EXORCISMUS (La posesion de Emma Evans) (2010)

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Manuel Carballo
Cast: Sophie Vavasseur, Stephen Billington, Douglas Bradley, Tommy Bastow, Richard Felix, Jo-Anne Stockham
RunTime: 1 hr 41 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: NC-16 (Some Disturbing Scenes)
Official Website: http://www.laposesiondeemmaevans.com/

Opening Day: 20 January 2011

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Emma Hawkins is like any other teenage girl; she thinks that her parents don’t understand her. She longs for independence and a life free of family ties and responsibilities, and she is prepared to do anything to achieve it. But one day she will be forced to face up to the consequences of her actions. Life seems to be carrying on as normal until one day Emma starts experiencing frightening fits. Her parents are convinced that her problems are either medical or psychological, but when doctors' tests are unable to draw any conclusions, the family is forced to look elsewhere for answers. It all started off as a bit of fun. Emma never really believed it, but the truth is there is something dark and sinister within her, and it won’t take long to surface.

Movie Review:

Out of nowhere, a Spanish team who produce a gem call REC and REC2 stirred up a British cast a genre we are all too familiar with. Demon possessions. Exorcist would come to mind and yes, there isn’t anywhere else that can drive one to steer into a different direction. Many have tried from found footage style, to sequels and even prequels but none ever managed to hit the spot and strike fear into the human heart. Blame the gore fest we’re bombarded with and the many things that happens in real life. They have been surrounding us for so long that we have become jaded and immune to such classic horror, the horror we use to scare ourselves silly when we were young, that such inhumane/unbelievable occurrence is like a morning cereal. But a recommendable effort i must say. Although most failed, many had potentials among the thorns.

And those who are included in this torrential gathering of potentials is namely, Exorcismus or also known as La posesión de Emma Evans (The Possession of Emma Evans). Premiered at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain (A festival i would love to visit one day) last year, this interpretation of a modern urban possession feels slightly more real than other followers. It can be your neighbour, your cousin or even secretly hiding with your siblings....Have i creeped you out yet? Anyway, yes, setting is substantial to how you connect to your audience and i have to applause at the effort but the cinematographer must have wanted something more current and tried to follow NYPD or any MTV series because the consent camera movement and random quick zooms, after the 45min mark, became a distraction and took away the dread stillness of the setting and situation.

Acting overall was alittle touch a go for my taste. The lead girl playing Emma, isn’t very new to our screen, being known in various films like, Evelyn, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Becoming Jane. Of cos that was when she was a wee little girl and between those and this, she grew up on small TV movies and have yet to get her groove yet. Everyone played their part but felt washed out. Its not that they were all bad but somehow it just didn’t fit in all aspect of the genre. Also there is a quick cameo if you’re old enough to remember one of the horror icon back in the 80s in the series called Hellraiser. Mr Pinhead himself. But you have to google him to find out how he looks like in his natural form, where he is the high priest who is in the flashbacks. Such irony. But not really. You just have to watch the movie yourself.

An army of darkness has steadily spewed across our country from local to the outer reaches of our region in Asia and then comes the western culture with their own horror of fame, many have scarred our minds and struck a chord over the ages from their Amityville Horror to Poltergeist, gore-fest classics like Hellraiser to Child's Play but nothing could have prepared us when Exorcist was rolled out to the world for the first time. And that was the beginning of ever increasing nightmare occurrence among boys and girls and not to mention, even adults too. In fact, even up to this date, i know for a fact that some are too scared to watch it. And like all movies which hit a high note at birth, it starts to roll down hill ever so gradually one step at a time, unable to pick itself up. Seems like a fate of doom for most successful entry isn’t it? Well if you’ve guessed that this is will somehow reboot the franchise, don’t even think about it. OMG, i said reboot. i hope no one saw that. Please don’t let anybody reboot Exorcist or I'll put a curse on which ever film production who does it...

Movie Rating:

(A new spew of twist would have stuck a harder hit if not for its lucksture build-up and acting)

Review by Lokman BS