marctheshark101

23 May 2012

Blair Witch meets District 9...

this is a documentary style film, where a man is out to show exorcismisn't real. as he is doing this documentary things start going a tadstrange.*SPOILERS************The ending is left a lot like blair witch did. it leaves it open forthe audience to decide what happens. it even ends with the camerafalling to to the ground as the camera man is killed. in my opinionthere's too much going on. in the space of 4 or 5 minutes, the audienceis thrown lots of different things and then it ends without any of thenbeing explained. this can be good as you make your own ending.****************the acting is pretty good and some parts are scary and jumpy. certainscenes could have been improved and made a lot more scary though.overall, i think this was enjoyable and it stuck with me and mygirlfriend afterwards as we discussed what we just saw and whathappened.this is a film where a lot of people dislike, but if you have an openmind then i would recommend it.

23 May 2012

The Lack of Originality Here Could Cause a Lethal Overdose of Boredom

With an estimated budget of around $2,000,000, I still can't figure out what the producers spent their money on except perhaps a good advertising company that knew how to create pro-looking trailers and posters (and DVD menus) to disguise the conspicuous lack of professionalism regarding just about every other aspect of this movie (in my not-so-humble opinion). I know they didn't spend any money on dollies to support the camera while shooting since just about every shot was of the extremely-shaky hand-held variety (and besides, I'm not sure they make camera dollies for video-capturing cellphones held by someone exhibiting severe signs of delirium tremens). Did the shaky and out-of-focus hand-held shots make it look more dramatically real to me as perhaps was the intended effect dictated by the director's esoteric visions of artistic grandeur? No, they made it look like the cinematographer had just turned five years old and had hired his younger brother to be the cameraboy. Did the supposedly scary religious superstition about demonic possession fill the essence of my movie-addicted soul with the exotic thrill of a mind-altering mood-modifying fear-intoxication diabolically drenched in the metaphoric mud puddles of dread and doom? No, but it did make me regret placing this flick at the top of my Queue. But with a worldwide Box Office gross of $62,456,444, I suppose no one can justifiably accuse the producers of being commercially stupid. The history of Hollywood continues to prove that if something works once, it will usually keep working again and again until movie-going audiences learn to become a little bit more discriminating about how much they will pay and what their minimal entertainment expectations will be in return for parting with a small slice of their discretionary-income pie. My final question: If this is indeed "the last exorcism", what will they call the sequel?

CUMSHOT

21 May 2012

Horror fans, AVOID this film

I saw this at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival on August 16th.-I had a bad feeling before the movie began when they introduced EliRoth & the two main actors, including the leading woman who plays thepossessed chick. Eli cracked way too many jokes, humoring & hyping upthe crowd. I thought this was a bad move, as if we're supposed to treatthis like a Scream-type experience. Fun, but enjoy the 'boo!'-likescares. I thought it would've been better off to just turn off thelights & start the movie, setting the mood for something terrifying. Itdidn't help that we were introduced the actors first, making it hard tobuy into the story.-There's way too much humor in this movie that it became impossible tosuspend my beliefs & be involved in the story.-After a suspenseful moment, it would be followed up by another wisecrack. The audience by far laughed more than letting out scares.-It's supposedly 'found footage'...but it has a score?! During allbuild ups for the suspenseful moments, you'll hear a note from a cello,or eerie ambiance as if you were watching a film...but we're supposedto believe that this is documentary video? -These were actors acting toa script, there was no sense of improv a la REC & REC 2. The exchangein dialogue, reactions appeared way too rehearsed.-There's one camera man filming this thing. But the editing/camera workwas amateurish. I.E. There's a shot of the main priest taking off hisblazer, then immediately cuts to the opposite angle showing himfinishing taking off his blazer, as if it were done in one shot. Itlooked like there were either 2 camera men, or had another cameraplaced on a tripod capturing the shot. Way too many instances of thishappening, it looked too professionally done for a 'found footage' typedocumentary. The reason why REC was far more effective is because theactors weren't told much of the things that would happen during scenes.Also, lot of the footage was done in one or just a few takes, whichmostly were long, drawn out shots.-The last 10 minutes of the movie made me wonder how many times theymust have changed their minds how it should've ended. It was a mess, &will leave you in disbelief for all the wrong reasons.I love my horror, I really wanted to like this movie, I'm not comparingit to The Exorcist, my girlfriend treated me on my birthday to watchthis & we were both immensely disappointed. Eli Roth introduced thismovie saying they wanted to create something original, I can onlysurmise that it did just that in showing how to deliver something sowatered down & downright trailerpark movie trash.

