From time to time, I like to take a break from the big budget films I’m more accustomed to and enjoy an independent film. These movies are rarely advertised and generally do not concern themselves with mass appeal. I find that a majority of the blockbuster movies I see seem to follow some sort of unseen formula. Rarely do they surprise me anymore.Herein lies the beauty of the independent film. The concept of not fixing something just because it is not broken doesn’t cut it for me when it comes to movie, especially in the horror genre. The ability to take risks, for better or worse, is exactly what I appreciate in these lesser known titles. Sure, you will occasionally run into a flop. Who am I kidding? There are a lot of flops, but every now and then you stumble across a truly great movie. In this way, I stumbled across “Exorcismus.”
If there’s one thing “Exorcismus” has going for it, it would have to be the element of surprise. I’m not talking about a “I didn’t expect that monster to jump into frame” kind of surprise. I mean that I sincerely did not expect or anticipate many of the plot developments throughout the film. Sure, the movie begins somewhat similarly to every other exorcist movie. A young girl begins to show symptoms of possession, no one believes her until it becomes obvious, and a priest is brought in to save the day. The rest of my feeble attempts to figure this movie out were in vain. Contrary to what you may be thinking though, I loved every second of it. Why ruin the fun of finding out naturally?
Sliding into a more technical review, I thought the cinematography was excellent given the subject matter. Not over the top, yet definitely capable of setting the mood. The soundtrack did wonders setting the tone, further elevating the already present senses of mystery and excitement.
