Bad acting is something we’ve come to expect and love in horror movies along with slutty girls, victims running into the woods, and villains with tortured pasts. In fact, usually the acting is so bad that it creates humor and appeal in its ridiculousness — as in Grindhouse films. “The Last Exorcism,” how-ever, sets itself apart in that it has flawless acting and a refreshingly original story. But, what it lacks is the kind of scares that make you sleep with the lights on.
Reverend Cotton Marcus, who is played brilliantly by the unknown actor Patrick Fabian, is a traveling exorcist. His exorcisms, however, are more magic show than spiritual warfare. He performs many tricks and gags and acts more like a used car salesman than an actual exorcist. In an attempt to spread the message that exorcisms are not real, the reverend and his film crew travel to a small Louisiana town to perform one final exorcism, but the unbelieving reverend gets more than he anticipated.
Although “The Last Exorcism” is shot as a documentary, which is dreadfully becoming more common in horror films, it lacks the steady, nausea-inducing, shaky camera that distracted many in films like “The Blair Witch Project” and the more recent “Paranormal Activity.” However, the faux-documentary style of filmmaking works effectively in illustrating the character of the reverend. Reverend Cotton Marcus‘ childhood, his family, and his career as a reverend, are layers that give this film a lot of the character, appeal and success at the box office. It’s different and unique. There are even more layers and twists when Cotton reaches the farm where Nell (Ashley Bell), the supposedly possessed girl, lives. The residents of the farm include Nell; her seemingly innocent, but possibly misleading, and definitely desperate father, Louis (Louis Herthum); and her disturbed brother, Caleb (Caleb Landry Jones).
Ultimately, the power in this film is wielded by the acting, most notably, from Fabian, Bell, and Herthum. All three are convincing and create interesting, dimensional characters who engage you into an intriguing story of supernatural occurrences and deception. Bell’s portrayal of the jaded Nell who is the definite victim of whatever it is that’s happening is precise and balanced. She is scary-freaky and, yet, sweet and innocent.
Perhaps the only negative comment to be made about this film is that it’s not very scary. Is it just that my tolerance to horror is really high? I don’t think so. I usually watch scary movies with my arms folded and on-guard just in case something sudden happens so I can try to prevent flinching. Although die-hard horror fans may hate on “The Last Exorcism” for its low fear factor, I think the creators just wanted to tell a great story about an exorcism instead of just scaring or disgusting audience members — and they’ve succeeded. So fear not, if I could stand it, so can you.
