Deliver Us from Evil
(2014)
(SPOILERS) Inspired by actual accounts, except having nothing to do
with any of the actual accounts, Deliver
Us from Evil is the tale of a New York cop kicking ass for the lord in
tandem with an ex-drug addict priest. It really should have been a whole lot
more fun and provocative than it is.
Scott Derrickson, a rare Hollywood Christian, and
co-screenwriter, could at least have injected some searching philosophical
ruminations about the nature of good and evil into his picture, rather than the
vapid guff discussed by Eric Bana’s Ralph Sarchie (the cop) and Edgar Ramirez’
Mendosa (the drinking, smoking priest). It isn’t unheard of for horror movies
to have such leanings. The underrated The
Exorcist III managed it, again between a cop and a priest. Alternatively, if this had revelled in its
subject matter, perhaps as a possession equivalent to The Hidden (it’s no more grounded), with the disbelieving detective
gradually shown what lies beneath, it might have worked. But Derrickson is so
earnest, and so leaden with his plot devices and shock tactics, he saps any
spontaneity or energy from the proceedings.
He also imbues the picture with a rather muddled subtext. Making
the enemy a demon that inhabits the vessels of wholesome Americana, on vacation
from the Middle East, is nothing new. Friedkin did it first, after all. But
that was before the War on Terror. Now it looks like an extremely dubious
choice. The souls of God-fearing American marines are invaded in Iraq, and they
bring home devilry. Of course, this might be a metaphor for how these corrupt
conflicts will ultimately eat away at those waging them. Except the picture
hinges on the expulsion of this demonic terrorist from the Land of the Free. Only then will the country be at peace.
This is a sloppy, confused affair, given to silly set pieces
and clumsy horror theatrics. If there’s any doubt in your mind of how nasty
this demon is, it even crucifies a poor puddy cat. Derrickson makes the
bombastic or bland choice every time. One of the most naturally intimidating
actors to ever step before a movie camera, Sean Harris, is plied with freaky
make-up and completely loses his edge. Eric Banana still can’t catch a break,
but part of the problem may be his determination to play such uncharismatic
types. His character, Ralph Sarchie, was an NYPD cop who became a demonologist.
Derrickson even overstates the effect of his job on Sarchie.
No sooner has he encountered the damned and he begins seeing things others
don’t, than he starts yelling at his kid. Who has a room full of freaky toys,
as kids in horror movies always do. Sarchie’s fish tank is the scene of
fish-on-fish carnage. Derrickson appears to have been inspired the superior
(but no classic) Fallen, by having a
popular beat combo (there The Rolling Stones, here The Doors) underpin the
weirdness (“So these messages, they’re
references to doors?”) This is risibly, rather than spookily, inserted.
Sarchie is required to supplicate himself before God, which
leads to some particularly ripe dialogue (“Ever
since that night, I’ve had a darkness growing inside me like a cancer”).
When the inevitable exorcism comes, it’s by way of Seven-inspired plot twists (the killer is apprehended, but the
loved ones of the cop are still in danger). The only surprising thing about
this sequence is that Derrickson allows Harris restoration rather than
expiration. He’s been having a tough time of it, mind, what with his forehead cracking
open and eating his own leg, so sending the ridiculously named Jungler (as in
one who lives in the jungle, plays Jungle music, or who is Jungian by design?)
packing. The crowning cliché comes when Moby circa Play cues up; tranquillity has been restored.
Notably, the first trailer for Deliver Us underplayed the super-psycho Iraq vet demon angle,
emphasising creepy home horror. All the better to ride the coattails of the
previous year’s The Conjuring, both
laying claim to be based on true life supernatural goings-on. There’s the
occasional memorable image (a crumpled jump victim, strewn at strange angles on
the tarmac) but they linger because they’re in isolation from the main.
Derrickson's bludgeoning approach hasn’t done him any harm. He’s secured the gig of directing prize Marvel vehicle Dr Strange, returning to him to the big budget arena that brought the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (unlike most, I didn’t hate that picture, although it had absolutely no good reason to exist). He’s a competent director who has received good notices for his previous horror flicks (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister), but there’s nothing that one would describe as flair in his work. Perhaps that’s the way Marvel wants it. Dr Strange is, after all, head honcho Kevin Feige’s pet project, so he may just want a safe pair of hands he can dictate to, ones that won’t rock the boat. If he isn’t careful, though, he could finish up with something as dramatically inert and undemanding as Deliver Us from Evil.
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