The Last Exorcism (2010)

Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) is a troubled minister, who after a successful career performing exorcisms for financial gain, has completely lost his faith. He's agreed to perform one last exorcism, on camera, in an attempt to expose the practice as nothing but parlor tricks, and mental illness.


He responds to a random letter from a farmer who believes his daughter has been possessed by the devil, after his livestock begins turning up dead. Cotton loads up the van with his exorcism kit, and a film crew and heads to the backwoods of Louisiana to the Sweetzer farm.


Upon arriving, Cotton meets Louis Sweetzer (Louis Herthum), and his creepy daughter Nell (Ashley Bell). After interviewing the family, and accessing the situation, he agrees to perform the exorcism. What he thinks is a simple case of a teenager with psychiatric issues, quickly becomes much more than he planned.


The whole film is shot in documentary style, which works well with a relatively unknown cast.


I liked this movie. It actually scared me a few times, and kept me tense throughout the last 20 minutes. I really enjoyed the story, and thought the character of Cotton was inspired. The ending is not quite what I expected, but that seems to be a common thing anymore in films. I like to be surprised, but not just for the sake of being surprised. Occasionally, a standard ending works. Sometimes I want what the obvious ending.


Regardless, this is worth watching if you like movies about possession, or the occult.


Rated PG13, 87mns