Deliver Us from Evil (I) (2014) User Reviews

An unusual team of two to fight the evil spirits!

[Reno-Rangan · 7/10 · 24 September 2016]

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

Initially engaging but falls short as time goes on

[breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com · 6/10 · 10 July 2018]

Filmmaker Scott Derrickson has definitely been through a lot when it comes to movies even if he hasn't output a large volume. He's also been through several areas of the movie industry; everything from home video, independent to mainstream blockbuster studios. And of course now that he's been inducted into the family of Marvel Studios, his credibility has been more or less confirmed. Prior to this though he was still trying to make a name for himself in way that would make him stand out. While The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) remake was boring for most, his comeback with Sinister (2012) turned the tables in his favor. While Sinister (2012) did engage its audience at the beginning, the predictability became fairly obvious as time went on. Sadly it seems as though Derrickson did not notice this when he released this movie as his next feature.

The story for this movie displays events that allegedly were told to be true by a New York police officer named Ralph Sarchie. According to him, he came across a number of strange moments where he would be on duty and witness abnormal actions by people. Playing Sarchie is Eric Bana and soon he teams up with a priest by the name of Father Mendoza (Edgar Ramírez) who believes the cases are related to a greater evil. With the screenplay adapted by Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman, the execution of the story feels very similar to that of Sinister (2012). At the start, the plot will capture the viewers' attention, but over time it begins to lose its grasp on what matters most. This is unfortunate because initially it has an interesting detective supernatural vibe going for it, but then it turns to a rather conventional method of execution and begins to lose traction.

And there's a reason why the play out to this feature feels similar. The explanation to this is that Paul Harris Boardman has been a familiar writer to that of other Scott Derrickson productions, surprisingly not Sinister (2012) though. Putting this aside however, the acting by the main cast is fairly good. Eric Bana as the tough Sgt. Sarchie has a captivating presence along with his partner Butler played by Joel McHale, who seems to find a way of making light of any situation. Olivia Munn is also involved as Sarchie's wife who adds some tension to the story being that most married protagonists are easily held as leverage. Edgar Ramirez as Father Mendoza has a peculiar back story working with the supernatural and also serves as a good backup to Sarchie. Lastly there's Sean Harris who plays a significant part to the plot, and Sarchie's investigation.

The visuals to the film were properly placed. Derrickson has done horror films before and this one does not divert from what's been done before. The gore is not over the top but can get grotesque.at times. This makes for an effective take on just how bad things can get surrounding Sgt. Sarchie. The worst it gets is body contortions and really freaky looking faces. The special effects themselves though are well done. There's no areas in the run time that look heavily edited or overly fake. Though some of the events that happen are questionable as to if they actually happened at all. Of course this comes with the understanding that certain liberties will be taken with the story that was given from the original source. The question is, exactly how much of it is true? That's to be debated over since the screenplay is based off of a book by Sgt. Sarchie.

The camerawork was well done too. Filmed by Scott Kevan, the cinematography is displayed competently. There are dark areas throughout the film but it is not to a point where the audience will not be able to see what is happening. If anything it helps emphasize how peculiar some scenarios get. Occasionally there is some shaky cam and dutch angles, but it occurs quite infrequently that it's not really a bother. Kevan was also the cinematographer to Cabin Fever (2002), Death Race (2008) and The Darkest Hour (2011). Composing the film score to this feature was Christopher Young who has not only worked with Derrickson before but has done many horror scores in general. Sadly, what's only heard here are repeated tracks from other movies like Sinister (2012), and the rest are all stings. It's pretty underwhelming because only a couple areas actually sound unique.

Music and story execution is unfortunately a large portion why the movie could not be as good as it presents itself. Yet the actors, horror visuals and premise make the view enjoyable to watch for the most part. It's decent enough to warrant at least one watch but that's it.

It has its scary moments

[Screen_Blitz · 6/10 · 27 June 2015]

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.

Excellent cop drama with a supernatural twist

[bbickley13-921-58664 · 7/10 · 2 July 2014]

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.

If you enjoyed Sinister, you will enjoy this creepy joy ride

[murphy_3489 · 9/10 · 2 July 2014]

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!

