I really enjoyed Scott Derrickson's 'Sinister' and he followed it up with a very good horror flick here.

It keeps you interested and on the edge of your seat the whole time. Not to many slow parts and there are some pretty creepy and terrifying moments. The tone and the dark hallways and dark basements and the creepy noises and the sudden jumps and scares will make you jump a few times yourself. I looked away a few times just because, you'll see.

A pretty decent story involving soldiers in Iraq and what happens to them there and then what proceeds and how Eric Bana's character gets involved while responding to a domestic disturbance call involving one of those soldiers, and it takes off from there.

Eric Bana is pretty bad-ass here, as is Joel McHale. They are tough cops from the Bronx who see some pretty insane stuff over the course of a few shifts. Olivia Munn is a babe and plays a great wife who cares and does great with little screen time.

It's a supernatural/demon/serial killer flick all rolled into one.

If you enjoy horror flicks like I do, and the supernatural and demon stuff, def check this out. Not much gore, just very dark and creepy with it's share of make you jump moments.

Not many flaws if any. Check it out!

Mister badass superstar cop workaholic with a traumatic event in his past : Check.

Bored hot housewife : Check Expendable badass partner who has no connection or communication with the metaphysical elements of the intrigue but initially seems willing to believe even though he's not exactly gifted ether-wise, whose eventual gruesome death will require some avenging : Check.

Little girl checking under bed : Check.

Scary jack in the box : Check.

Lengthy flashlight investigation of many basements : Check.

Ultra collected bad boy character who knows everything that's going on but speaks in paraboles and takes his time unravelling the story to a cop around drinks and a pool game while people are dying outside : Check. In this case, an eye opening leather jacket cig smoker priest.

Cannibalistic zombification : Check. True primary evil might make you eat people depending on The Walking Dead's last season finale ratings.

Static on the radio indicating outerwordly energy : Check.

Dead babies and general child abuse : Multiple instances, check.

Seeing things in a mirror then turning around and nothing's there : Check.

Many other police elements inspired by True Detective (lifting someone off the ground after stabbing them in the abdomen, PTSD stricken cop who has random explosions of frustration in front of his wife, explainable through traumatic crime scenes and ongoing cases) : Check Most other stuff coming from either The Conjuring or The Exorcist : Check.

"Inspired by true events" premise, when in fact only the names of the characters bear any resemblance to actual events : Check.

Main character's wife and kid gets kidnapped as a side dish to the main plot. Gives the movie a bit more running time after the main intrigue is over.

You coast through the movie checking boxes, everything is pretty much standard, the main characters starts out laughing at religion, becomes devoted Christian, his partner dies, his wife gets kidnapped, he becomes religious, wife and kid and fine, movie ends.

This is by far one of the best exorcism type movies I've watched in a very long time. The whole tune of the movie as it progresses is cryptic, and keeps you longing for more. Always trying to figure it out on your own as the movie plays on. Most exorcism type movies drag on with the plot and lose me halfway in, but this one however kept me entertained throughout the entire time. Eric Bana's acting is top quality, and quite frankly the best acting I've saw of him since "Troy". It's def. something to look into, if your looking for a good movie to watch. Be it Drama/Horror/Mystery, this movie is for you. You cannot do split rankings on here, but I give it a good 8.5/10 score.

The moment I saw the names Eric Bana (Hulk 2003) and Edgar Ramirez (Wrath of The Titans), I knew that I just had to go and see this film. I've seen this film twice now and boy I enjoyed it very, very much. I've always liked movies involving evil and demonology since the plot, effects, action and suspense are always entertaining to watch

The story is like a combination of Se7en and Exorcist where cop is on a case to solve murder cases supernatural style. In a way, it was something a bit new to my eyes and I was glued to my seat within every minute of the film. The suspense, horror and jump scares were definitely there and that really made the film work. There is also a side story on the main character in the film which explains why he is the way he is and at times made me feel sorry for him

The effects within the film like the ritual ceremony scenes, blood etc in a way were pretty gory and intense to watch and will really make you feel a bit nauseate throughout the film but they were really well made

