The Cleansing Hour

This is a modern, quite interesting and to some extent original take on the otherwise worn-out subgenre of horror movies about exorcism - which is important information all horror fans should pay attention to. Damien LeVeck has taken the modern trend of watching absolutely anything on the internet and turned it into a hilarious social satire that aims surprisingly high towards the end. Personally, I would have welcomed it more if the movie had rocked more towards either comedy or horror, because this movie is straddling the middle of both, a bit split between both directions, but otherwise I give it a solid thumbs up for being entertaining. A second viewing may come in handy after some time. [Sitges 2019] (10/22/2019)

The story revolves around young entrepreneurs who have their own nightly stream and broadcast a fake exorcism, but trouble arises when a real demon enters their show and they suddenly can't handle it. The idea is definitely unusual and at least it brings something new to the sub-genre, the make-up effects are okay, the humour works occasionally, there are scares and the film doesn't get downright boring, so it's good for killing time. Fans of exorcisms can add an extra 10%. 50% (11/08/2019)

Quite an original and entertaining addition to the exorcism horror genre. I just wish it had been more consistent in its tone, choosing to be either a heavy, atmospheric horror or a quip-filled horror comedy. As it stands, it doesn’t fully commit to either, which makes it feel a bit uneven and incomplete. It could have been scarier and more intense, or it could have leaned harder into the comedy. The film also gets overly ambitious in the final act, which felt over-the-top given the preceding story. It would have been better if it had stayed more grounded and gone for a more intimate horror vibe rather than aiming for something grandiose. Still, it’s a fresh take that should appeal to genre fans. Definitely worth a watch. (12/31/2019)

The Cleansing Hour is a striving modern-day exorcist flick, where a group of con artists crash and burn during one of their fake séances, and for the first time a real ghost appears to possess one of the party and terror ensues. Occasionally the film has some momentum and a fun pace, but otherwise it just sort of flows along, revealing secrets of everyone involved, and eventually there's a finale whose course is clear from the start. It’s not bad, but I would skip the film, as it doesn't bring anything groundbreaking. (01/15/2023)

I enjoyed the American production The Cleansing Hour which was surprising as it is a horror movie that is quite corny at its core. However, it had an interesting approach, was relatively innovative, aware of its weak spots, and did not try to be too serious. Although you feel like you should perhaps be purely entertained, it also has some depth to it. (02/14/2020)