Patrick Fabian - Cotton Marcus
This film was a bit of a surprise. I had heard that is was done in a documentary style, but I didn't know that it stuck to that the entire film. I don't think it was advertised that way. The movie is about a preacher that has done exorcisms most his life without ever really believing in them. He is of the opinion that the people that believed that they are possessed have a mental illness, and that sometimes going through the motions helps. But now he is going through a existential crisis of his own. So he decided to let a film crew expose exorcisms for what they really are. Smoke, mirrors and snake oil sold to those that need it most. What could possibly go wrong.
Well first off the setting is a big part of this (and most) horror films. They are in the deep south in New Orleans. Home of voodoo and a variety of other religions. The town folks are all superstitious people. Cotton drives way down a dirt road (meeting a young boy that reeked of Deliverance) to perform his last exorcism. Boy did he get more than he bargained for.
The main reason to watch this film is for the performance art of Ashely Bell. She plays the possibly possessed young, Nell. When she is going through her Linda Blair like transformation there are no special effect (either visual or audio) used. Everything you see and hear is her. This is an amazing performance. I don't know if it is acting, but it is a sight to behold.
There is a surprise ending that I will not spoil, but I felt that the film didn't really earn it. I be that this is one of those films that shot at least 3 different ending and then tested them all to see which one was the most popular. It feels like a consensus. Over all I enjoyed this movie. I never really felt tense of creeped out by it though. I did like the cinemaverdi style. I felt it did provide a realism to the film. I give The Last Exorcism ★★★. Check out the Trailer Park to see for yourself.
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