Eric Bana does a solid job as Ralph Sarchie. It's been a while since I've seen him on the big screen (last was in the Star Trek 2009 film). He puts on a very excellent performance in this film and I was and I really felt the pain that he brought to the character throughout the film. You can really tell that he's having a really hard time with his guilt, family crisis and suffering he goes through everyday as a cop in this movie. Edgar Ramirez plays Mendoza, a priest detective being sent to solve this mystery case. He also puts on a very convincing performance and shows that he's not the typical kind of priest that we hear and see everyday. He has his own demons of the past to deal with and it shows here in this film. Joel McHale as Butler, Sarchie's partner in the film plays a streetwise kind of cop and I really loved his knife fighting skills in the film. Verywell choreographed. Other than those 3 characters, the rest didn't have anything much to with the story a apart from playing as the victims and back up characters for this movie which in my opinion played out really well

Its personally my movie of the month and way better than Transformers 4. I would definitely get did movie once it's available for download. Overall, I really enjoyed this film and would place in my top 10 films of the year. However, I can't believe that this film is not making that much money that it deserves and how bad the critics are bashing it. I say for all you action horror fans out there, go and give this movie a try and judge it for yourselves. I don't think you'll be all that disappointed. I certainly enjoyed it

It's been a while since I found a decent exorcism movie. I mean, some of the exorcism-theme movies I've watched is pretty decent if not too ordinary. Too similar with the process and the pace. So, when I see that Deliver Us From Evil has arrived, I too didn't really put up too much hope. I thought this is just another typical exorcism movie.

You see, most of the exorcism will always start with the same process. Some devil possessing a child (or someone), (usually) the parents got distracted over the fact and try to find a way to rid the devil. A priest got the information and try to help exorcise the demon. The priest done it successfully (or so he thought) only to find that the demon hasn't really left the child. The priest then try to find a much more experienced priest to help him and finally able to rid the devil for good, but with the cost of someone's life. That's pretty much how all exorcism related movie goes.

But not with this one. I'm actually pretty hyped up after watching it!!! The acting is great, the pace is good and basically got a different presentation to make this into a not boring "typical-exorcism" movie. It actually makes you yearn for more information, dragging your heighten-interest along the way and keeps up the momentum to finally gave you a shocking horror, straight to your face.

I dare gave it 8/10 for Deliver Us From Evil.

In New York, Police Officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) and his partner Butler (Joel McHale) investigate a series of bizarre crimes in Bronx: the death of a baby in an alley: the beating of the wife of the former soldier Jimmy (Chris Coy) by him; and the case of a mother, Jane Crenna (Olivia Horton), who has thrown her two year old son in the enclosure of the lions in the zoo. While investigating the last case with Butler, Sarchie sees a weird man painting the wall of the lion's enclosure but he flees. Soon the man is identified, Mick Santino (Sean Harris), and Sarchie learns that Santino and Jimmy belonged to the same platoon in Iraq. The investigation affects the private life of Sarchie and his relationship with his wife Jennifer "Jen" (Olivia Munn) and his daughter Christina (Lulu Wilson). Sarchie, who is a Catholic that lost his faith, is contacted by the unconventional Father Mendoza (Édgar Ramírez) that explains to him that he is dealing with demonic forces and Santini and Jane are possessed by demons. The skeptic Sarchie does not believe in the father in the beginning, but when his family is jeopardized by Santino, he teams-up with the priest to exorcise Santino and save his beloved family.

"Deliver Us from Evil" is a creepy and dark exorcism movie directed by Scott Derrickson from "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" and "Sinister". The movie is scary, with dark cinematography and excellent music score by The Doors. Eric Bana has good performance in the role of a cop that fight against his own demons, but the performances of Sean Harris (from "Harry Brown") and Olivia Horton are impressive in the role of possessed persons. The plot is well constructed and flawless. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Livrai-nos do Mal" ("Deliver Us from Evil")

I love horror movies. Unfortunately nine times out of ten when I go to see one I am disappointed. This was definitely the exception. Absolutely the best horror film I have seen in a very very long time. I noticed the one reviewer felt it was more a crime drama and thus should not be called "horror". In my opinion...the true horror is that which is real. This story, supposedly based on real crimes, scared the living daylights out of me. You don't have to jump and scream to be scared....it is more scary to view first hand the deep depravity of man and of evil. Definitely best to see in a theater on the big screen. Awesome movie!!

