Such Claptrap
Film: Deliver Us From Evil
Cast: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez,
Olivia Munn
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Duration: 2 hrs 1 min
Rating: * *
Deliver Us From Evil is one of those crime, horror,
thriller, films that start off on an absolutely riveting note but ends on a
very typical fashion. The priest mumbling some Latin mumbo-jumbo and exorcising
the devil is something we have seen way too often and we could easily do
without that.
Based on the experiences of a NYPD
cop and directed by Scott Derrickson, this is like a slightly sophisticated
version of a Vikram Bhatt horror film. And like Bollywood films, it is also an
apologist for religious superstitions. For instance the film claims it is
inspired by true incidents yet there is also a caveat saying that ‘Any
similarity to a person is coincidental and unintentional.” I guess they put it
there just in case Satan makes a real life appearance someday and files and
affidavit stating his identity.
Derrickson
had done a better job with the Exorcism of Emily Rose but this time around the
script has let him down, bigtime.
The film
opens in Iraq where the U.S marines encounter something strange in cave and
after they see something written in Persian and Latin they all go bonkers. Once back in the U.S. after that incident,
the devil takes over them and they do strange things including over powering a
woman’s senses to the extent that she throws her baby in a moat.
Eric Bana
plays Ralph Sarchie an NYPD sergeant investigating the case and though he is
not doesn’t believe in the paranormal or demonic possessions; sadly he has a
change of heart at the end. A priest (Edgar Ramirez) performs a never ending
exorcism in the police station. There are 6 stages of exorcism the priest says as
if he were talking about lab experiment.
Anyone, including the devil would quit after
listening to the persuasive Latin phrases. In the end during the priest asks
Sarchie “Do you renounce Satan and all his works?” to which the cop replies, “I
renounce all evil.” I sincerely hope
that was not an indication of a sequel.
In great
deal happens in the opening 30 odd minutes and the writing on the wall starts
becoming clear that this will end in a boom or a bust. The only intriguing
factor was the reference to the songs of the The Doors and some are also used
in the soundtrack. Considering Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the producers, they
should have gone all out to make a straightforward scare-fare instead of
burdening us with American soldiers who get possessed in Iraq. All that
claptrap pretty much left me in desperate need to be exorcised.
If you want
to watch a really scary film, check out the 2006 Oscar nominated documentary
film of the same name. It is more shocking than all the horror films you have
ever seen and sadly, it is actually based on true events.
Published in The Navhind Times on 28th Sept. 2014
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