The Exorcism of Emily Rose

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kish b Nov 17 ★★★★☆ The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a rare horror film that dares to be both terrifying and thoughtful, blending courtroom drama with genuine supernatural dread in a way that still feels unique twenty years later. Loosely inspired by the real-life case of Anneliese Michel, Scott Derrickson crafts a story that refuses to tell you what to believe. Half the film is a tense legal battle (Laura Linney and Campbell Scott are phenomenal as opposing attorneys), and the other half is pure, skin-crawling possession horror. The exorcism scenes themselves are some of the most viscerally disturbing ever filmed: Emily contorted at impossible angles, speaking in multiple voices, her body battered by forces science can’t explain. Jennifer Carpenter’s performance is flat-out astonishing; she’s terrifying, heartbreaking, and completely committed (those 3 a.m. "demonic episodes" still make me sleep with the lights on). What elevates it above typical possession fare is how seriously it treats faith, doubt, and the gray area between mental illness and something genuinely evil. The final courtroom monologue about choosing how we interpret miracles vs. tragedy still gives chills, and the closing title card revealing what really happened to the priest hits like a punch to the soul. Four stars: one for the scares that still work like hell, one for the performances that sell every second, one for the bold refusal to give easy answers, and one because it somehow made demonic possession feel… tragically human. Smart, scary, and surprisingly respectful. 8/10. Evil is real. Belief is complicated. This movie nails both. ✝️😈⚖️ See more Kyle C @kylekc Nov 7 I went into this thinking it was going to be your standard possession-horror and early on it does give major The Amityville Horror vibes: isolated farmhouse, creeping dread, mysterious priest, etc. The initial mystery around Emily is engaging. What happened to her? What’s real and what’s psychological? That part I liked. The legal-drama angle is also a strong point. The film pits the skeptic lawyer against the believer and makes a reasonably convincing case for both sides, keeping you constantly questioning. I liked the subplot around Erin’s guilt and doubts, especially in relation to her previous trial. It gives the story a useful undercurrent beyond simply “girl is evil-possessed”, though it could have used more fleshing out still. The scenes where Emily is paralysed and contorted are definitely creepy! Not top-tier by any stretch, but effective in context, so props to Jennifer Carpenter for her physical acting there. Where the film falters is the join between the horror and the courtroom story. The horror side feels a bit safe, with jump scares and familiar tropes rather than fresh terror. And while the legal angle is thought provoking, it’s just got such a distinct vibe from the horror side that it feels disjointed. Furthermore, the filmmaking sometimes strikes as amateurish. It’s not awful, but it lacks polish and deeper nuance. Also, I kept thinking the filmmakers should have leaned harder into the atmosphere of it being Halloween (which ends up as more of a passing mention) or something to add to the creep factor. The plot does ask interesting questions: faith vs science, belief vs proof, and the final verdict is a bit of a turn I didn’t expect and, giving the movie some bite. But overall, Emily Rose fails to effectively blend its genres and leaves it pretty forgettable. See more Mal R @malmal2 Nov 7 Very underrated. Love the drama and horror See more Stoner J @Stoner Oct 28 Very underrated and completely unique possession/courtroom drama/investigative movie. And the possession scenes were all done so well it was actually anxiety inducing, unlike most others except for the Exorcist. This is Derrickson’s scariest movie, except for Sinister, which is even more anxiety inducing. See more Benjamin H Oct 7 Superbly acted and expressive in its storytelling, The Exorcism of Emily Rose fails to captivate outside of the courtroom scenes and its attempts to be creepy feels generic and repetitive, however you still care for its central characters because of said acting and the well written courtroom scenes. See more YoYo @yoguimonster Sep 29 I don’t think Jennifer Carpenter is given enough credit for what she can accomplish in her projects, cuz this was great acting on her part. Well done. See more Read all reviews

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

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