There is absolutely nothing original about this film. The acting isn't bad at all, but the plot is very generic. For the hardcore horror lover the movie will get boring and predictable, you've got the cop with some issues, you've got the priest know knows what's happening, you've got the cop's family with the little girl, the entire plot is a deja-vu.

The basis on which the occult is based has also been used in almost every exorcism film ever made, even though the writer tried to make it a bit more interesting by mixing Christian with persian mythology, however it didn't land that well.

The mystery character is also not very mysterious either, so I guess this film doesn't deserve more than 5 stars from me.

Don't listen to some of the critics. A very good scary movie. I think the critics knocking it just do not like the exorcism genre. If you liked The Rite or The Conjuring you will like this movie. A story with characters you care about. Also based on a true story which of course means there are certain liberties taken with it but that makes it more interesting. This was a scary movie with brains. The background and setting reminded me a bit of the movie Seven. The priest is the most interesting character. I normally am not a huge fan of Eric Bana but he plays the role of the detective well. This could also be classified as a crime thriller with a supernatural twist.

Another by the numbers and very formulaic horror scare ripped off directly from the book of "The Exorcist". You will feel a keen sense of Déjàvu. The fun in this film is anticipating prior to things happening. And for the most part, if not all the time, you will succeed.

Eric Bana plays NY police officer Ralph Sarchie who investigates a series of crimes that do not seem to add up. Upon further revealing of the case with his partner, both officers find themselves unexpectedly sought-after by their prey as the tables turn. Then there is the unconventional priest (Edgar Ramirez) who always seems to show up when you need him and when you don't. You do wonder when this character takes care of his church duties as he become a self assigned demon catcher.

Horror connoisseurs may find this Sony/Screen Gem release disappointing and lacking originality. There were many fresh ideas that were floundered upon leading the story to fall into the usual conventional and predictable schlock.

When I saw the trailer on TV it looked really good, so I decided to see this one. What a disappointment. First of all the plot, there was no story at all, just a meddling with things that have been done many times before. Then the scares, there were none. You could see from a mile when a scary head or something else was about to appear, most of the time I just had to laugh to make something good out of the £10 I just spent. The acting was terrible...I like Eric Bana but in this one he looked like he was performing in a school play. The guy that played the priest was even worse. I was constantly looking if he had a piece of paper in his hand reading out the lines. I have seen loads of horror films and this one definitely goes in my bad file. No story, no scares, terrible writing, awful acting and an even worse ending. Save your money and watch Newsnight instead, definitely more scares there.

Just came out of Carmike after watching "Deliver us From Evil". Let me tell you folks something.. I'm not one with a faint heart.. Never been scared by a horror movie in my life (and I've seen a lot of them). This movie terrified the life out of me. If you're into jumpy, edge of your seat movies, WATCH THIS. My heart is racing five minutes out of the theater. I don't know what to write anymore because I'm so terrorized that I'm out of breath. Go in and enjoy because the kind of movies rarely come to the theaters. I give it an 8.5/10. The acting was brilliant by all characters. Can I add that I had to pee in the middle? No one moved in the entire movie and everyone came out gasping. Good luck to you movie goers because you'll need it. Hopefully this movie will reinstate your love for God like it did to me.

