Exorcismus: The Possession of Emma Evans – Review

After all these years, it’s very clear to see and say that The Exorcist (here) has an absolute stranglehold on the possession genre. It’s the end all, be all, or as our own Jason Bene said here in his review of the better-than-most exorcism movies – The Last Exorcism – quite frankly (and I quote), “The Exorcist is the motherf*cker of all horror movies”. I don’t think there’s another film within a genre that has such a huge gap in its merits to the next best possible film from that genre. So, it should come to no surprise that when I say Exocismus: The Possession of Emma Evans (La posesión de Emma Evans) is confidingly average.  It’s far from a dance with the Devil, but it’s a decent two-step with Him, and a far more interesting expose of the errors of home schooling than a horror film.

There’s nothing wrong with Emma Evans (Sophie Vavasseur). She’s a typical 14 year; listens to rock music, dresses like a mock version of Avril Lavigne, but it’s her stunted growth as a budding adult thanks to her parents overly strict, fearful nurturing that has sprung an idea of the correctness of home schooling. This backfires, as it rightfully should, as she rebels against her parents in almost every scene. It’s apparent from the first scene of the film when she goes to the bathroom to cut herself. In fact, she acts out when her parents act overbearing and deny her simple requests. Possessed? Hardly. Her homeschooling backfires even more when she becomes socially awkward. Her interactions between her and her friends are off-kilter, since she’s denied that basic element of teen growth due to her parents. The possessed girl is a metaphor for the confusion parents see in their budding adult teen.

But it’s a horror film, so director Manuel Carballo infuses shrieks, rolled back eyes, gurgles, and levitation which really don’t amount to much in the boo! department, since we’re already realizing the simpleton mentality of her parents. She’s acting out, she must be possessed. Do people still place blame on unseen forces? The Devil has been the greatest promoter of Christianity. Exorcismus is a possession movie, and that’s where it will be judged, and it’s average. Offers little new, even tamer than The Exorcism of Emily Rose. We’re a confused people in a seemingly fearful time. Religion benefits from this, as seen in the one-dimensional uncle character that has a past with exorcisms and must prove the Devil is real. The societal aspects of the film carry it, since it just checks off the conventions of the possession genre mixed with sluggish pacing. Sometimes parents can be worst than Him.

Rating:

Jon Peters

I love film. That is all.

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