I Watch 'Em So You Don't Have To

WE CAN ONLY HOPE THIS WILL BE THE LAST...








The Last Exorcism

Why did I bother with this movie? I simply wanted to know why it was the 'last.' That's it.

It is actually quite amusing at first. The premise is a minister who has been preaching since he was ten and also performing 'exorcisms' since that time. Uh huh. After reading of an autistic child who had died during an exorcism he wants out and wants to make a documentary on how dangerous it is.

I don't want to give everything away but the tricks of the trade as it were are kind of funny and not surprising. If you think this is an anti-Catholic thing, nah. He's not Catholic and claims that every religion performs exorcisms. That's not correct, but I've heard first hand of a Lutheran one so...

Anywho he decides to take his 'crew' on his last time as an exorcist. It's totally backwater, superstitious stuff with backward people and ideas - perfect to be taken in by his little 'tricks.'

The movie escalates however as the subject - well, again I don't want to give too much away, let's just say he finds more than he bargained for and I apologize for such a lame summation.

The ending felt very forced, like they were saying 'We've got to end this, make all this happen quick!' and bam the movie is over.

It's all done with a handheld camera (which I usually hate, those make me seasick) but since this is supposed to be a documentary it works. Of course, if it was a documentary, the special effects music wouldn't be in it, would it? Whoops. One of many holes in what starts strong and ends weak. Watch if you want to see some of the 'tricks of the trade' and the humor, but don't be surprised to be disappointed in how it ends.

Just a quick update: Although there is a baffling sequel, and the movie has been parodied (in some cases rather well), this still was a halfway original effort to do something different - you've gotta give it snaps for that at least.