johnhillery

20 May 2012

Yet another Blair Witch Follower

Growing up I was told to be a "Leader" and not a "Follower". To badpeople making movies don't live by this. I am so tired of seeing peoplemimic another movie instead of making an original one.Blair Witch made money NOT because it was good but because is wasdifferent. We never saw a "Suppose to be real, cam recorder" movie".After Blair Witch's hit at the box office everyone got on the bandwagon and decided to be a "Follower".Not only is this movie bad because the decided to be a "follower", thedirecting of the movie is to.ANY movie filmed with a hand held and acting like it is real willalways get the lowest rating from me.This movie might have had a chance to be good, if someone with talentactually made a REAL movie and not this Blair Witch wanna be...

scrumpot666

15 May 2012

What the............

The commercials said I would be scared. They said this was the scariestmovie I would ever see...........I wanted to be scared silly.......Iwasn't. This movie was not scary. It was silly. Things started out justfine. But there wasn't any "real" demon possession. Just "wanna be"evil. If you loved the Exorcist you will hate The Last Exorcism. Themovie ended 45 minutes ago and I am still scratching my head trying tofigure out why it ended the way it did. Did they run out of ideas? Werethey pressed for time? Did the actors and crew have something else theyneeded to do? Did they know they were going to end up with a stupidmovie? Don't waste your time or your money. Go to the rental place andget Paranormal Activitiy and watch it again.

15 May 2012

The Devil in the (yawn) details

Here we have a docudrama on what might happen when it comes to exocism. It begins with a preacher talking to two other people as they begin to film him and his ministry in action, and the preacher being filmed is doing it because he wants to expose something. In some ways he seems to want to help and in others he seems to want to get away with some rigging and purely devious stuff. From the beginning of it you could see what the man was going to do, and that "doing" amounted to him really pulling the wool over some true believer's eyes. The problem with a scam like that is the notion of running into something terrible and what that terrible might do. If only the movie would have stuck with that.While The Last Exorcism would have made a great B-movie, the hype behind this thing really threw me for a loop. I liked the way the characters were designed and I liked the idea of what was going on, but I really didn't get some things. The preacher, for example, was a fake. He had told us that and he even mocked the people he was supposed to help because they thought their could be a way out. Then the preacher begins to stay and, well, i wondered why that would happen now. Even worse, I wondered why the preacher would do what he did at the end (no spilers), and why the people would go along with him.There were a lot of things like this playing through the storyline, and the acting was subpar. I really think the notions hurt the people as they tried to give it their all and that seemed like it was caused by the shortsightedness of others. Me - I think a lot of things are like this and it isn't surprising. Possession is like a Haunted Home story - it take a good eye to get it right.5 for originality2 for the overasll way it came out.3 total (rounded up)This might not be one for anything above a rental.Thank you

hendry-robert

13 May 2012

Another Blair Witch Thing

I really cant stand movies that are misleading like this one is. A lookat the DVD cover and you really think your going to be seeing a demonpossessed girl running across the ceiling. This movies PR is a lie toget you to part with your money. I don't care how small the budget is,just don't lie to me. Furthermore, the last thing we need is anotherBlair Witch type movie. Im personally really sick and tired of them.They all remind me of me first year film student projects, just as thisone did.However, I have absolutely no complaints about the actors who add did asterling job. Just a shame about the film

seandcooney

12 May 2012

From what promised to be a possibly good movie from its trailer ends in a very anti climaxical fashion.