Last year, I read an interview to Ralph Sarchie, a retired policeman who co-wrote the book Beware the Night (along with Lisa Collier), about the paranormal occurrences he found during his career in New York. The anecdotes he told in that interview were truly terrifying, and elevated my expectations for the film Deliver Us From Evil, "inspired" on Sarchie's experiences. However, the film took a simpler and safer road, and the result is mediocre, but passable. As an important part from its screenplay, Deliver Us From Evil borrows many concepts and situations from other films, either as a "tribute" or as a tool for establishing the atmosphere and tone from the scenes (some examples: policeman with family difficulties; rebel priest with a tortuous past; a main character who has lost the faith; and a prologue set in the Middle East, in the purest style of The Exorcist). The actors make a competent work, highlighting Eric Bana, Joel McHale and Olivia Munn. However, Deliver Us From Evil isn't very satisfactory as a horror film. Its rhythm is occasionally a bit dull, the screenplay makes too many unnecessary turns, and the demonic possession scenes aren't very frightening. I appreciate the fact that Deliver Us From Evil attempted to modify its particular cinematographic recipe, placing the characters' humanity above cheap scares and stylistic tricks (even though it contains various examples of both); but at the same time, I feel that it distanced itself too much from the roots of the horror genre, and tried to compensate it with an abundance of clichés which end up diluting its identity. Nevertheless, I can give a slight recommendation to Deliver Us From Evil, mainly because it generally kept me moderately entertained.

While this movie was fairly interesting as a premise it certainly did not live up to expectations. When I go see movies for the first time I try not to go in with any preconceived ideas about what to expect. That being said, I was expecting a few scares out of this movie, but alas there were none. This movie relied too much on sudden "pop-out" scares and failed to build a scary premise. Deliver Us from Evil had tremendous potential and I am sure that with a better writer and director this movie could have been great. If it was not for the good acting by Edgar Ramirez and Sean Harris I probably would have fallen asleep. This movie is not frightening whatsoever. Another flaw in the movie is the persistent use of a 'children's laughter' sound clip that has been overused in hundreds of movies before, for me this took the creepiness right out of the scene simply because I have heard the exact same laughing track in tons of movies before. And on that note, the score in this movie is awful. I believe sound is crucial to a good movie and this one almost ruined the entire movie for me. That being said, the licensed music in this movie is quite good but the rest is garbage. This movie is not terrible, I can think of plenty of worse movies, however if you're interested in seeing Deliver Us from Evil wait to rent it or download it and save yourself a couple of bucks.

This film is worth seeing (hence how it got the minimal viewing score, a 6) But if your at least a novice fan of horror films, you will undoubtedly find yourself critiquing the film "scare-by-scare."

Ramirez was great, you can easily perceive how he's one of fastest ascending actors in Hollywood, BUT he was in a no-win situation playing an exorcist, a strange one at that. Think about this... When was the last time you actually felt afraid watching an exorcism on screen? -It wasn't via any self-announced Exorcism film garbage (yes, that includes The Rite), it wasn't even in the Conjuring (which although a terrifying film, the exorcism scene was admittedly lackluster). The point is, outside of maybe The Exorcism of Emily Rose (this director could have taken a cue from one of his earlier films), there HAS NOT been one Horror Film to scares us like the Original did oh so long ago!

Since the trailer was excellent, I thought maybe this film could do it; breathe new fear into the 'Sub-Horror Possession Genre', BUT it didn't. The exorcism(s) were laughable (even with Ramirez's inept performance) due mainly to major inconsistencies involving the possessed (including when they were or weren't), a lack of established motive (by either the possessed or demon), as well as a disappointing origin of the demon.

Maybe it's too hard to make an exorcism scary anymore (ESPECIALLY when you DON'T do what's listed above)!

In Addition: Derrickson, like almost ALL horror filmmakers these days, gives away WAYYY too much for the audience to not only see but to understand (which steals a level of necessary mystique). This film is proof that a Great Cast + a fairly original idea (and supposedly based on a true story) does not = a compelling film without the foundation of sufficient details.

A cop and a rabbi are touring the streets. Sounds like the beginning of a joke doesn't it, but no it is the focus of the plot of one of this weekend's releases. Now being 4th of July weekend you might expect a comedy, a heroic feature, or some patriotic film. However, not once did I expect a horror film to open up the month of July. Today I start my review trilogy with Deliver Us From Evil, starring Eric Bana and Édgar Ramírez. Let's get started.

