Category: Horror/Thriller

7.9

Definitely one of the most gruesome movies I’ve seen in a LONG time. The lengths to which it goes to make the audience genuinely uncomfortable to their cores is commendable and impressive. It doesn’t let off the gas from the first frame to the very last. And the blood… blood EVERYWHERE!

The cast did a great job of establishing a rapport, despite the lack of time and scenes built for that explicit purpose, helping you to have someone to root for and a reason to care about the carnage.

The homages to the classics were a work of art. “The Shining,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” and of course “Evil Dead,” to name a few. This film may be gruesome, but it is also gorgeous.

Not for children… or the faint of heart. Worth every second!

7.9

A surprisingly solid exorcist film!

Russell Crowe absolutely shines as Father Gabriele Amorth, one of the chief exorcists in the Catholic Church and foremost expert on the subject until his death.

The film itself is a bit of a masterclass in exorcism filmmaking. From the initial “exorcist shot,” to the portrayal of the rite itself throughout the film, the cast hits all of the marks beautifully, with a natural flow that lends it a realism and authenticity not many horror films achieve. The film fires on all cylinders from beginning to end, shining a light on humanity, humility, and grace.

7.7

One of the better films in the franchise! Including one of the most effective opening scenes in the entire series. A great homage to the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise.

The plot itself has all the markings of a “Scream” film. Great commentary on the genre as a whole. Strong cast. Devastating kills. The weakest link in the fabric of the film is the plot armor that guards the core four from EVERYTHING, and left me laughing after some vocal “oh, what the f**k!?” moments in the theater. Exceptionally entertaining.

6.1

It’s not good… I really wanted to like this, but it just refused to get out of its own way.

The special effects were terrible, the story was meh, and the acting was… no bueno. The worst part was really that there were no redeeming qualities in the characters. It takes away from the experience when there’s no one to root for. When you find yourself actively rooting for the characters to be killed off to wrap things up more quickly. And then the ending just leaves you laughing at the thought that they actually believed enough in a sequel to end it the way they did. Oy vey…