you a jump scare every two minutes, going the usual route where slowly a person is possessed, the argument here is that this person has been possessed for a long time and only now has chosen to come out publicly. This could also entail that the evil comes out whenever it pleases. Who knows what has happened before we are introduced to this story? There are many ways you could look at the story and the events without detracting what the director is trying to convey to you.
The Exorcism, might be a little too dark in places, but it did help to set up a great atmosphere. The film is genuinely creepy, especially when Anthony Miller is talking gibberish. I do have one issue though, but thinking about it, this also could be intentional. Anthony Miller clearly is struggling and instead of trying to properly help him or believe him, they automatically assume he is off the wagon. Even when the whole film crew was witness to something unbelievable. Not a single reaction to this. It could be that this is symbolic to people rather wanting to ignore bad and evil events instead of acknowledging them. Besides, it's easier to put the blame on someone else.
Overall, I don't understand the low ratings. Yes, it's slow, but it enhances the tension and dread. In my book, I take that over fast and scary moments every five minutes any day. But it's Russel Crowe's performance that truly makes it worth your while. He definitely is giving his finest acting ever! So do give it a shot!
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