THE LAST EXORCISM follows the footage filmed for a documentary about a pastor, Rev Cotton Marcus, who performs exorcisms and he is out to expose exorcisms by showing them for what they are.   Cotton Marcus and the documentary crew go to the Sweetzer farm where a father believes his daughter Nell is possessed.   Marcus believes he knows what is causing it and he decides to put on a show for the Sweetzer family.  It’s not that simple as events play out and it leaves you guessing whether Nell is possessed or not.  Also THE LAST EXORCISM paints the pastor as a man who has lost faith and he still does his job.   Will the events at the small town farm help him regain his faith?  

THE LAST EXORCISM stands as a film that shows what an exorcism might entail while showing a portrait of a showman pastor.   The last act is a little different from the rest of the film which is grounded in reality.   Patrick Fabian makes me believe in the character of Cotton Marcus who is a working man that is trying to support his kids while he wishes he could do something else.   The documentary approach is more effective than THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.   It really drives into the documentary approach instead of people just filming what is going on.   The film does leave clues where it is going.  It telegraphs those clues while making the audience believe something else.   THE LAST EXORCISM is an interesting film, I like it more than BALIR WITCH PROJECT with characters much more likeable and fleshed out than CLOVERFIELD.   Also it provides a narrative stronger than whatever PARANORMAL ACTIVITY had.   I would watch THE LAST EXORCISM again because of the above reasons.   Just don’t expect your usual horror film.

This movie review is ©8-30-2010 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com