Show creator Jeremy Slater has delivered a small screen version of The Exorcist that is damned scary but different from the 1973 iconic horror hit. This time around the younger priest does not have a crisis of faith and the older one is suffering a sort of PTSD after a Mexican exorcism goes bad.
We learn that Father Tomas had (Has?) an eye for the ladies and is a more modern priest. One that believes the dogma that teaches demons are not real but metaphors.
Father Marcus, on the other hand, is old school, albeit a bit on the rough side of it. A priest who is willing to shoot a superior who attempts to stop an exorcism.
Tomas seems to be a nice parochial priest who cares about his flock. He can get stressed but tries to overcome his shortcomings. Parishioner Angela Rance comes to him and explains she believes a demon is in her house.
The woman has heard noises in the walls and things are being moved about in the house. At first it seems that the eldest daughter Kat may be the focus of this entity. Later it is revealed to be Kat’s kid sister Casey.
Angela’s father Henry has either Alzheimers or dementia but seems to be in the early stages of the disease.
Father Tomas begins to have dreams, or visions, about Father Marcus performing an exorcism on a young Mexican lad. The scenes are disturbing. The youngster is covered in boils and spews his teeth out at one point.
Tomas witnesses the battle between Marcus and the demon inside the boy until it reaches a deadly conclusion. The entity twists the child’s head around until his neck snaps. Marcus is beside himself with grief at the boy’s death and his failure.
The two men are obviously meant to work together. Tomas is given directions on where to find the recovering priest by Henry. The older man enters a trancelike state and tells Ortega the address where Marcus is staying.
Angela Rance urges Father Tomas to visit her home and address the issue of the demon. While he is there he and Angela hear noises from upstairs. Tomas goes to investigate and the ladder door leading to the attic falls open.
The priest goes up into the attic to see who is there. Predictably, the light bulb breaks when he turns it on. Tomas then uses his cell phone light to search the attic. The first thing he sees is a silhouette of a young girl.
He calls out Casey’s name and then trips, falling down and dropping his cell phone. He looks up and the shadow is gone. A rat moving a pile of clothing goes to run off and is killed by something invisible.
A hand shoots out and grabs the dead rodent and Casey then appears. She is pale and floating and her body acts like a marionette with tangled strings.
The sequence is close to terrifying.
Angela climbs up into the attic and Casey returns to normal. When Tomas leaves he house, the girl is watching him from her room.
English director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Escapist) and show creator Slater deliver some creepy and truly frightening moments in that attic. They also do a fine job building up the story and creating a feeling of dread.
Daniels and Herrera are perfect in their respective roles and Kasulka, with her morphed facial features and odd movements is scary as hell.
The Exorcist delivers some intense scenes. The sequence where Father Marcus battles the demon is horrific. It is clear that the room reeks of blood and sweat and fear.
Later, in the attic, Casey’s appearance and actions are so disturbing that if the scene had gone on any longer, viewers would be having nightmares afterward.
FOX are to be congratulated for creating a series that is guaranteed to scare the dickens out of anyone. Believing in God or demons is not necessary as the creep factor works on the viewers imaginations brilliantly.
It was interesting, and a nice touch, having the tubular bells play at the end of the episode.
The Exorcist airs Fridays on FOX. Stop by and check it out, but leave the lights on while watching it.
Cast:
- Alfonso Herrera – Father Tomas Ortega
- Ben Daniels – Father Marcus Keane
- Hannah Kasulka – Casey Rance
- Geena Davis – Angela Rance
- Brianne Howey – Kat Rance
- Alan Ruck – Henry Rance
Mikes Film Talk 