Horror movies have gone through all types of plots and ways to scare us. Where they once had plot and character driven stories, modern horrors have abused technology and makeup to bombard viewers with predictable scares, unlimited gore, and sacrificing plot. Amidst the flood of thrillers though shine some treasures that do the genre justice and create a horrifying tale worth watching again. For me this movie can be added to those treasures for director Scott Derrickson and team have created a horror movie I've been waiting for. Deliver Us From Evil is a supernatural horror that packs suspense and scares throughout the entire movie, utilizing the art of creepiness with the surprise scares mixed in. Through the use of shadows and light, combined with the ash like filter, Derrickson's cinematography is one of the biggest components to providing fear. As our heroes work their way through the case at hand, they navigate dark filled corridors and rooms where light is robbed. While the failure of electricity is a bit comical, as it seems every thing has the ability to cause lights to blow out, it robs the comfort daylight provides us when watching a horror movie. In addition to robbing us of that safety zone, the lack of light also makes one's imagination fill in the details to what lies beneath until the big reveal. Something else that helps increase the terror factor is the realistic setting of a populated city, that defies the usual isolated or extreme settings we've seen time and time again. Of course horror movies also have a way of setting you up for the scare, helping one predict when something is going to jump out at you and this movie is no exception.

Yet scares aren't the only thing that a horror movie needs, but a plot to build those scares around, or else you could save yourself money and have someone scare you at home. For this film the story is quite well put together, diverting from the path of some mythological creature, or deranged serial killer who are the focus of most modern thrillers. Instead the plot is a combination of a cop story and a supernatural horror, blending the best of both worlds into one tale that leads one down a rabbit hole of unfathomable evil. Though there are a few unexplained aspects, there is enough detail and twists to this tale that give the story some bite as Detective Sarchie uncovers the truth and faces his proverbial demons. That's right, you heard me, there is actually some character development in this horror movie, shaping a hero that isn't some dimwitted blonde or muscle bound jock. Instead Sarchie is a relatable character, who has flaws and weaknesses that make he and his company vulnerable to the temptations of the dark forces at work. Even the supporting characters are not immune to the threats of damage and death, leaving one uncertain just when they will kill someone off, and who is the next victim. Speaking of death, it's the popular trend to make victims unbelievably dumb, so that they walk into some elaborate death trap that often turns out bloody. Not the case in this film, well minus the blood, but they avoid the fake, cheesy deaths we've come to know in the genre.

Despite all the positives this film has, there are a few factors to mention that take away from the movie. Number one is the gore, which yes we all know is going to be present in this movie. However, this film swaps out the animated blood for a more realistic portrayal of decay and maiming. Makeup really did their job in this movie, capturing famine, exhaustion, scarring, and other mutilation associated with possession down to the letter. Unfortunately this creates some rather disturbing shots that are not for those with weak constitutions. A second weakness comes in the fact that some of the more intense scenes are a bit overacted or drawn out, again crossing the border of ridiculousness at times. In particular is an exorcism scene, which has so much intensity at first, but gets dragged out a little too far for my tastes. Perhaps they were going for real suspense, or trying to give the demon some more bite, but was it necessary probably not. Even a few of the screams and creature moans were bit humorous, not so much the sounds, but seeing the actors try to make elaborate facial gestures.

Overall Deliver Us From Evil, is one of the better horror movies I've seen in a long time. A great storyline for a horror movie, with realistic tendencies and a decent character development, really impressed me in this film. The fact that it has some mystery and detective work involved keeps the suspense going, and blending surprise with creepiness is something I love in a movie. Yes there is some overacting, and a few rushed developments that need some tweaking, but I can live with that for what I got. So what do I give this intensive and graphic horror movie? The score is below:

Crime/Horror/Thriller: 8.5 Movie Overall: 7.5

2012 and early 2013 saw a strong surge in decent horror films. But there has been a significant drought of quality in the genre over the last 12 months, and unfortunately Deliver Us From Evil doesn't break the trend. There are a lot of animals acting weird, humans acting weirder, and a no nonsense police officer who refuses to believe in obvious supernatural occurrences. Sound familiar? That's because it is. Moviegoers have seen variations on this plot many times before. But does it make up for the lack of originality with style or well shot creep moments? Not really. The film's final 30 of its lengthy 118 minutes save it from being a total bust, but is that really a good thing? Horror fans deserve more.