From what promised to be a possibly good movie from its trailer ends ina very anti climaxical fashion.The concept was very good and original, a disgruntled evangelicalpriest who makes part of his living performing exorcisms as a sidelinejob. However as time passes and his family grow he decides that it iswrong and embarks on one final exorcism but this time with a film crew,in order to show the "theatrical" side of the act and the fact that heonly provides what people actually want, even though it is withoutsubstance or meaning.This movie is presented in the third person as a documentary type withstrong imitations of the Blair Witch Product (which was at leastcredible). It is watchable but ends without warning, climax or any typeof imaginable meaning (even for the most creative mind)

11 May 2012

There in production for a second and definitively dont want it on screen

There making a second one. The first was so horrible I wanted my money so bad they eventually gave it to me because everyone at my theater, people were complaining too. I haven't done that since the remake of hills have eyes(I didn't get my money on that one). I don't know why these jackass producers make this crap. It's like watching some horrible 70's retro movies. Where it sounds great but turns out to be terrible.What I recommend to people to stop production on terrible horror movies and making a series out it is going on imdb's website and post a lot of negative comments and suggest to quit productions ASAP. Some producer take the time and look at the comments from the audience on IMDB. Lets hope they do and another thing, post negative ratings and comments on the first as well too.Link:[...]

theresaman

11 May 2012

Some potential there, but delivery lacking

In brief, unless you are specifically a film history student, Iwouldn't recommend watching this movie.*** Spoilers follow ***Take an storytelling idea: Hoax-documentary, like Blair-witch project,Get a good location: Louisiana, Capable actors, check, and a plot inwhich a priest who specialises in exorcisms, makes a documentary abouthow he doesn't believe in them but instead he hams it up with fakeequipment. But he says if it works for his customers, then he doesn'tsee it as a scam.The hook of the film is that he is about to encounter a realdevil/demon, and get the shock of his life. The last scene ends withhim running towards the demon, having been reconverted to the realitiesof the world of demons and possession.This conversion however is undercut by a subplot, in which it appearsthe possessed girl, who is pregnant, may have been impregnated by alocal priest, and the demon burning ritual may simply be a device forcovering up this misdemeanour.Possession or no? The film leaves a number of gaps in the explanation.The killing of animals seems to have little basis, and the father'swish to kill his own daughter is extreme.The film scores well for a couple of gruesome scenes which are quitestomach-churning.The film suffers dramatically, as a musical score has been added partway in the the film, which undermines the faux-documentary style.The film also ends very quickly, as if they had to cut the film, spentthe budget, or got stuck for ideas. Overall it was a good idea, thatran out of either enthusiasm or effort.

chloe

07 May 2012

not worth the material the ticket was printed on!

I went to see this film knowing that a close friend of mine didn't likeit at all, and honestly I have to agree, while it is by no means theworst horror film it is nowhere near the hype it was given. I mean, inall honesty, it took me 5 minutes to figure out the film had started...I thought it was another advert! Essentially it was a film about makinga documentary, with the cliché running camera person with a camerapointing at the ground leaving you feeling disorientated and slightlyill.The only good things I can point out are the tricks being shown toprove the girl needs an exorcism, which i found novel and quite funny,and the one moment I jumped in the entire film: the moment the catmeowed...not when it was being brutally murdered, I was expecting that,but it meowed when in all honesty it should have been dead! While I hadguessed the twist at the end even anticipating the 'rapist' being gayit was a good one and lessened the mediocrity.Overall it was bland with a cliché plot, cliché twist, cliché lines andan even more cliché family of stereotypical over enthusiasticcatholics.Not worth the material the ticket is printed on!

07 May 2012

Pretty Good Until the End

I actually liked this movie, right up until the last five minutes, when it took the easy way out. What I liked about it was the sense of ambiguity: was the girl really possessed or just a dangerous psychotic? Most American viewers don't like ambiguity and need a neat, tidy ending. I believe the ending detracted from the film, and the story should have finished with the preacher driving away. One other minor note, it would have been nice if a few of the actors could at least simulate a South Louisiana accent, since that was where the film was set.