Above average, but oddly flawed..

[A_Different_Drummer · 7/10 · 26 October 2014]

And here is an irony: the flaws I believe are due to the length (overlong by about half an hour, which is a lifetime for feature) and the length is due to the pedigree, ie, this is a Jerry Bruckheimer production and no way Jerry was going to let one of his pet projects get cut at 90 minutes (which would have placed it in the same category as the B films, the "found footage" films, and the direct-to-video jobs).

The story which appears to be based on some sort of fact is an odd combination of two iconic films which most buffs will immediately recall, the original EXORCIST and Denzel's wonderful 90s flick, THE FALLEN.

I deliberately said "odd combination" because in truth each of these is a different type of story and to combine the two in one production would produce a strange result.

Which is what you have here.

The good news? Bana is one of those "under-used" actors who always does a fine job and one should never pass a chance to catch him in action.

Good as Bana is, however, he is upstaged by the Director Scott Derrickson who does such a great job at setting scenes and mood that you might almost call him the real "hero" of the story since this technically perfect work can do nothing but good for his career.

Similarly, Bana is upstaged yet again by Édgar Ramírez who seems to be trying to make the transition from Latin actor to English speaking actor. Given that he steals every scene he is in with raw intensity, that should not prove to be a hard transition.

Good dark moody atmosphere but tension fades

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 25 April 2015]

In Iraq 2010, US troops uncover something dangerous. It's 2013. NYPD officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) investigates a series of disturbing crimes with his partner Butler (Joel McHale). He's married to Jen (Olivia Munn) with a daughter. Jesuit priest Mendoza (Édgar Ramírez) is fighting the evil and Sarchie joins in to investigating a group of returning marines.

The movie sets up a good dark murky NYC. Eric Bana is good at being the brooding intense guy. Joel McHale is the wise-cracking sidekick. Surprisingly, he muscles up and gets into a few fights. Filmmaker Scott Derrickson has zeroed in on the dark moody style. However the movie slowly loses momentum. The tension fades. Instead of intensifying the excitement, it get muddled exorcism talk. Also, Butler seems to be replaced by Mendoza. It would probably be better to keep Butler inside the group. It's a lot of darken rooms and jump scares. The movie never finds the next gear.

One of the best exorcism type movies I've watched in a while.

[dwinchester1996 · 8/10 · 3 July 2014]

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.

7

[fil-nik09 · 7/10 · 25 May 2015]

So, I have seen that someone mentioned Sinister here...and as I think it is one of the best movies I have seen, I had expected something similar, but it was not the case.

Nevertheless, it is not a bad movie. Strange that it says that it is based on the true story... All these things happened???!!!

Eric Bana as a lead was a plus to me. But I must admit I was surprised how he aged! I guess I have not seen any of his latest films lately. The Spanish priest is also good, as well as the main demon. I can not remember where he stared...which movie...his face is familiar. But he was really great especially in the exorcism scene.

It is a mixture of action movie and horror and I like that. But although everything is pretty good, there was always something missing ( for me) to say that it is in the rang of great Sinister.

All in all, quite good, but not mind blowing. 7 from me.

nothing we haven't seen before

[sonekken · 5/10 · 11 October 2014]

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.

It's not that bad, it's quite OK horror flick

[Forest-G · 7/10 · 18 July 2015]

In a way watching horror movies is like having relationship, u feel like sh*t when it ended, but it doesn't mean it was bad relationship, it was probably your best relationship you ever had.

So does the horror movies, if u feel terrible after watching it, it doesn't mean its bad movie, horror flicks supposed to make u feel that way.

I think that's one of the reason why horror movie is always underrated, many people rate it while they are feel terrible and still recovering from watching the movie.

So I just watched this movie, actually I am still recovering from watching it.

The director of this movie is the one that made Sinister, I think is not as strong as Sinister (I love Sinister), but it's not that bad, it doesn't deserve 6. I gave it 7.

So what's good about the movie? The story is not that bad. The story can keep me entertained till the end. I watched every second of it. Although I feel like the pacing can be better.

The cinematography is good, it is well shot, it gave the chill and dark atmosphere.

