Deliver Us From Evil

Starring: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez, Olivia Munn, Chris Coy, Joel McHale, Sean Harris
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Thriller
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A New York police officer (Eric Bana) reluctantly teams with a priest (Edgar Ramirez) when a series of crimes seem to be linked to demonic forces.

Review:

Tim: I have to say, I really like director Scott Derrickson. I loved The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and The Day the Earth Stood Still and Sinister were both fairly enjoyable movies. While they didn't match the first film, they were very watchable. Derrickson again delivers a film in Deliver Us From Evil that might not be great, but it's a solid movie and on the stronger end of the genre. I had a good time watching this movie and would consider it a worthwhile movie to see.

What was so good about The Exorcism of Emily Rose was that Derrickson took the exorcism subgenre and delivered a courtroom movie about it. That combination was certainly unique and I loved watching two different subgenres come together. Arguably, he does the same thing here- this movie is both a gritty cop movie and a film about exorcisms. The combination isn't quite as good as Emily Rose, but it's still fun to see. I know this film is supposedly based on true events from the NYC cop, but that mattered little to me. I suppose maybe it adds an extra edge to the story, but I watched it more for entertainment than with any belief that what I was watching was anything close to reality.

The cast was quite good. Eric Bana is a consistently underrated actor, and he gives another strong performance here. The guy can flat out act, so it was nice to see him bring that talent to a genre that is usually short-shrifted. He was solid in the film. Edgar Ramirez was fairly good. I didn't love his performance, but it was certainly serviceable. Joel McHale was a nice addition in a supporting role. The biggest issue with the cast is Olivia Munn, who still has shown no signs that she's a capable actress. She might not have been terrible here, but she did nothing of any substance and added very little to the movie. I don't know why people continue to cast her.

The movie itself might not be truly frightening, but it certainly has some uncomfortable moments. It does a good job of creating a creepy atmosphere, which adds to the overall uneasy feeling as you watch the cops investigate a truly bizarre series of crimes. I wouldn't say the movie truly grabbed me or engaged me deeply, but my interest was held for the majority of the movie (there was only a few moments when it started to wane). The mystery of what was happening (although it obviously had something to do with demonic forces that would require a climactic exorcism) was fairly intriguing, even if the movie does end up being a bit predictable. Let's face it, exorcism movies are creepy, and Derrickson has experience in this realm.

In the end, Deliver Us From Evil might not have been as good as we hoped, but it's a solid, entertaining exorcism/cop film. It's so easy to make a bad movie in this genre, so I do want to highlight any of the worthwhile efforts. This isn't a movie that will get close to the "Best of" lists of 2014, but it was an enjoyable horror movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, Munich