3 Nuts!
Director: Daniel Stamm
Scary movies these days are a dime a dozen. They offer cheap thrills with lots of gotcha moments. Most disappoint, but occasionally one comes along that works. One where a lot of actual scary moments don’t need to happen in order for you to be frightened and at the same time entertained. That movie is the Last Exorcism. It is about a minister, Cotton Marcus played by Patrick Fabian who is performing his final exorcism in order to prove what a fraud the whole thing is. With him he brings 2 cameramen, in order to record the entire process and show how he is really doing nothing. It is clear that this time it has to be different and something must go wrong or there wouldn’t be a movie. The girl being “exorcised” is Nell played by Ashley Bell whose wide range of acting abilities is displayed, as she alternates from an innocent girl to a psychopath potentially possessed by the devil.
The film is shot in a documentary type style, and for the first half Cotton shows the viewer the elements necessary for an exorcism. Not only is it a fascinating process but a rather funny one. We watch as the family reacts to every noise, every bump and then audiences get a shot of how Cotton caused the exorcisms illusions. While comical, these scenes are rather important as they help build a relationship between the viewer and Cotton. This only increases our desire for the protagonist’s success. The transition to darkness in the film is quick but subtle and it is what most people came to the movie expecting.
I liked the first 82 minutes of this film a great deal. However as I watched the last five minutes of the film it felt like I was undergoing my own personal exorcism. It was as if the devil himself went into the film, knowing how brilliant and thought provoking it was, and attempted to ruin it. Let’s just say it’s disappointing.
In a peaNut Shell: This is a solid film with stellar performances by its leading actors. The plot is engaging and at times is incredibly suspenseful. There are a few funny moments in the film which help balance out the scary scenes. This is not at all what many will be expecting going into this film; it is not nearly as scary as it appears. The only downfall to this movie is the ending, but if you can look past it, you will have an enjoyable movie going experience.
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