Exorcising Doubt

This weekend featured the release of the film "The Last Exorcism." Going in, based largely on the title and crude trailer, I expected this film to be another rehash of traditional exorcism-related story lines. What I got was something more engrossing and thought-provoking.

Here I will put a warning for those that want to embrace the film without any knowledge that there will be spoilers from this point forward.

I'll start by saying that "The Last Exorcism" features one of the most misleading trailers and marketing campaigns of any film released this year, much to its detriment. The marketing campaign and trailer would have you believe this is the "Blair Witch Project" of exorcism films, a cheap horror fest. The fact that it's marketed as coming from producer Eli Roth — the director that gave us "Cabin Fever" and "Hostel" — only adds to that belief.

But that marketing campaign sells this film short. This film does have some "Blair Witch" elements. It also has some elements featured in traditional exorcism films and a story that feels a bit similar to "The Reaping" and, at times, the original "Wicker Man." But it also has an honest, seeking kind of story that reminds me a lot more of "Leap of Faith." If you're having trouble figuring out how all those feels can blend together, I understand your frustration. But the fact that this film pulls off that disparate set of tones is one of its strengths.

The film centers on Baton Rouge minister Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian). Cotton is a popular speaker and a prolific performer of exorcisms. Being in ministry is something of a family calling, with Cotton receiving training from his father and taking to pulpit at a young age. But he doesn't see himself as a vessel of the Lord, rather he sees himself as a great performer. In fact, in this documentary-style film, it is noted that Cotton has written several plays and is active in the local theater scene.

The purpose of the documentary — the film within the film that composes the narrative for "The Last Exorcism" — is to debunk the myth of exorcisms. You see, after enduring a personal crisis with his son John, it occurred to Cotton for the first time that he didn't really believe in God. He knows all about God, having been trained as a preacher from the time he was a boy, but he never really stopped to consider if he actually believed. When he did, Cotton discovered he had no faith.

He was set to give up his profession, especially the rite of exorcism that he performed for many in the area. Then he read a few articles on exorcisms that went wrong, rituals performed by people so devout in their beliefs that they ended up killing those who they sought to save. Worried about what this "religious madness" might wrought on other young souls, Cotton agreed to be the subject of a documentary that poked holes in the ritual of exorcisms hoping to prevent others from being suckered. As a part of the film, he picked a letter at random and decided to respond and perform an exorcism.

What Cotton found in a rural Louisiana town caught him off guard. The young girl that was allegedly demon-possessed, Nell (Ashley Bell), presents a unique mix of symptoms and presents a case that challenges Cotton's beliefs.

What works well in this film is some of Cotton's explanation of the hysteria created by different religions, poverty, a lack of eduction, and cultural oppression that helps create the environment where fringe beliefs thrive. What's sad is that Cotton has lost his faith, and therefore denies the existence of God and demons. Though he does correctly point out that if you believe in one, you have to believe in the other.

This film plays out more like a cultural exploration of faith traditions for the first half of the film. It also helps firm up the character of Cotton and give the audience a feel for his personal journey, and how that road led him to a place of knowledge of the elements of faith without any actual faith.

The film switches gears in the middle, as the dramatic tension mounts. But unlike so many of the modern horror films that go directly for the body count and the blood and guts, "The Last Exorcism" maintains a mystery about what is really happening and a dramatic tension that serves it well. When incidents do happen, they leave you wondering what the root cause really is.

Bell does an incredible job of bringing Nell to life. Throughout most of the middle section of the film, the audience can't tell if she is truly demon-possessed or suffering psychological trauma due to events in her past or the lifestyle she is forced to lead by her father. That mysterious nature of the narrative adds to the effectiveness of the presentation in being startling and tense.

Some of the effectiveness of the presentation breaks down in the final frames as the "truth" of her situation is revealed. The film takes on a "Wicker Man," "The Reaping" tone that isn't as satisfying as much of what leads up to it. The film also doesn't try to answer many questions about what is really going on, it just lets events play out to their violent conclusion.

However, there is one element of the ending that really stuck with me. It's the through line of the whole film — Cotton's personal struggle. As events unfold on the scene, Cotton begins to lose the confident guise he has and begins to struggle with the idea of God and demons in a real way. You can see his thoughts on faith beginning to swing as he sees what's happening with Nell. But when he gets to a point where he feels like he understands the true motives behind her actions, that wall begins to be reformed.

That is until the final moments. Faced with demonic evil, faced with a situation that requires true faith, Cotton discovers that he does possess more than an understanding of facts. He finds that he believes in the power of God, so much so that he puts his life at hazard to battle demonic forces.

This is not a Christian film, but it is a film made by people who have some understanding and appreciation for faith. What they clearly intended to make was a horror film that provided a unique take on exorcisms. They do succeed in that aim, but what they've also delivered is an interesting faith journey for the central character — Cotton Marcus. Though that may not have been the intention, I couldn't help but be moved by the way the story unfolded, particularly Cotton's story.

This is another example of messages being relayed through unexpected means. While the film isn't perfect, I was pleasantly surprised that it provided some interesting theological food for thought.