Deliver Us From Evil (2014) Review

Rated R (Bloody Violence, Grisly Images, Terror Throughout, and Language)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 58 Minutes

Cast-

Eric Bana-Ralph Sarchie

Édgar Ramírez-Father Joe Mendoza

Olivia Munn-Jen Sarchie

Joel McHale-Butler

Sean Harris-Mick Santino

Chris Coy-Jimmy

Olivia Horton-Jane Crenna

Dorian Missick-Gordon

Mike Houston-Nadler

Lulu Wilson-Christina Sarchie

Scott Johnsen-Lieutenant Griggs

Daniel Sauli-Salvatore

Antoinette LaVecchia-Serafina

Aidan Gemme-Mario

Jenna Gavigan-Lucinda

Directed by Scott Derrickson

Eric Bana stars as real-life NYPD police sergeant Ralph Sarchie in Scott Derrickson's latest horror film, "Deliver Us From Evil."

Note: Screened on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at the SVA Theater (Red Carpet Premiere).

Whether its giant mutant-looking rats, pesky bedbugs, the threat of getting kicked in the face by one of those annoying break-dancers while riding the subway, or getting shoved or groped by a surly street hustler who's dressed as your favorite superhero or Disney character on Times Square, we New Yorkers have to deal with a lot of sh*t day in and day out. Now you can add exorcisms into the mix. That's right; while you were sleeping soundly in your bed at night, someone was performing an exorcism down in some dingy apartment basement. Heck, even an NYPD police officer was involved too! Newly minted "Doctor Strange" director Scott Derrickson based his latest film "Deliver Us From Evil" (why he chose to reuse the title from Amy J. Berg's 2006 documentary is puzzling) on the 2001 book Beware the Night, a memoir written by retired NYPD sergeant Ralph Sarchie (with assistance from journalist Lisa Collier Cool) that details his experiences as a police officer and as a demonologist. According to Sarchie, he's assisted on twenty-five exorcisms and has performed 'hundreds' of house exorcisms. Now, whether you believe him or not is up to you but it does provide a great marketing hook for Derrickson's film, which Screen Gems/Sony has obviously taken full advantage of if you look at the official one-sheet. Instead of putting the title front-and-center, the poster has this in big, red capital letters: 'INSPIRED BY THE ACTUAL ACCOUNTS OF AN NYPD SERGEANT.' While such claims are likely to be highly dubious—even if it's from a respected NYPD police officer—it is kind of fun to think things like this can actually happen in real life. Although its pacing is a little on the slow side and it doesn't do anything new in either the police procedural or demonic possession subgenres, "Deliver Us From Evil" remains a solid horror film thanks to a committed cast and slick production values.

Overworked Bronx-based NYPD police sergeant Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) has seen his fair share of evil, leaving him emotionally drained and keeping him at arm's length from his worried wife Jen (Olivia Munn) and six-year-old daughter Christina (Lulu Wilson). When he and his wise-cracking partner Butler (Joel McHale) receive a series of troubling calls—one involving an abusive husband (Chris Coy), another pertaining to a rotting corpse found in a family's basement, and the third revolving around a mentally-disturbed mother named Jane Crenna (Olivia Horton) who tosses her baby boy into the lion's den at Bronx Zoo in front of onlookers—they quickly connect them to a trio of soldiers who were dishonorably discharged from Iraq three years earlier for violently attacking a chaplain. Jane is soon released into the custody of Father Joe Mendoza (Édgar Ramírez), a maverick priest who believes her condition to be demonically-related. Sarchie and Butler zero in on one of the soldiers, Mick Santino (Sean Harris), who was spotted with Jane via security footage at the zoo. As his investigation continues, Sarchie soon comes face-to-face with a malevolent force that his police experience cannot logically explain, forcing him to enlist the aid of Mendoza. However, before he can confront it, Sarchie must make peace with his sins.

Behind you, dude!

