Deliver Us from Evil

A decent exorcist thriller that puts its money on a realistic environment. No shortage of surprises - and they work pretty well, even though nothing absolutely amazing and, if it wasn’t for the fairly standard story, I would definitely give it four stars. The clash in the finale was intense, thrilling and breathtaking. Derrickson has a talent at creating a great atmosphere, Dr. Strange is in good hands. (10/28/2014)

Well done! A horror film that is watchable and enjoyable, unlike all that weird mainstream stuff. The film builds on a good story and cast and is filled with a perfectly grim atmosphere from the start. I was going to give it five stars, but I was put off by the ending. From the rescue of the wife and daughter until the closing credits, it turned into a very unpleasant surprise and even disappointment. The screenwriter is not to blame, he couldn't have come up with a different ending, as the film was based on true events... (08/10/2016)

The only problem with Derrickson's film is that it presents exactly the type of horror that any experienced viewer is currently oversaturated with: ghosts, strange noises under the bed, a peculiar priest, exorcisms. This template is so tired that despite the director's enormous skill, which holds the viewer's attention throughout and searches for themes beyond all James Wan's ghost stories, the film doesn't have much chance to break through. Big plus points just for pushing an interesting detective storyline, for the music by The Doors, and for Eric Bana, who's still got it. But even that is not enough to satisfy me this time... 70% (10/24/2014)

With Scott Derrickson, it's clear from the start that he's going to focus more on the crime element and only at the end will he pull out the horror cards. Actually, even in The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Sinister it was primarily crime driven horror, so to blame the director for something we assume with every other one of his ventures seems silly to me. So, about the film: the actors are decent, the high budget is obviously evident, the cinematography, editing, visuals are all of a high standard, the atmosphere is decently dark and gloomy, I was also pleased with the abundant animal presence, and the final exorcism was unnecessarily long, but it was uncluttered and decently horrific. For me, therefore, only positive impressions prevail. 75% (10/14/2014)

As the lightning struck a lone tree by the roadside, I began to suspect where the director's path would lead. This is because Derrickson's undoubted talent was given a financial infusion and bigger-name actors, but in doing so, he signed up for the Bruckheimerian devil that relies on clichés and plot banalities in the plot. In fact, it’s not really pulled off even by the few skillfully-conceived scary scenes and instead makes you lament how dysfunctional the chemistry between the characters is. This makes it subjectively about half an hour longer, and slightly more excruciating in the end than the filmmakers intended. (11/07/2014)