Deliver Us From Evil – Film Review

Posted on 4th August 201410th August 2014 by

Director: Scott Derrickson

Starring: Eric Bana, Èdgar Ramìrez, Brian McHale and Olivia Munn

Release Date: Aug 22

Deliver Us From Evil bears many of the hallmarks of a forgettable horror flick. From its overly familiar poster design, its heavily recycled set-up and the ‘ sounds-impressive-but-has-little-to-do-with-the-actual-film’ film title, you would be forgiven for thinking that this not a movie that anyone must-have, must-see or even must-read a review about.
But to give credit where credit is due, while Deliver Us From Evil doesn’t manage to raise its head above the crowd, it is constantly jumping as high as it can go.
It tries so hard to be special, you sort of want to tell it that it is and then give Eric Bana a cookie.

The film it is trying hardest to imitate is Se7en, and yet they are worlds apart. The director is going for that same oppressive vibe, in a dirty city with no redeeming features. And while he does some pretty gruesome things with individual scenes that might get under your skin, he rarely slows down long enough to actually establish the mood itself. This is a city that could just be having a bad spot of weather, and it never really feels any more intimidating than that.

Yet, what we miss in atmosphere, the film makes up for with some well-written characters. Bana is the highlight, bringing depth and likability to a character that would have neither in the hands of a less capable actor. Some scenes feel a little pointless (as though they are supposed to be establishing a mood or something), and yet they don’t drag on with Bana bringing his New York smarts and cynicism to the screen. His Officer Sarchie is a genuinely likable guy, which is rare enough in a low-concept horror film.

A massive boon for Bana is his supporting cast. Or some of them, at least. His partner, Butler, is played by Brian McHale, and they have a genuine chemistry on-screen. Sarchie and Butler rip on each other casually, tell jokes to distract themselves from the beat and occasionally argue over trivial nothings. Their relationship is easily the best thing in the entire film, and it is a real shame that we don’t get to spend more time with them.

Instead, when things start getting creepy, Sarchie teams up with ‘not-a-McBain-villain’ Mendoza; a chain-smoking, beer swilling priest who specializes in exorcism. The idea behind his character is a good one. It harkens back to Fr. Karras, that troubled figure from The Exorcist, who had his own aggravating subplot happening in the background of the actual horror.
Sadly, Mendoza is simply an idea for a character, one that is utterly muddled in the way he is portrayed. He seems at times ominous, saintly, fatherly and vulnerable. Rather than an intriguingly complex character, he is an irritatingly complicated one who fits into whatever role the horror plot requires him to be in.

It is a real shame that Deliver Us From Evil goes down the exorcism/demon route, because the cop-movie style investigation has some real meat on it, before tacking on a textbook horror movie ending. There is an initially intriguing idea behind the fact that all the victims are linked to a military mission in Iraq, but this is slowly forgotten about by everyone except the audience.
Similarly, by adhering to the rules of the cop-movie thriller, the actual scares themselves are much more effective. An early investigation of a seemingly abandoned apartment draws palpable tension, because it doesn’t actually feel like a horror film at this point.

As the film approaches its ending though, things just seem to fall apart. There is a point where you feel the characters have completed their narrative arc (faith restored, strengthened resolve, etc), yet the film drags on unnecessarily for another half hour for the sake of including an exorcism scene. It feels like studio influence, as it doesn’t flow organically at all and is wholly damaging to the finished product.
This final act, which features a well-choreographed, yet out-of-place fight scene, some unintentional comedy, and a multitude of plot holes, is a total mess. It is made bearable by its leading man, but this is still a sinking ship.