There are few shocking moment, although it is not as many as Insidious. but when it came it doesn't feel forced.

Oh there is McHale to ease the tension, although his joke is kinda bland in this movie, it's still nice to see familiar face (I watched Community).

Well overall it was OK movie. I can't really say anything bad about it, but yea it's not really epic, but it's OK. If you like horror, and can suspend your disbelief for two hours, this movie can entertain you.

More of a Thriller than Horror; Horror Film for those who do not like Real Horror

[MissOceanB · 7/10 · 12 November 2014]

After reading all of the reviews I was satisfied that this would be a true horror film that would definitely frighten me (something that is difficult to do). I ordered the film on pay-per-view and although the storyline was interesting (and apparently based on the real events surrounding an NYPD detective, as mentioned in the trailers), overall it fell short horror-wise and was more a biographical thriller. Sure, there were some moments that would make some persons jump (along the lines of the awful "horror" films Paranormal Activity), there were some scenes that had added "jump" tactics in an attempt to increase the film's overall horror aspect, which I felt were unnecessary. The film would have been better promoted as a psychological thriller, which it truly is. A couple scenes from trailers were not even in the film, which was a disappointment. I kept waiting for "that moment" which never came. Eric Bana, however, was likely the saving grace (no pun intended) and is a great actor, as was his partner in the film (whose name I can't recall).

If Sinister scared you, this film might scare you. Sinister did not scare me and I was disappointed. If you enjoyed the horror in Insidious and are looking for the same from Deliver Us From Evil, you will also be disappointed.

Too slow and drawn out

[Wizard-8 · 31 July 2015]

Though I usually keep in regular touch with what movies are being widely released to theaters, somehow I didn't hear of this movie when it was in theaters, so when I came across the Blu-ray I was quite surprised to learn of it. But to be honest, after watching it, I thought the movie should have stayed in obscurity. It's not the worst horror movie I've seen, but it has some major problems. For starters, the movie raises a lot of unanswered questions, like how the hero was able to view footage shot by the military. But the main problem with the movie is how tiresome it is. It moves very slowly, and the moments of horror that occasionally happen have a "been there done that" kind of feeling. These problems are made worse by a running time of almost two hours in length - this story didn't need to be so long. On the positive side, the acting is competent and the photography is moody and gives the story a lightly eerie undercurrent throughout. Though not enough to make the movie actually scary, however.

Less is More in Horror... Still

[snopek-758-908561 · 6/10 · 3 July 2014]

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.

Not bad, but could have been better - very formulaic delivery of an already done "Exorcist"

[sinnerofcinema · 5/10 · 2 July 2014]

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.

The Right Kind of Exorcism

[fatemaster2003 · 8/10 · 12 July 2014]

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.

Worth watching, if only for Horton's acting and "Father" Mendoza's original character

[nitzanhavoc · 6/10 · 11 January 2015]

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.

Save us from terrible films

[wonderwall0711 · 3/10 · 23 August 2014]

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.

Personally My Pick of The Month

[alucard_castlevania86 · 9/10 · 7 July 2014]

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

Unnecessary Jump Scares and Genre Conventionalism but Worth a Watch

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 6 November 2014]

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.

Stylized Horror

[jparker9899 · 7/10 · 11 July 2014]

Now let me begin with after seeing Sinister, I had high hopes for this film. And I'm happy to say I wasn't the least bit disappointed. This movie wasn't your normal horror movie either; it was a mix of a buddy cop action movie and horror and it blended great. Starting off like the Exorcist in another country and bringing back an ancient evil, a cop that teams up with a priest tries to stop demonic forces in the city of New York. It sounds like it wouldn't work as a film, and many reviews say that it didn't, but in my opinion it did. They had gore that was very stylish, and the idea of the movie in general is new and refreshing; you'll be on the edge of your seat during this entire film. It wasn't spectacular, no, but it was something worth watching whether you're an action fan or a horror fan. I strongly recommend seeing this movie; it's one of the best in theaters right now. Gore, pop up scares, demonic forces, and cop action is what you're in for while watching Deliver Us From Evil, and it's a fast paced ride.

