Most so-called horror movies turned out by today's industry rely on blood and gore to instigate shrieks and spine-chills. One with a PG-13 rating can't be that great.
Or can it?
"The Exorcism of Emily Rose," directed by Scott Derrickson ("Hellraiser: Inferno") takes cues from horror movies of the past to make its impact. Even the most gruesome scenes pale in comparison to the carnage in recent gross-outs like "Saw," but viewers will still walk away feeling uneasy.
"Emily Rose" is effective because it is based on a true story.
The film is based on the Roman Catholic Church's public acknowledgement of the possession of Anneliese Michel, a 22-year-old Bavarian girl. Laura Linney ("Love Actually") stars as Erin Bruner, an aspiring lawyer whose primary focus in life is to become senior partner at her firm. She has been hired to defend Father Richard Moore, played by Tom Wilkinson ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind").
Moore was charged with negligent homicide when his attempted exorcism on 19-year-old Emily Rose, played by Jennifer Carpenter ("White Chicks"), results in the young girl's death.
While medical experts diagnose Emily with epilepsy and psychosis, Emily believes she is possessed. The episodes first began when she left her sleepy farm home for the University of Minnesota. Doctors prescribed medication for Emily's condition, but eventually she stopped taking the drug under the suggestion of the family priest, Father Moore, thus ensnaring him in charges of ulterior motives.
The film jolts back and forth between scenes of reserved, relatively serene courtroom sessions and intense testimonial flashbacks of Emily's "episodes." Disjointedness results from this stark dichotomy, which parallels Emily's anatomical contortions in several scenes, as well as her two contrasting states of being. Shaky camerawork during flashbacks force this idea upon the viewer and doesn't leave much to the imagination.
There will undoubtedly be comparisons drawn between "Emily Rose" and 1974's "The Exorcist" as well as 2004's "Exorcist: the Beginning."
Both films concentrate on the same theme of demonic possession, but "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" attempts to engage the viewer in a courtroom battle, rather than just a standard war of good versus evil.
Bruner claims to be agnostic when Father Moore questions her beliefs, but the relationship between the two grows, especially when Bruner is subjected to the same supernatural assaults as Emily.
Linney's performance as a lawyer is spotlighted and credible for the majority of the film, until a predictable ending.
Wilkinson and Carpenter pull off the only sincere performances from the cast. Both are believably humble and don't overcompensate when it comes to convincing other characters of their harmless intentions.
Derrickson took some liberties in straying from the original story, but wasn't given much wiggle-room when it came to announcing the verdict. He does finish with a disdainful effort for a surprise ending, but all the previous twists fail and leave the viewer unmoved.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