This isn't the first time that Scott Derrickson has delved into the world of demonic possession. Back in 2005, Derrickson helmed "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," which was also (loosely) based on a true story, that of Anneliese Michel, who believed she was possessed by demons and underwent sixty-seven exorcisms over a ten month period in 1975 and died a year later at the age of twenty-three from starvation and dehydration. The film took its inspiration from the court case that followed her death. Despite its mixed reviews (45% on Rotten Tomatoes), "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" went on to become a box office success, grossing $144.2 million worldwide against a measly $19 million production budget. "Deliver Us From Evil" takes a similar approach to the 2005 film by being a hybrid of two different subgenres: demonic possession and the police procedural. This mash-up works surprisingly well as the film unravels its central mystery with careful patience, although the pacing can be on the slow side. The script, written by Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman, treads well-worn territory with the emotionally distant cop with anger issues and the obviously doomed wacky partner but despite hitting all the same notes as its forebears, it at least does so with plenty of style. Sarchie's investigation usually has him and his fellow officers poking around in fetid, dilapidated apartment complexes with only their flashlights to provide comfort, allowing Derrickson to create a haunting, oppressive atmosphere of moral decay. While these scenes—which recall David Fincher's 1995 psychological thriller "Se7en" and the 2005 video game "Condemned: Criminal Origins"—don't approach the white-knuckle, slow-burn terror of Derrickson's previous film "Sinister," it still manages to creep under your skin and will definitely leave animal lovers squirming in their seats. However, the jump scares prove to be rather pedestrian, with dogs, cats, and crazed-looking ladies conveniently hiding in dark corners or off-frame in order to leap out at the most inopportune moments. Still, the film does possess a few memorable jolts, such as a bloody visage that pops up on a computer screen and mirror just when you think everything is fine.

Much of the drama revolves around Sarchie being haunted by an act of vengeance he knows he shouldn't have committed and of course, rediscovering his Catholic faith because that's what happens to movie characters that were once religious but for some reason or other has renounced God. When Father Mendoza reveals to Sarchie that the case he's working on is demonically-related, the cop is naturally skeptical, leading them to debate the nature of evil over a shot glass of whisky. This initially adds a nice layer of ambiguity as it suggests that extreme trauma from witnessing everyday acts of depravity is the true malevolent spirit that possesses people, not actual demons. Unfortunately, this interesting subtext is pushed aside once Sarchie is convinced that he's not chasing some random killer but a person who's actually being possessed by a demon. All the tropes we've come to associate with exorcism films come into play here, from strange scratching sounds in the walls to creepy jack-in-the-boxes, which parents should really stop buying for their kids. "Deliver Us From Evil" naturally closes with a full-blown exorcism (it is what audiences paid money to see after all), in the interrogation room of the 46th Precinct no less! Derrickson pulls out all the stops here with contorting bodies, guttural growls in Latin, shattering windows, and even throws in a Jim Morrison song for good measure because the denizens of Hell apparently love the music of The Doors. In fact, the film is littered with references to the rock band. Again, there's nothing here that viewers haven't seen before but Derrickson definitely makes sure to give those watching a good thrill.

"Fear my smouldering looks, heathen!"

The cast proves to be a major boon for the film as they elevate the script and commit to the material in spite of its familiarity. "Deliver Us From Evil" will likely be a minor footnote in his career but Eric Bana delivers a strong performance, projecting a convincing sense of world-weariness as real-life NYPD police sergeant Ralph Sarchie. Édgar Ramírez offers a refreshing take to on-screen holy men as Father Joe Mendoza, a man who found God after hitting rock-bottom at the end of a needle. This isn't your usual holier-than-thou priest as Mendoza indulges in cigarettes and alcohol in equal measure, making him by far the most intriguing and captivating character in the film. Joel McHale is someone I never thought would see in a horror flick but here he is, delivering quips left and right as Sarchie's partner Butler. He's actually quite funny, making the "Community" actor a welcome addition. Olivia Munn is fine, although she's saddled with a thankless role as the worried but supportive wife. Finally, there's British actor Sean Harris (last seen in 2012's "Prometheus") as the demonically-possessed Mick Santino. Despite his simple hooded attire, Harris cuts a formidable figure with his bloody scars (kudos to the make-up team!), with his presence being felt even when he's not on-screen.

"Deliver Us From Evil" was released on July 2, 2014 and has received largely negative reviews with 32% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that 'director Scott Derrickson continues to have a reliably firm grasp on creepy atmosphere, but [the film's] lack of original scares is reflected in its shopworn title.' While horror can do well during the summer movie season (see last year's "The Conjuring" as an example), I feel like this film would've been better served if it was released in October. What initially seemed like a strong counterprogramming play has unfortunately turned into a box office flop as it grossed a disappointing $15 million in its first five days of release. It's a shame because while I don't think it's a revelation in the genre, "Deliver Us From Evil" is still worth a look for horror fans. Despite dabbling in well-worn tropes, Derrickson has added another solid entry to his growing résumé. I can't wait to see what he brings to the table with Marvel's "Dr. Strange."

Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5

"There are two types of evil in this life, Officer Sarchie. Secondary evil, the evil that men do…and primary evil, which is something else entirely."