DELIVER US FROM EVIL (2014) * Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez, Olivia Munn, Joel McHale, Lulu Wilson, Chris Coy, Dorian Missick, Sean Harris, Mike Houston, Olivia Horton, Scott Johnsen. Yet another 'based on a true story' horror hodgepodge of exorcism and demon possession this time based on a book by Bronx detective Ralph Sarchie (Bana) who encounters inexplicable phenomena while investigating several crimes with the common link of the supernatural and unexplainable links to …The Doors (?!?!)….yawn. The barely registrable screenplay adaptation by Paul Harris Boardman and director Scott Derickson pulls out all the tropes including rainy sequences, cats hissing in the dark, etc. that you can see the end results a mile away. Stay away.

Before we watch this movie, I have high expectation that this one will blow me away probably based on some reviews I've read prior. However, while watching the movie I notice that at least by the first 30 minutes (which I normally give a movie to entice me) nothing interesting is really going on. The problem I have with this is that, it is very predictable, and it's like a remake of other exorcism movies in the past, which probably would not be that bad if they can add something unexpected to it, another thing is, there were some scenes that would give you some chills but for some reason some awkward sound effects will come in, and will make you lose that feeling. There's also a lot of plot holes. I just don't think this movie was given justice. I was not persuaded. Towards the end of the movie, i just told myself, well that's it? Seriously?! It's bland. Quite boring for me.. You can watch this but don't expect to much from it, but definitely will not recommend this to horror geeks out there.

Eric Bana was great in this flick, but his New York accent, along with the one his hot wife played by Olivia Munn seemed over the top and unnecessary for my taste.

Bana plays a catholic born and raised cop from the Bronx who investigates inexplicable crimes happening in the area that turn out to demonic in nature.

The cool part of the movie is that the demons are not really shown in the movie, making it more of a crime drama about people doing some disturb things for no reason, but once Edgar Ramirez character of a priest who investigates the supernatural comes into picture and shows Bana's character his full potential, that's when it really turns into the film that was advertised.

Edgar Ramirez makes being a priest look a lot cooler than I suspect in actual is. It was like he was one of those undercover Narcs that has to act the part of a drug dealer in order to catch them. Joel McHale was in the movie as well playing Bana's partner. I only really seen him do comedy, like on the show community, but he's a big guy even bigger than 6'2" Bana, and it was cool to see him put that frame to use as a though cop. And of course Olivia Munn was so sexy in this you just wanted to see more.

Overall, It was not as scary as I was expecting, but this movie had a strong story that the filmmakers laid out nicely.

This was based on the real account. A cop from the New York who witnessed those unexplained events are what this film depicted for us. I think it is slightly an underrated film. Not because of true story, but from the entertainment perspective. From the beginning till the end, I enjoyed watching it. Horror means there's no big scary stuff in it, still being true to the genre, it told a decent story. It was well written and directed, a film that I almost missed, but now I can gladly suggest it to the others. But it is just an above average, yet worth a watch.

The story follows a cop who witnesses a series of strange events, which also influence his past. In the most of the case, he's trying to find one particular person, a painter seen in and around the city. So he and his partner finally find that strange man and when they do, it is already too late. One of them gets injured and the other one tries his best teaming up with a priest to fight the demon that terrorising the city. The film ends with an interesting event. Looks a sequel won't be a bad idea, since the duo is still fighting the devils as what the end statement reveals.

