The Deliverance

Set in 2011 in Pennsylvania, Ebony Jackson (Andra Day) is an alcoholic single mother who is prone to anger and violence who struggles to care for her children Nate (Caleb McLaughlin), Shante (Demi Singleton), and Andre (Anthony B. Jenkins) while taking help from her cancer ridden mother Alberta (Glenn Close). As she deals with strained finances and a new house that is rife with problems, Andre begins exhibiting odd behaviors that defy rational explanation.

The Deliverance comes to us from director Lee Daniels and writers David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum and takes inspiration from the 2011 Ammons haunting case which became a widely publicized alleged haunting that attracted an inordinate amount of media attention and became something of an Amityville Horror for the new generation. The case attracted attention from both skeptics and paranormalists including Zak Bagans who bought the house and made the 2018 documentary Demon House and much like the Lutz family's experiences in Amityville, many have written off the events as a psychological phenomenon rather than a supernatural one. Credibility aside, there was certainly room to make a compelling story from this material, after all: The Conjuring series has been reasonably well-regarded despite the questions about Ed and Loraine Warren's work. Unfortunately while The Deliverance has a good cast and proven director in place that seem interesting, the actual execution is very standard reworking of tropes we've seen time and time again that have long since worn out their welcome.

If there's anything to be said for the film, it's definitely that Daniels has assembled a strong and committed cast who bring their A game to the material. Andra Day who was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Billie Holliday in her last colab with Daniels is still very good here as she really sells it playing someone who's barely holding it together and wants to do right by her children but is unwilling or unable to actually follow through on it. Day creates a compellingly flawed character and for all the faults of the film, her performance isn't one of them. The three children played by Anthony B. Jenkins, Caleb McLaughlin and Demi Singleton also do well in their respective roles (even if they are playing very standard archetypes for a movie like this) and you get that sense of pain and sadness that comes from this situation. Glenn Close is also good as Alberta who helps Ebony while also nursing wounds between the two of them that led them to this point and you can see the two working well off each other.

While dramatically speaking The Deliverance seems like it has a rich setup, the actual execution of what it's supposed to be, a horror movie, is turgid and just not scary. Watching The Deliverance, you get the sense that Daniels really wasn't all that interested in making a horror movie as it's nearly 40 minutes or so before the tension ramps up and during that opening act it really feels like it's playing as more of a domestic drama than a horror film. Once Daniels gets into the horror elements his inexperience as a genre filmmaker really shows as he does have scenes of "shocking" material but with the way it's shot there's no surprise factor and with one major flashback sequence it takes what's supposed to be a horrifying revelation and makes it seem almost funny with how it's staged. If you've seen films like The Exorcist or The Amityville Horror this follows many of those same tropes like self mutilation, white eyed fugue states, and bizarre behavior, and while Daniels tries to up the shock factor with scenes like Andre defecating in class and then throwing the feces you just become aware that this material isn't working. The movie seems aware of the inevitable comparisons that'll be made to The Exorcist to the point it even name drops that film in its third act, and this does not do the movie any favors because the climax takes so many elements from that film that it doesn't matter they try to justify it by calling it a "Deliverance" it's still essentially the same result.

The Deliverance sees Daniels trying to step outside his usual dramatic comfort zone in favor of something in the genre space but it just does not work. As a horror film it's reliant on tropes that no longer have any surprise factor to them, and Daniels frames scenes that should be shocking with the punch and impact of a feather. I will say that at least unlike The Exorcist: Believer, I was never mad at The Deliverance but I also wasn't entertained either save for the acting of a "too good for this" cast.

Was really looking forward to this one and I must say what a let down it is. Nothing original. A rehash of all the demonic possession films we have seen before.

The story has a promising start in the first 15 minutes, establishing characters and their struggles. After that you just wait for something dramatic to build up and set this film apart from other entries of the genre. It never happens. The film wastes the talented cast it had to narrate its story through.

I actually felt sorry for Glenn Close, doing such absurd films. She was the only good thing about thus film.

