THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE FILM REVIEW

So will it scare me? A legitimate question to ask of any horror film before plunking down the shekels. My advice is to say a prayer before going in and maybe a few coming out. This is a movie with a lot more on it's mind than jumping out at you with a few placed boos. If you aren't careful The Exorcism of Emily Rose might stir up some pretty personal demons and discussion with fellow moviegoers.

THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE
Screen Gems
Dir Scott Derickson
Rated PG-13

“Wanna see somethin' really scary?” That's the line that Dan Akroyd uses in Twilight Zone The Movie just before he changes into a demonic looking beast on a moonlight road and attacks his unwitting companion. The reference fits here because that's what Emily Rose' trailer promises us doesn't it? Come to this movie and have your pre-Halloween pants scared off. The fact that The Exorcism of Emily Rose successfully navigates beyond being a mere scary entertainment is reason enough to recommend it. But for those who want nothing else I would say yeah, the movie is liable to scare the hell out of you. So to recap.

My guess is that the average viewer will walk away from Emily Rose feeling like they've seen a solidly entertaining film with some great scares, and thoughtful horror fans will appreciate the strong lead in to Halloween. Look for this film to do solid box office. The buzz is there, the goods are there and it's the right time of year.

But back to those who want a little more than just a good old fashioned scare. Emily Rose is more because it not only juggles several genres, the courtroom and family drama, and horror quite well, it uses them as a springboard for how the supernatural can fit into everyday life. This is a movie that wants you to consider a central dilemma of our society. We build it on tension. Everyone is allowed to believe what they want, and practice their beliefs. But occasionally we find ourselves unable to come up with clear answers we can all agree on regarding matters that seem to demand them- or that at least demand we make decisions about them right or wrong just so that we as a society can move on.

The film opens on the arrest of Father Moore for the death of Emily Rose, a young woman who dies in the course of Moore's exorcism. Prosecuting Moore is Ethan Thomas an aggressive man of faith who is convinced the priest overstepped the bounds of common sense. Defending him is Erin Bruner the decidedly agnostic ladder climbing attorney for Moore's Archdiocese. Through flashbacks we learn the particulars of the case, witness the exorcism and are forced to ask whether or not Emily was possessed and in spiritual need or sick and in need of medical attention.

The film's debt to The Exorcist is obvious but what connects Emily Rose to that tradition of horror goes way beyond simple shocks and atmosphere. This is a film invested deeply in literally helping viewers suspend disbelief- not just of the cinematic kind. Are we willing to consider the possibilities of a reality that includes God, the Devil, possession, sacrificial suffering? And where does that fit in a world that seeks to quantify, prove, label, shelve, limit and render inert the things that give life real value. I left the theater and while waiting for the bus tried to read the last few pages of The Historian, an excellent adventure novel, but I had to put it down. I just wasn't ready to jump into another narrative, to embrace any other series of questions and characters. Perhaps that's the highest compliment a culture junkie can pay a story. The Exorcism of Emily Rose touched me as a person of faith and provoked me as a person with doubts. I free floated through space for a while before trying to write anything about the film because it was so unflinchingly unique among it's peers. It neither preached at me, nor thought for me, but asked me to make up my own mind. Decidedly religious the movie nonetheless has a real humility about the mystery that surrounds faith.

But back to having the hell scared out of us. To be sure there will always be those whose spine just isn't tingled by this or that. But there are scenes in this film, particularly early on that are genuinely unsettling. As seen in the trailer CGI has replaced split pea soup vomit effects but this film is no less disturbing in it's depiction of evil than it's forbears. Watching the early stages of Emily Rose' encounters with the demonic you have the feeling of someone being relentlessly pursued. Jennifer Carpenter's performance is nothing short of Oscar worthy. She is winsome and innocent terrified and absolutely deranged and malevolent on the turn of a dime. And in an ending to the film, which can only be described as revelatory she manages to evince a sense of genuine holy resignation.

Derrickson's direction is quite workmanlike and even clumsy at times. This isn't a great exercise in technique by any estimation. But the director clearly understands how to generate and maintain suspense and when he does unleash a full bore scare he makes it genuinely unpleasant and worth the wait, often, especially later in the film, outdoing the demonic manifestations with scenes of quite relentless dread. He's also assembled a remarkable cast. Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott, Colm Feore, Mary Beth Hurt and Shohreh Aghdashloo lead us through a story that might seem to have less weight without their presence. They embody the types of characters they play while also being able to bring them to life.

If there is a major misstep it might be in Campbell Scotts somewhat one note meaner than thou portrayal of the heartless prosecutor. As written the part doesn't give him much room to maneuver but we really didn't need another bad guy. Of course anyone who's watched even a little courtroom TV has seen real life characters who are just as smug and mean spirited about their pursuit of “justice”.

I doubt that Derrickson's screenplay strictly follows the real life events of the historical exorcism it's based on. That exorcism took place in Germany and reportedly involved less supernatural activity. But he has made a film that delicately explores difficult issues that is also entertaining, enlightening, and leaves the viewer room free to continue their own spiritual/social journey whatever their starting point.