There's a recent television series I'm watching called 'Outcast' and this film is kind of resembles that. Anyway, this one came first, but what makes they both be alike is the unusual team up between two different field people. The series is like a follow-up of this film, or maybe inspired by this original story. Eric Bana is not everybody's favourite, but his films are quite enjoyable and for this, he had given his best. Co-stars are not bad either; particularly Edgar Ramirez was awesome as a priest. I hope you would find it interesting as I did. It would be beyond that for some, so all I say is watch it with a low expectations.

6.5/10

From Scott Dickerson, the director of the 2012 horror-thriller Sinister, Deliver Us From Evil follows a true life story of Ralph Sarchie (played by Eric Bana), a New York detective who investigates a series of murder cases. Before too long, he learns that these murders are tied to demonic possessions and gets help from Mendoza (played by Edgar Ramirez), an educated priest and exorcism expert to stop on the possessions from terrorizing the city. This film is not as scary and eerie as the trailers made it out to be, but it has its moments of scariness. However, compared to Sinister, this film really could have done better.

Like most films dealing with demonic possessions, this film has the usual subplot of someone being possessed and needing help from a priest to be saved from the evil spirit. What is different about this one is that it takes place in a metropolitan city and involves police and detectives. Basically, this film has look of The Excorcist (1973) and Se7en (1995) combined. Aside from that, the film has its occasional scares here and there, but it wasn't as scary as I was hoping for. The scenes where Eric Bana's character and his partner are investigating houses in the dark did send chills down my spine, those were pretty suspenseful. Then there are the usual jump scares and scenes of blood and gore that occur every once a while. Towards the end, however, the scary atmosphere quickly fades away.

Overall, Deliver Is From Evil doesn't fall completely. While it didn't live up to my expectations, I was still somewhat satisfied with it. If you have seen Sinister, don't expect it to be as scary.

Scott Derrickson and his fellow writers have indeed taken upon themselves a hard, tough and unrewarding mission. Modern age horror focuses mainly on rational fears: kidnappings, tortures, murders, psychopaths, and such hazards posed by mere mortal humans. Therefore, the spot left for the supernatural remains smaller, and focuses mainly on haunting spirits, demons and such. Exorcism movies have had a hard time showing us anything new and worthwhile ever since the classic The Exorcist. While certain films like The Unborn and The Exorcism of Emily Rose rising above others and proving to be excellent (in my opinion), others like The Last Exorcism and The Devil Within remain average and below (again, in my opinion).

Deliver Us From Evil is no different. The plot to me felt forced, unoriginal and uninspired, and the role of the tragic hero policeman carrying a dark secret which flaunts his vices as a human being is really getting old... Detective Sarchie is no different, with the exception of his love for children and loss of control when others mean them harm. Santiago, the possessed, is also not any different than the possessed characters of other films, but the film makers seem to have recognized that fact in advance and given him a secondary role. Let's be honest, seeing an innocent man possessed and performing horrific deeds he isn't actually responsible for is only one method of presenting possession, but it seems to be Hollywood's favourite.

What makes this film truly shine and rise above the average mediocrity of this sub-genre is the profound acting of the possessed characters. Ever since Linda Blair's iconic performance in The Exorcist in 1973, acting the role of a possessed individual has become an almost impossible task, as anything and everything would make us horror fan compare that character to 12 year old Regan. However, several actors and actresses have been successful in giving a profound show and proving to us that Blair hasn't left them completely unarmed.

Olivia Horton as possessed woman Jane is in my opinion, now that I have seen this film, one of these chosen few. Her ability to completely let go of etiquette and sanity, to behave like a beast that walks on two and to demonstrate exactly what a demon possession does to the human body, mind, spirit and soul have left a deep impression on me. Horton's performance is easily worth 2 (if not 3) points of my overall rating of this film. Sean Harris's performance is slightly less impressive, but is still a good example of how to act the role of a possessed forced-villain.

