Originally published at: https://geektherapy.org/the-exorcism-a-battle-between-demons-and-redemption/
Author: Travis Hayward
The Exorcism is a 2024 American supernatural horror film featuring Russell Crowe as Anthony Miller, an actor whose deteriorating mental state on a horror movie set causes his daughter Lee (Ryan Simpkins) to suspect either his former addictions or a more sinister cause. Directed by Joshua John Miller, who co-wrote the script with M.A. Fortin, the film also stars Sam Worthington (Joe), Chloe Bailey (Blake Holloway), Adam Goldberg (Peter), Adrian Pasdar (Tom), and David Hyde Pierce (Father Conor).
The film begins powerfully, offering an insightful look into the lives of Anthony and Lee Miller. Anthony, a former movie star, fell into drug use and alcoholism while his wife was dying of a terminal illness. After a public disgrace and estrangement from his daughter, Anthony seeks redemption by hiring Lee as a production assistant on his next film project. Lee, too, faces her struggles, having recently been suspended from school for protesting a discriminatory firing among the staff. The film they are working on, titled “The Georgetown Project,” appears to be a reboot of the 1973 horror classic, “The Exorcist.” As the story progresses, Anthony’s old traumas resurface, and strange occurrences on set leave viewers questioning whether a demonic force is present or if Anthony is simply falling back into his old habits.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh take on the genre up until the third act, where the narrative becomes muddled. Instead of delving deeper into Anthony’s backstory and journey toward confronting his grief and mistakes, the film abruptly shifts into a sequence of typical possession movie tropes. The spinning heads, vomiting, unsettling contortions, and the titular exorcism unfold in a choppy manner, leading to an abrupt fade to black without much exploration of the aftermath.
It feels as though there was more to the story, but it was sacrificed for additional jump scares. For this reason, I can’t recommend paying theater prices to see The Exorcism, but it may be worth watching once it hits streaming. The top-notch performances of the cast are worth the watch. I personally hope for a director’s cut release in the future that might showcase the story’s full potential.
Don’t miss the stellar performances and gripping storyline of The Exorcism. Watch it on your favorite streaming platform and join the conversation about whether Anthony’s demons are supernatural or self-made. Share your thoughts and experiences on social media with #TheExorcismMovie!