The Last Exorcist

1 hour and 19 minutes of my life I will not get back (plus another 5 writing this - I don't normally do reviews, but this definitely need one).

So, of all the low budget trash on Prime, I chose to watch this - bad acting, bad direction, bad editing, bad "special" effects; just generally bad. Even Danny Trejo was bad - not that he could have done much with a bad script.... see the pattern?

Would have given it a zero if I could...

I don't know what possessed (pun intended) all those involved to make such a bad movie. Theres not much else to say, but I need to keep typing to make up my word count. Hope you all appreciate the heads up lol.

Following a devastating terrorist attack, a woman who's living with her step-sister grows increasingly concerned she's becoming a victim of the same demonic entity that killed her mother, but when her sister is the one who's seemingly targeted she turns to an old family friend for help battling the demonic entity inside her/

Overall, this was a solid and enjoyable possession effort. One of the strongest elements here is a highly intriguing setup and storyline that sets everything in motion which has some fun plotlines. A clever idea of wiping out the priests trained in exorcisms through a terrorist attack not only is a startling entry point into this but offers a rather intriguing idea that tends to be explored here with the church now unable to truly deal with the concept. That the sisters are then targeted and seemingly tortured by demonic forces in a similar manner that grows nicely over the course of the film from this factor which pays off in the second half. From there, the film really picks up with the constant supernatural antics that are shown here. With the seizure in the bar that requires her removal from the premises, the flashback to their mothers' freakout as kids where she kills their father in front of them, or the numerous hallucinations they both suffer from showing the demonic beings getting more forceful in their attacks, this gets quite enjoyable as their antics and attacks are given a nice hint to her condition that would require an exorcism to be performed which sets up the fun and over-the-top antics in the final half which also offer a nice heartwarming touch to everything. These are what hold this one up as there are a few issues with this one. The main aspect within this one is the fact that the early build-up involving the growing realization of their predicament leaves this one a little slow-going. There's too much on display here showing the two and their relationship both with each other and their past history that is necessary for giving an idea of how they're going to change once they become possessed but is done in a wholly unsatisfying manner with a lethargic tempo that doesn't invite the viewer into it all that much. It comes off as way too slow for what should be done here which is a distressing feature since it's needed for later on. The other aspect that holds this one down is the usual and wholly expected elements that are expected to show up in such films like this and do so without fail. It's no surprise at all that the help of a fallen priest within the faith who regains his status following the ordeal is to come through here, and the trope of the exorcism itself is carried out in exactly the way you think would occur is how it happens. Regardless of their build-up, the somewhat fractured relationship between the sisters is a big part of the finale, and despite being a genre cliche just provides a routine and familiar feel here. These are the issues that hold this one back somewhat.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, Brief Nudity and a clothed sex scene.

"The Last Exorcist" is the story of two sisters, Maddie and Josephine. They are orphans and have been brought up by a priest (Father Peter). When Father Peter dies, Jo is inconsolable whereas Maddie continues to drink and party. In flashbacks, we discover that their mother appears to have been possessed before she died. And now, Jo suspects that Maddie is now also possessed and enlists the assistance of one of Father Peter's friends, the former "Father" Marco, to help exorcise her...

This is a really odd film. The narrative flow is all over the place -- flashbacks and current time intermingle. But most unusual is the tone. It is as serious as a heart attack, and yet there will be episodes of such utter absurdity that it's almost jolting and you think "Wait, is this all really a joke?" We've got exorcisms where the exorcist just stands in front of the possessed and says, "I love you, please, please stop being possessed." We've got a priest stop in the middle of an exorcism and have a kung fu fight with... well, with someone, I'm not sure who or why. We've got parishioners jump to their feet and give a priest a standing ovation after a sermon. And more and more. And all of that along with parts of the film that are treated deadly seriously.

Not sure if the director had one vision in mind, and then was told she needed to shift. There are worse films out there, and it's always nice to see Rachele Brooke Smith and Danny Trejo in action. And I'm a sucker for possession films. But this is pretty low on the "exorcism/possession" scale, so be forewarned.

Not one person in this movie can call themselves actors.. Truly one of the worse movies I ever saw. Everything was way below standards for film making. Laughable, and not in a ha ha way.

There are more movies in the horror genre released than any other genre when it comes to "feature films". So I say this - don't be over-critical, just be glad for these indie releases. The film is entertaining and has all the markings of a B film. Could it be better? Probably not - it is what it is - B horror and done well. If you want a multi bazillion dollar horror movie then you'll have to just wait it out. Heck, Conjuring 3 got pushed back a year and so have many other highly anticipated films. This is what we're all up against due to all of the true horrors of 2020. BUT, if you crave new film in our beloved horror genre, be grateful for releases like this. Not to say lower your standards, but maybe be willing to let films like this provide entertainment. I'm an old timer and have been a student of the genre for some 50+ years. Ya there is some pretty bad crap getting let out, but it's not all impossible to watch (except the ones that are!). This one ain't to bad, has it's flaws but overall fairly entertaining.