You’ve never been much into religion. There are too many rules and regulations. But then, one night as you were sleeping next to your girlfriend, you heard her start to talk in her sleep. At first, it just sounded like gibberish. But the more you listened, the more it started to sound like an actual language. Was it Spanish? No, no, it was Italian. Wait. It was Latin. Your girlfriend was speaking Latin in her sleep. You didn’t even know she knew Latin.
You tried to wake her up, but she was in a deep sleep. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t starting to get a little creeped out. Did you see something move in the room? Wait, it was just a shadow. You breathe a sigh of relief and go to flip on the bedside lamp, but before you can, a cold hand grabs your arm. For a moment, you are frozen. But then you look and see the hand belongs to your girlfriend. She is awake and she is staring right at you. Slowly, she starts to smile.
Obviously, you’re more than a little scared. But relax. Take a deep breath. The power of Christ compels you to take a look at our list of the Top 5 Exorcism movies. Maybe you’ll get some ideas.
5) The Last Exorcism (2010)
We really like scary movies that show priests having crises of faith. Films like Signs, From Dusk Til Dawn and The Last Exorcism. This 2010 film tells the story of a priest named Cotton Marcus who basically swindles people into and out of thinking their loved ones are possessed. Marcus doesn’t actually believe in demonic possession, you see. But he doesn’t mind helping out those who do…for a price. After he decides to hire a film crew to document his chicanery, the rules suddenly change and Father Marcus realizes that demons do exist, possessions are real and he’s standing face to face with the ultimate evil.
4) The Rite (2011)
Anytime Anthony Hopkins is in a scary movie, we take notice. The Rite, starring Hopkins and Colin O’Donoghue, was better than it had any right to be. Heh. See what we did there? This film, like many others, centers around a cynical priest who does not believe in demonic possession, but rather that episodes are caused by mental issues in those who are afflicted. The priest is then taken under the wing of Hopkins’ character, Father Lucas, who proves to the disbelieving priest that evil can be evoked and provoked.
3) The Exorcist III (1990)
We’re giving away the number one entry on the list with this one, but that’s okay. You knew what would be number one anyway. The Exorcist III, while not as iconic as the original, is just as unnerving. Choosing to leave poor Reagan out of this one, Exorcist III follows a police detective going down a labyrinth of horror as he investigates a series of murders that are reminiscent of those committed by the “Gemini Killer” 15 years prior. The only problem is, the Gemini Killer has been dead for the past 15 years.
His trail leads him to a mental hospital where he meets a man that looks like a priest that died during an exorcism years ago. As the detective uncovers more and more clues surrounding these mysterious circumstances, he must find his own faith in order to battle an ancient evil.
Exorcist III should not even be compared to the original. The two are vastly different films and both are worthy of praise. Exorcist III, specifically, delivered a scene about halfway through the movie that is scarier than anything Captain Howdy did to Reagan.
2) The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
There is just no topping The Exorcist. Wise filmmakers know this and, instead of trying to replicate its story, they will try to offer different spins and an admittedly over used film trope. Such was the case with The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Part possession movie, part courtroom drama, The Exorcism of Emily Rose delivered plenty of scares but it also had a large amount of character work that drew audiences into the narrative. Viewers fell in love with Emily (played by Jennifer Carpenter) even after her possession. Because of this, they were invested in the story of Emily and the priest assigned to save her. After he fails to do so, he is arrested for neglect because he was the one who administered the church-sanctioned exorcism.
Audiences are firmly on the side of Reverend Moore and they don’t want anything worse to happen to him. He already feels guilty enough after the death of Emily. But his heart was pure and his intentions were good and audiences feel the pain that he was going through.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose works, not because it’s scary (even though it really is), but because it features characters we care about. Other Exorcism movies should take notes.
1) The Exorcist (1973)
And then there was one. Let’s be honest- it was never not going to be The Exorcist. This film single-handedly started an entire genre of horror movies. While many tried, they all failed to capture the magic of this 1973 film directed by William Friedkin.
The Exorcist focuses on a young girl named Reagan who, after playing with a Ouija board, is possessed by a demonic entity known only as Pazuzu. To save Reagan, her mother enlists the help of an unbelieving priest who, despite his skepticism, wants to help Reagan as best he can.
The Exorcist is the scariest movie of all time, that’s all. Films have tried to usurp it but none ever will. It’s the perfect movie and it’s one that most assuredly should not be watched alone.