The second spot of light in this otherwise average film is the character of "Father" Mendoza played by Edgar Ramirez. Unlike the catholic, common straight-as-an-arrow holier-than-though priests we have learnt to expect in such films (with the exception of con artist Father Marcus in The Last Exorcism) - Mendoza is painfully human. With vices including sex, women, addiction and heavy drinking, he uses his knowledge as a priest while maintaining the role of a troubled, average and slightly neurotic ordinary man.

All in all, if anyone asked me to recommend an exorcism film to them, Deliver Us From Evil wouldn't be the first on my list, but it might very well be the fifth. I would have been more impressed with a better plot, some twists and a better ending. However, I still think this is a film worthy of watching if you're a fan of Horror and Supernatural, especially Exorcism films.

Nicely photographed but derivative demon possession NYPD action horror film, directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister; Hellraiser: Inferno; The Exorcism of Emily Rose) starring Eric Bana as an agnostic Catholic cop facing sinister dangers as a trio of Iraq combat veterans return to NYC with something spiritually evil that has overtaken them. Partnered with a comedic, thrill-seeking cop, Jimmy (Chris Coy), and a young priest with his own personal demons, Mendoza (Édgar Ramírez), Bana's Sarchie will try to find and stop the volatile, unstable demon-possessed soldiers (who have taken to beating their wives). In one case, the demon possession spread to the wife who is found rabid in a zoo, while a soldier (painter as a civilian) walks freely among lions which allows him to escape. The police procedural leads to creepy Satanic ritualism, monstrous men taken over by evil and seemingly absent their humanity, and scribbling in an unusual language found where the soldiers were located back in the Big Apple. Lots of imagery certain to leave you a bit taken aback (like the body of a decomposed corpse which fell out of a wall, locations rendered dilapidated by the soldiers, etc), and the sight of a child found dead in an alley, "Deliver Us from Evil" certainly knows how to get under the skin. However, the ending will more than likely take you right back to the recent demon possession Anthony Hopkins vehicle, The Rite, where a young priest with a less-than-stable spiritual resolve faces the demanding task of removing a demon from a soldier held prisoner as another in the room watches as "support". The demon's name being requested and the usual exorcism tactics are here and accounted for. The bells and whistles of demon possession special effects show up, with the only real unique feature this time around being the location of the exorcism located in an interrogation room at a police station. It is forgettable and nothing about the plot is all that original (even Bana's wife and daughter are kidnapped). You could skip this and not miss much. For demon-possession/exorcism movie completists, mostly. Derrickson, though, knows how to evoke mood and darkness especially well. Bana's a fine actor so he makes the role of a cop dealing with the traumas of a typical life working the streets of NYC his own, which is no surprise. Coy's a hoot as Bana's wise-cracking partner, eventually going out as funny cop partners typically do in these types of movies.

The Many Jump Scares Aside, this is an Entertaining Horror/Supernatural/Crime Film that is a bit Over Produced and Lazy with its Clichés. However, there are Enough New Inclusions to Make this an Above Average Exorcism Entry.

Not as Good as The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), the Directors Other Attempt at the Subject Matter, but Better and a Bit Different than the Standard Stuff so Prevalent, Especially in the Awful Found Footage Films.

Eric Bana and Edgar Ramirez Lead the Way as the Creepy Plot Imposes Itself Unto the "Everyday" Evil that is Standard Procedural Police Work. "There are two kinds of Evil", says the Priest, "The Evil that Men do, and the Evil from the other side." (paraphrasing)

In the Beginning it All Seems that of the Former, and Our Protagonist (a lapsed Catholic) is Investigating Domestic Abuse and Other Such Familiar Distress Calls. But it isn't Long Before the Latter Type of Evil is at Play. It Invades and Infests the Cop's Home Life and the Thing Really Heats Up.

The Inclusion of the Evil Originating from the Iraq War is Symbolic of PTSD, but it is Not Preached and is Presented Subliminally. It is there for the Reading if One Wants.

Overall, this is Scary Enough to Recommend. Although Not Perfect, there are Missed Opportunities and a Reliance on Conventionalism from the Genre. It Still is Worth a Watch for the Better Parts and is a Solid and Well Made Effort.