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Exorcism of Emily Rose" is a film with the
word 'earnest' stamped all over it, being based on
a true story and with a two-hour running time
rarely seen in the modern horror genre. Indeed,
despite the predictable tweaks made to the source
material, namely relocating the action from
Germany
to American soil and the liberal reinterpreting of
its cast of characters, the film strives to remain
true, with few concessions made to the usual teen
demographic. As a result, "The Exorcism of
Emily Rose" stands out as one of the more
interesting and thoughtful films of its type,
taking a rational and even handed approach to the
supernatural in a way which genuinely attempts to
explore its place in the modern world. This is
combined with some bleak atmospherics and a good
number of shocks which, although frequently culled
from "The Exorcist" make for some
genuinely chilling scenes.
The film, unusual for horror,
takes place for the most part in a courtroom, and
after a creepy opening which sets the scene with
the discovery of the titular Emily's body, is
comprised mostly of flashbacks, played off against
a growing evil directed at those involved with the
case. The court proceedings are based upon a
charge of negligence against Father Moore (Tom
Wilkinson), a priest who cared for, and tried to
save Emily through exorcism after being convinced
that she was beyond the help of modern medicine.
In opposite corners are two lawyers, Erin Bruner
(Laura Linney), an agnostic assigned to defend
Moore, and Ethan Thomas (Campbell Scott), a
decidedly self-righteous man of faith who seems
personally offended by the actions of the accused.
As the trial progresses and the incredible story
unfold, the evidence is such that the verdict
hangs upon authenticating the very existence of
demons, and of the supernatural itself.
The courtroom setting works
very well, giving "The Exorcism of Emily
Rose" a realistic grounding which serves to
make its horrific elements all the more believable
and frightening. The flashback structure is also
used well, and director Scott Derrickson (who
previously bored genre fans with "Hellraiser:
Inferno") allows the events of both past
and present to develop in an engaging fashion. The
film often presents both sides of the argument, on
one hand showing Emily as demonically possessed,
and on the other portraying her with equal
conviction as an unfortunate girl with a tragic
medical condition.
Through this, the film covers
some fascinating ground in a stimulating manner,
and with some moments of genuine wit and
intelligence, exploring not so much the divide
between good and evil as that between science and
faith. There is a fair amount of ambiguity to the
plot, which is essentially without a central
villain, this being left up to the viewer to
decide. Of course, it is the supernatural elements
of the plot which receive the most attention, with
the use of CGI for some startling demonic faces,
and a remarkably physical and harrowing
performance from Jennifer Carpenter as Emily.
However, these show a mature sense of restraint
and never threaten to disrupt the film's sincere
and determinedly rational mood.
This is not to suggest that
"The Exorcism of Emily Rose" is dull, as
Derrickson keeps things moving at a fast pace, and
ensures that the twin narratives are filled with
scares. The film is very atmospheric, with grim,
dark visuals, and being the closest in a long line
of wretched sequels and cheap imitations to
reproducing the look and feel of the original
"The Exorcist". Thankfully, the gripping
plot and the fascinating questions raised by the
film more than makes up for the essential
familiarity of the scenario.
In fact, the only real
problem with the film comes with its conclusion
which, perhaps inevitable for a film which
endeavours to keep an open mind, lacks any real
sense of closure and comes off as a slight
disappointment. Although to a certain extent it
provides answers, it frustrates by sitting on the
fence and failing to deliver in a way which the
viewer, after such a long running time may feel
they deserve.
Despite this, "The
Exorcism of Emily Rose" is easily one of the
best horror films of the year, and is a rare
display of intelligence in a genre which is
increasingly aimed at the lowest common
denominator. Whatever the beliefs of the viewer,
the film bravely engages theological issues
without getting entangled in religious jargon or
fervour. And as a plus, it also offers a
pleasingly old fashioned scare show that lingers
long after the credits have rolled. |
