Review of Deliver Us from Evil (2014) by Greg B — 06 Jul 2014

"Deliver us from evil" is a demonic possession movie based on the true accounts of N.Y.P.D. Sergeant Ralph Sarchie. Eric Bana is terrific in the role, bringing an authentic, gritty feel to his character and the raw chaos of the suburbs.

However, despite a charismatic lead, the film suffers from uneven pacing and a faulty execution. For one thing, the movie is full of plot holes, and at times it's not sure whether it wants to be a film noir or a horror movie.

I feel the gumshoe work in the movie and the horror are not in perfect synch. The director certainly creates a creepy atmosphere, but I don't think the scares are well-timed, and many of them don't work.

Some of the plot elements are just too confusing, and with the movie being uneven, it lags in certain spots. The director is not attune to what makes a scare effective, and many of the minor jump scares that there are become predictable and clichéd.

The movie is certainly not bad to watch and can actually be quite engaging, but it must be docked for the heavy-handed, confusing directing and the numerous plot holes ---------------------------------------------------- C+.