The Exorcism's use of demonic possession as a metaphor for guilt holds potential, but that's woefully wasted. The blunt dialogue constantly tells rather than shows, undermining emotional investment. It has cliche characters, a predictable plot, and unearned turning points. Its thin story is drawn out, belaboring setup yet lacking payoff. The derivative climax devolves into nonsensical shlock, revealing the hollowness of the preceding drama. With such a disjointed conclusion, there's no realized substance. Meanwhile, the acting offers glimpses of chemistry and layers, but more often feels unconvincing or disengaged. Consequently, The Exorcism is a mess of sputtering tropes.
Technically, The Exorcism shifts from generic to disorganized, fumbling the tone in the process. Like many trite horrors, the cinematography pairs dark lighting with murky colors. Through boring pacing and meandering structure, its editing painfully botches momentum. Despite genre elements and emotional distortions, the sound is brought down by overused stings. Its music is appropriately atmospheric but wholly forgettable. The drab production design strains for a creepy ambience rather than personality. Although Crowe's casting is fairly meta, fame is fringe and fit is mediocre. Its competent makeup is offset by poor CGI. Altogether, The Exorcism is a chore to watch.
Writing: 3/10
Direction: 2/10
Cinematography: 4/10
Acting: 5/10
Editing: 3/10
Sound: 6/10
Score/Soundtrack: 4/10
Production Design: 4/10
Casting: 5/10
Effects: 4/10
Overall Score: 4.0/10
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