PIC of the Week – The Exorcism of God
Article Series by Ray Schillaci
I was this close to placing the new Dr. Strange movie as my PIC until I happened upon something even stranger with a much smaller budget, Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s The Exorcism of God, directed and co-written by Alejandro Hidalgo. Some may even consider me blasphemous for suggesting such a film and I would understand considering the subject matter is of a Catholic priest having succumbed during an exorcism and later facing his demon. But, director/co-writer Hidalgo and his writing partner Santiago Fernández Calvete have not only paid considerable homage to William Friedkin’s classic The Exorcist, they nearly take it to the next level with the shocks and scares provided. They also throw in some very dark humor that elicits some nervous chuckles.
Hidalgo is best known for his fantasy/horror film The House of the End of Time (La casa del fin de los tiempo). Hidalgo’s movie became the highest grossing horror film in Venezuelan history. Calvete is known for his first film that he wrote and directed, The Second Death (La Segunda Muerte), a film mixing the genres of police drama, the fantastic and horror. Together the two filmmakers appear to be a match made in hell and their talents put forth on their latest feature may prove that with frightening effects, make-up and a notorious theme.
A young American priest, Father Peter Williams, is called upon in the middle of the night to perform an exorcism on a young nun in Mexico. He calls on the more experienced exorcist, Father Michael Lewis, that is suppose to join him, but the man being in the states cannot be by his side for another couple of days. Meanwhile, Megali the nun’s life is held in the balance with those afraid she will die if the exorcism is not performed immediately. Father Peter relays this to his mentor, but Father Michael warns him he is not prepared for what is in store and he may be too weak to tackle such an undertaking.
Father Peter, fearing for Megali’s life and soul, hurtles head on ignoring his mentor’s warnings. What transpires is an ugly scene that eventually saves Megali, but haunts Father Peter for life. The young priest dedicates his life to the the poor and downtrodden in Mexico. For eighteen years the man is loved by the community, even to the point that they are calling him a saint. The church is considering promoting him to the Vatican. But, without the community’s and the church’s knowledge, Father Peter has been fighting back a horrible darkness from his past.
That evil rears its nasty head in the form of another young woman possessed and housed in a Mexican village prison, requesting to see him. She will unearth the dark secrets that Father Peter has hidden away for so long which will give him no choice but to contact his mentor once again to aid him in the exorcism with the chance of the demon revealing everything he has hidden away for so many years.
Hidalgo and Calvete’s film is more than just a horror show. It dares to bring to question the authority of the church. It is critical of both religion, the Church and the Vatican. Even though Father Peter is a well-meaning priest, the movie plays with the idea of his lies being rewarded because he continues to practice the dogma of the Church rather than repent for his sins and reveal the truth. But, this is not played with a heavy hand. There is a strange mixture of dark humor played into the story that tends to lighten the whole affair, and the filmmakers make no bones about diving into some schlocky terror-tory towards the end.
This 1080p transfer for all its darkness is surprisingly sharp at times. The film’s second half practically takes on a blue tone that makes the evil appear far more dangerous and scary. Rain scenes are especially effective in the beginning. There are obvious nods to The Exorcist which may or may not deliver a higher creep factor. All in all, the details are well defined.
Now, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is the real star of this terror-filled trip. The surround channels are shifted into overdrive making me nearly consider turning the lights on while watching the exorcism scenes – jump scares aplenty, the sound of a rain downpour and thunder showers accentuate the scares. With all this coming at you one would think that dialogue would be sacrificed, but no, it is crisp and clear. There is no need for subtitles, but they are available for the hard of hearing.
The special features on this disc are minimal, but what is made available are some good interviews. I just wish the filmmakers had delved more into what their views were while making the film along with perhaps a piece on the sound and special effects. What we get is…
• Deliver Us Toward Evil: The Making of The Exorcism of God
• Orchestrating Fear – a piece devoted to the film’s score
• Deleted scenes
For a small budget horror film, Hidalgo and Calvete’s movie is a rarity in horror with some serious views on Catholicism, nightmarish effects and a few surprises. The acting is good, Joseph Marcell as Father Michael being a standout with his off the cuff humor and the strength he brings to his role. The Exorcism of God is not for the faint of heart or for Catholic viewing due to its scares and the critical blows leveled at the Church. But, for horror fans it is an evil blessing that will have you wanting to show it again and again to other fiends and fans.
Lowest Price – $14.99 (Blu) – Amazon and Walmart
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