Deliver Us from Evil

[CowherPowerForever · 6/10 · 8 July 2014]

As a big time horror genre fan, I have mostly been disappointed over the recent years, minus a few movies. I was glad to hear Scott Derrickson(director of this film) was back at it with another horror film after his recent success with Sinister(which was a very good film in my opinion). While this film wasn't on the same level as Sinister, the film overall is not that bad. This is my review of Deliver Us from Evil.

This movie was written by Scott Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman. While Derrickson has been making some good films for years now Boardman is known for his much smaller work like Hellraiser: Inferno and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. While I felt the story was overall good, it wasn't anything special and really the film was saved by a fabulous exorcism scene at the end of the film. A good bit of the film focuses on Sarchie(played by Eric Bana) and his family/work life. While this is important to the film, I easily felt they could have cut out a good ten to twenty minutes of the film. The scares in the film aren't that bad actually. A lot of horror films these days rely on the jump scares, and while this film has a few of them as well, a good bit of the scares aren't jump scares at all. As I just mentioned the exorcism scene really saves an average movie and makes it nearly a good level film. That scene was so intense and in depth, it really has you shocked during the entire process. The scene lasts I would say a good ten to twenty minutes which adds to the depth of the scene.

As I mentioned this film is directed by Scott Derrickson, who is hot off the success of Sinister. While in my opinion his effort here is not as good, his effort is certainly not poor, it is above average. Some of the scenes are muddled, for example a couple actions fighting scenes don't really play that well. Could be the inexperience of shooting scenes like that, who knows. I thought the acting was very good as Eric Bana is the star of the film. He has always been one of my favorite actors, and he really takes this movie very seriously. Édgar Ramírez who stars in this movie is also amazing as he works with Eric Bana's character. The two really work well, and I easily see Ramírez becoming one of my favorite actors in the future. Joel McHale who has a middle sized role in the film brings some nice comedic relief to the film, as he mostly does in his line of work. The rest of the secondary cast isn't perfect, but they do a passing job.

Christopher Young composed this film, and also composed the 2012 film that Scott Derrickson directed, Sinister. This film really has a nice creepy track that will leave you with chills. While a lot of this film underperforms, the score certainly doesn't.

Overall this film is barely above average, and is really saved from being your average film by a fantastically done exorcism scene that will make you leave the theater remembering it for a while to come. While hardcore horror genres fans will want to rush out to see this film, I must recommend to the non hardcore horror genre fans to sit this one out, and just wait for home video.

6/10

Still a pretty cool movie..

[andrefilipesantos001 · 7/10 · 20 October 2014]

..But it is not the movie's fault that this genre has been so saturated with all kinds of crappy movies. The movie itself is well enacted, the actors play their roles very well, and the movie has a fast pace. But if what you are looking for is a scary movie, you are in the wrong place. I myself i am not a person easily scared with anything, i don't remember the last time i jumped in the theaters, or watching a movie, and for me to get scared the world has to be at the brick of extinction, so saying this movie isn't scary maybe lead some people into believing it is no good. It is not an horror movie per Se, it is more of a biblical spiritual movie, an action thriller maybe, but no horror. I enjoyed it mainly for the story, the characters, the nice scenarios, and awesome cinematography, but that is all this movie brings into the table. No horror there, no scares or cheap thrills you won't see coming miles away, i read someone that compared this to seven, in a way, i felt the same, it's the dark locations i guess that make it close. But make no mistake, SE7EN is a classic, a solid 10, this one is your slightly above average Sunday movie, with no expectations you will enjoy it, but...that is it.

Overall: 7/10

Save a few dollars... Don't see it in theaters

[Lawman10-17 · 5/10 · 15 July 2014]

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.

Not what I expected at all.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 3 September 2019]

I don't know why I was expecting something bad. I've watched so many horror films, that my expectations have plummeted. I loved this, absolutely brilliant, dare I say it, it's even a bit on the scary side.

It's a slick, well paced, action packed horror thriller, with some nail biting scenes and uneasy moments. Yes there there are some of the stereotypes, there is the dishy Catholic priest, there is the endless Latin chanting, and there is a lot of biting. Forget all of that, it's terrific.

Great acting, especially Sean Harris, he pretty much stands out. I loved it.