Erin

04 May 2012

Last Exorcism Enjoyable Despite Minor Flaws

For those who left "reviews" on here stating that there were no actual Exorcisms, I'm not sure what movie you were watching, but two Exorcisms actually DID take place! The first one was obviously fake, but the second one DID start out as an actual Exorcism until the Reverend realized what was going on. My thinking on all of your negative "reviews" is that you all went into seeing this with something specific in mind rather than going in with a completely open mind and that most of you are only used to ONE kind of horror movie. Here's a tip: try renting older horror movies like The Legend of Hell House and the original version of The Haunting (done in B&W in the early 60's) as a way to open your minds more.Secondly, even if no Exorcism had taken place, just because a movie has the word "Exorcist" or "Exorcism" in it doesn't mean one actually HAS to happen. The whole reason why this movie was named "The Last Exorcism" was because this was going to be the last one the Reverend was going to perform ever again. Beyond that the movie didn't actually have to have an Exorcism take place because the movie was more about the misplaced faith Reverend Cotton has/had when it came to the Exorcism ritual and how he deals with it once things start to take a bad turn in the movie.That being said, I actually enjoyed this movie for the explanations that I stated above. Yes, it would have been cool to see an exorcism be performed, but there have been so many movies where that's happened that it was nice to see something where the main character struggles with what exactly he should be believing. Especially since when he starts thinking one thing is true something else happens to completely turn that around and make him think something else. Also, while I personally didn't mind it overall, I kind of felt the constant references to Rosemary's Baby could have been reduced just a little bit.Then again, (while I don't mind them on occasion) I tend to support horror movies that don't have buckets of blood being spilled and have underlying themes in them as well (which IS possible to do and to have in a horror movie).

03 May 2012

Could not stop thinking about this movie

This film stayed with me long after the closing credits. Eerie, suspenseful, disturbing. Highly recommended.

george.schmidt

02 May 2012

Serviceable thriller a la THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT meets THE WICKER MAN fine for Halloween retntal

THE LAST EXORCISM (2010) ** Patrick Fabian, Ashely Bell, Iris Bahr,Louis Herthum, Caleb Landry Jones, Tony Bentley. Fairly creepysupernatural suspense 'mockumentary' in the same vein as "THE BLAIRWITCH PROJECT" with echoes of "THE WICKER MAN" in this indie producedby horror maven Eli Roth about a charlatan man of the cloth (Fabianaffectively amiable and pitiable) who faces an ultimate challenge inthe form of young Bell (very good in her on-the-dime changes inbehavior/moods), a backwoods farm girl who may in fact be harboring ademon (or two) …or is she? Rookie filmmaker Daniel Stamm employs theserviceable but rather predictable screenplay by Huck Botko & AndrewKurland and milk it for all its worth with every genre trick in thebook (spooky mood music; shadows; sudden jerks of the camera etc.) thatoffers a big set up with a somewhat unsatisfactory final reel (but it'sa doozy). Fine for a Halloween rental for those who like 'reality'based terrors.

Awais Agha

02 May 2012

too much annoying picture

i found this a completely annoying...if u see: exorcist the beginningand then the exorcist,u will feel that was serious movies made onexorcism topic and also the exorcism of Emily rose but this one,wassomehow making fun of the exorcism,a guy who is not saint,not bishop atall,having no religious powers,not contacting the church and doing thisall and calling that act of HELPING the gal,exorcism...loll in my viewit is below average movie. it also seems as the director of themovie,was unaware of the real feel of this topic.i believe that theexorcism is something religious,and must be done in holy way not makingfun of that. i somehow felt as,the director,the author just wanted tomake a movie on exorcism topic as its quite long there is no movie onthis topic but ultimately its a flop.

