The Exorcism (2024) is directed by Joshua John Miller and stars Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, David Hyde Pierce, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, Sam Worthington, Tracey Bonner, and Marcenae Lynette. The film follows Anthony Miller (Crowe), a struggling actor recovering from alcoholism who’s offered to replace a lead actor in a studio horror movie after he dies on set under mysterious circumstances. As he fully immerses himself in the role, his life slowly begins to spiral out of control. Lee (Simpkins), his estranged daughter, begins to wonder if her father is reverting to his old ways but soon realizes that darker forces are at play. With the help of various acquaintances working on the set of the film, Lee sets out to find a way to save her father before his new role consumes his soul. 

Although the characters here are pretty much the definition of generic, Crowe is a capable lead who elevates the experience just above complete tedium. I can see how a down-on-his-luck actor character would appeal to Crowe due to his real-life struggles, so it makes sense that he chose to play this role even though it’s his second exorcism-themed movie in one year after The Pope’s Exorcist (2023). Not only is his role distinct, but the story itself takes a much different approach from that movie. The slightly meta “movie within a movie” approach is unique for the subgenre even if the premise isn’t capitalized on to full effect. 

The film has little to offer in terms of character as well as thrills. The dialogue is often strange and only does the bare minimum to advance the plot. This would be less bothersome if the scares worked, but they basically just boil down to the most lazy kinds of jump scares that have way too much buildup and little payoff. For example, there’s one sequence that ends in a boring jolt and the character says, “That scared the shit out of me.” Thanks for letting the audience know. We, on the other hand, weren’t scared whatsoever. If not generic jump scares, the movie reverts to shock imagery that just ends up being unintentionally funny such as a scene where a character menacingly pees in the corner of a dark room. I also don’t particularly see the use of a scene in which a possessed Crowe tells his teenage daughter that her girlfriend “will never eat her pussy like I can.” What. The. Hell. 

Thematically, it tries to focus on far too many topics such as religion, sexual abuse, alcoholism, and forgiveness/redemption – but never explores them further than the surface. It’s tough to take the film seriously when it won’t even take its implementation of such heavy themes seriously. I wish it wouldn’t even try in this department and just commit to its “so bad, it’s good” elements.

Overall, this is another completely forgettable entry in the exorcism horror subgenre and is only slightly elevated by Russell Crowe’s capable lead performance. It’s constantly silly, but I did find myself occasionally giggling at the pure audacity of its failed attempts at horror. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, but I also don’t see a person pulling their hair out if they do find themself watching it. C-