Review of Deliver Us from Evil (2014) by Jeff B — 14 Jul 2014

Despite rocking an edgy setting and some hard-charging performances, H'Wood's latest dust-up with paranormal activity can't manage to Deliver Us any original thrills. Granted, the flick boasts some decent hair-raisers but it's nothing audiences haven't seen in countless other big screen ghost stories. What makes the movie compelling is its urban hook. Yes, we've seen investigators tracking down the demonized Evil that men do but the investigators are rarely cops and usually in isolated houses. Plus, you throw in a hard-drinking roughneck Man of God and moviegoers are sold American...only these elements never deliver on their promise. Flashlights going dark. Cats jumping out. Deranged ladies acting creepy. This horror flick manages to check off just about every cliché box afforded this genre. Thankfully, a couple of ace performances and some atmospheric direction scares up the entertainment factor a bit.

In this R-rated horror flick based on real events, a NYC police officer (Bana) joins forces with an unconventional priest (Ramirez) to investigate a series of possessions that are terrorizing the city.

Even when a project's not worthy of his talent (Deadfall, Closed Circuit), Eric Bana elevates the material a notch just through shear watchability. Despite cutting his teeth as a comedian, he always gives great seemingly effortless turns, whether it's a hard-hitting drama (Munich) or popcorn blockbuster (Star Trek). Likewise, Edgar Ramirez (Che: Part 1 and 2, Zero Dark Thirty) is scary good-literally scary. Like an exposed live wire, you want to keep your distance but also keep your eyes directly on him at all times. Despite demonstrating a knack for helming great edge-of-your-seat moments (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister), director Scott Derrickson's script for Deliver Us from Evil doesn't show much bite because it's loaded with recycled spine tinglers. Hopefully, he brings his A-Game to the hotly anticipated franchise to which he's just been attached: Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange.

Bottom line: American Borer Story.