Highlights
- Dive into eerie adventures with manhwa exorcists for spiritual cleansings and demonic rituals.
- Stand out horror movies like
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
provide poignant looks and creative storytelling. -
The Last Exorcism
uses found-footage thrills to weave a dark mystery and impressively dark climax.
The controversial topic of exorcism has proven itself ripe for the horror movie genre over the decades. Unsurprisingly, the notion of having one’s body hijacked by a demonic entity can provide a wealth of scares to give audiences jumps and nightmares.
From classic horror flicks that established the power of the themes on offer, to modern thrillers that have taken the subject in new directions, exorcism movies continue to fascinate viewers today. Of the many suspenseful films on offer that zero in on this subject, a select few have managed to stand out from the rest. From seminal scares to creative storytelling, these horror movies deliver the demon-expelling goods better than the rest.
4 The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Provides A Poignant Look At The Impact Of A Deadly Exorcism
- Release Date: September 9, 2005
- Director: Scott Derrickson
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%
Dexter star Jennifer Carpenter lit up the screen with an incredible, physical performance in this melancholy horror gem. The Exorcism of Emily Rose follows a lawyer, played by Laura Linney, who must defend a priest, played by Tom Wilkinson, on trial for negligent homicide due to a fatal attempt at an exorcism.
The exorcism itself unfolds over the course of the film through flashbacks. An otherworldly sense of dread takes over in the present day scenes as well, as even the lawyer begins to experience unsettling phenomena. An early effort from Sinisterand The Black Phone mastermind Scott Derrickson, the exorcism sequences pack a punch, while the courtroom drama offers a new twist on the exorcism horror subgenre. Surprisingly low on gore and shock value, the film relies more on suspense, as well as a variety of unsettling contortions from the titular character, to establish the terrifying situation at hand.
3 The Exorcist 3 (1990)
Expands On The Original’s Mythos To Murderous Effect
- Release Date: August 17, 1990
- Director: William Peter Blatty
- IMDb Rating: 6.5
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%
This unsettling sequel to the 70s classic has garnered an unfortunate reputation as a serial killer favorite thanks to Jeffrey Dahmer and Danny Rolling. Beyond the bizarre fascination that it’s stirred up in some of the United States’ most depraved criminals, The Exorcist 3 is a fascinating and dark study of possession, madness, and death.
George C. Scott livens up the screen as Lieutenant Kinderman, hot on the trail of a seemingly dead serial killer. The case draws him back to the events of the original film, as the presumed dead Father Damien Karras comes back into the picture. With a suitably unpleasant performance from Brad Dourif as The Gemini Killer, and several well-executed jump scares, the film builds up to a tasteless but genuinely terrifying climax. In the face of a catastrophic exorcism attempt and a monstrous entity committing all manner of blasphemies and torment, it falls to Kinderman to save the day in this underrated horror masterpiece.
2 The Last Exorcism (2010)
Provides Found-Footage Thrills
- Release Date: August 27, 2010
- Director: Daniel Stamm
- IMDb Rating: 5.7
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
The polarizing found-footage genre is used to intriguing effect in this unnerving chiller. The Last Exorcism initially focuses on a reverend’s attempts to expose and nullify the exorcism process, coming across very believably as a somewhat blasé mockumentary in the process.
Unfortunately, a genuine demonic presence changes everything, throwing both the characters and the viewers into a chaotic, mysterious situation. When a fake exorcism seemingly reveals real evil, the reverend and the documentary team quickly find themselves horrifyingly out of their depth. As they unravel the mystery before them, it becomes clear that a much more sinister conspiracy is afoot. With a suitably creepy tone and pace, The Last Exorcism works its way to an impressively dark climax, weaving together a decent mystery along the way. The sequel made the strange decision to return to a more standard filmmaking style, ditching the found footage approach, and potentially robbing viewers of what could’ve been an innovative franchise.
1 The Exorcist (1973)
Remains The Benchmark In Exorcism Horror
- Release Date: December 26, 1973
- Director: William Friedkin
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
William Friedkin’s dramatic horror classic set the pop-culture world on fire upon its 1973 release. Adapted from William Peter Blatty’s well-regarded novel, the film follows the grueling efforts of two Jesuit priests to exorcise a demonically-possessed girl.
With sharp performances, innovative editing, and a haunting atmosphere throughout, The Exorcist still packs a punch over 50 years later. The film’s blunt, grisly depictions of possession, blasphemy, and haunting left audiences’ jaws on the floor at the time of its release. Beyond the horror, The Exorcist offers a rich, challenging look at faith and identity, as the protagonist, Father Damien Karras, grapples with his place in the church before coming face to face with a true demon. A landmark moment in American cinema, The Exorcist is still the measuring stick by which all exorcism films – and arguably horror movies as a whole – have since been measured.
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