02 May 2012

Carsickness, some scariness, and a disasterous ending

The Last Exorcism is another film that pretends that it is a documentary dealing with scary things. I believe Rec. did this and the blair witch project also. The Last Exorcism looks like it is filmed with a high-res camcorder. All throughout the movie, even scenes of relative calm, are epileptically filmed. I wanted to scream out to the camera-man "FOCUS"! I had a major headache midway through this movie, and felt sick to my stomach. But let's say you have a stronger stomach than I do, is this still a movie worth watching? Because of a weak script, moderate scariness, and seemingly no direction, I would have to say no.You meet a stageman-like young priest, with a family to feed, who has a problem with exorcism's. He believes that they are dangerous, and archaic. He deals with the phychology of exocism, and believes that he can treat it safely, and on his own, by doing a fake exocism that leads the family and person effected to believe the demon has been cast away. He is confident, and even arrogant in his abilities and of his assuredness of the world as he knows it.He invites people to mail him their cases and from out of his mailbox, he choses the one on top and sets off with a documentary maker. They drive to a rural, folksy part of Louisiana, and describe it as ancient, and as a place that many different cultures rub each other. As they come closer to their destination and ask for directions from the spooked people who live there, they listen to their warnings, and of old wives-tales about something unholy in the area that they travel to. But it does not seem to alarm the priest.They come to a good, simple, 16 yr old girl, who lives with her old fashioned, pious, father and perhaps dangerous brother in a place little traveled. There may be something wrong indeed with this girl, even if you do not believe in devils. The priest goes on with his fake exorcism, and it seems it may have worked. But it soon becomes clear that this may be different, and more dangerous than the young priest ever thought.The Last Excorcism deals with age-old fears that we carry within us, like our fears of the dark. But even with an effective set-up, and a spooky location, these fears are never fully utilized. There are moments of terror here, but they are too few and I felt that the house never seemed it could come to life with evil like the original. But as the ending comes, and you have long abandoned any notion of comparisons to the original Exocism, you feel like you are watching a differnt franchise. It feels more like the modern urban legend movie with an ending that left me unafraid, and without shock. This was a boring movie, with little effects, small scares, and not enough shockes to merit watching in the theater. I do not recommend the last exorcism.

02 May 2012

Strong Premise Wasted

What started off so well ending up crashing and burning, throwing away a worthwhile premise and set up. The premise: a pastor's son grows up in the family business, distilling spiritual pablum with ease and fervor. On the side, as part of his cash crop, he does exorcisms, but he doesn't actually believe that demons possess these clients. He believes it's all psychosomatic, superstitious stuff, wherein he can at least set them "free" from their fears.Told in a mock-umentary style, "The Last Exorcism" follows the reverend as he heads into the back bayous of Louisiana to "deliver" his last client, to once and for all prove that this exorcism stuff is a hoax and should stop being used to badger and injure innocent people. But is this particular case real? Is there actually something demonic happening here? Or is it a case of family secrets and lies coming out through the behavior of the beleaguered teenage girl?The acting and filming sucked me into this story, and I started caring not only about the girl, but about the reverend's own struggle between science and faith, logic and supernatural. Even up to the last ten minutes, I thought this still had a chance to explore some deep issues in an intriguing way. If you've already seen the film, imagine the boy Logan saying: "Well, Reverend, what do YOU believe? And WHO do you believe?" From there, our fearless but also faithless minister could've been confronted with his own theology where it ran headlong into the realities of this troubled family. Instead, we watch the movie take a sudden, disappointing turn into the territory of "The Blair Witch Project."I only wish I'd earlier noticed Eli Roth's ("Hostel" and "Piranha") name attached to this. What felt fresh and promising turned stale and schlocky, wasting some good performances. In the end, this mock-umentary seemed to be mocking you and me as the audience.

30 April 2012

Original,Funny,Suspenseful Thought provoking !!!

This isn't a cheesy horror flick, like most movies in this genre.This is along the lines of "Blair Witch Project", "Cloverfield","Paranormal Activity",etc.It's,cleverly made with a mix of humour and suspense thriller,with good acting performances and a twisted ending.

30 April 2012

A good horror film

It's well made, well acted, has some creepy moments, and has a good mix of both old and new plot elements in the exorcism sub-genre of horror films. It's a slow burn and solid film