Avoid and save precious time.

Descent into Mediocrity

In an age where streaming platforms have ushered in an abundance of content, the challenge is no longer finding something to watch, but finding something worth watching. The movie, which initially promised an intriguing narrative, quickly devolves into a tiresome and incoherent mess. The movie starts with a spark of potential but gradually loses its way, leaving viewers frustrated and disengaged.

An Intriguing Beginning

The film's opening act shows a lot of promise. It sets up an interesting premise that immediately grabs the audience's attention. The characters are introduced with enough depth to pique curiosity, and the story seems to be heading in a compelling direction. The director successfully establishes a sense of mystery, with subtle hints and foreshadowing that suggest the film is building towards something substantial.

The cinematography in the first third of the movie is also notable. The visuals are crisp and creative, utilizing lighting and camera angles to convey the mood and themes effectively. The use of color and shadow, in particular, adds to the atmosphere, drawing viewers into the world of the film. The soundtrack, though not groundbreaking, complements the visuals well, setting the tone for what initially appears to be a thought-provoking piece of cinema.

The performances by the lead actors are commendable at this stage. They bring a level of authenticity to their roles, creating characters that feel real and relatable. There's a sense of anticipation as the narrative unfolds, with viewers eager to see where the story will take them.

A Rapid Decline

Unfortunately, after this promising start, the film begins to unravel. The pacing, which was initially measured and deliberate, suddenly becomes erratic. Scenes that should be building tension or developing characters instead feel drawn out and aimless. The story loses its focus, meandering through subplots that add little to the overall narrative. The intriguing mystery that was set up so well in the beginning dissipates into a series of increasingly absurd and disconnected events.

The script, which initially seemed sharp and engaging, quickly deteriorates. Dialogue becomes clunky and unnatural, with characters making decisions that feel contrived and out of character. The attempts at humor fall flat, and the emotional beats lack the impact they need to resonate with the audience. It's as if the writers couldn't decide what kind of movie they wanted to make, resulting in a jarring tonal shift that leaves viewers confused and dissatisfied.

As the film progresses, it becomes clear that the plot is not going to deliver on the promise of its opening. The narrative threads that were carefully woven in the beginning are either abandoned or resolved in a way that feels rushed and unsatisfying. The film's climax, which should be the culmination of everything that has come before, is instead a convoluted mess that raises more questions than it answers. Any sense of coherence or logic is thrown out the window in favor of a spectacle that is more confusing than thrilling.

A Disappointing Payoff

By the time the credits roll, the initial excitement and intrigue have long since faded, replaced by frustration and disappointment. The movie's potential is squandered by poor execution, leaving the audience with a sense of wasted time and unfulfilled promise. The film's final act, in particular, is a confusing jumble of clichés and contrived plot twists that fail to deliver any real payoff. What could have been a smart, engaging story instead collapses under the weight of its own ambitions.

Even the technical aspects of the film, which were a highlight in the beginning, suffer as the movie goes on. The cinematography becomes less inspired, with scenes that feel visually dull and repetitive. The soundtrack, which once enhanced the mood, becomes overbearing and mismatched with the action on screen. It's as if the film's creative team lost interest halfway through production, leading to a noticeable decline in quality.

The performances, too, falter as the story drags on. The actors, who initially brought nuance and depth to their roles, seem to struggle with the increasingly nonsensical material they are given. Their performances become stilted, with even the most talented cast members unable to salvage the clunky dialogue and baffling plot twists.

"Started OK, Turned to Boring Nonsense" is an apt description for this film. It begins with promise but quickly devolves into a chaotic, uninspired mess that squanders its potential. Despite a strong start, the film ultimately fails to deliver a satisfying or coherent story, leaving viewers bored and disappointed. In a market saturated with content, this movie unfortunately falls into the category of forgettable, failing to make a lasting impression beyond its initial scenes. For those seeking an engaging and well-crafted film, this one is better left unwatched.

The only reason this gets two stars is because the actors are really trying to do some thing with this material. I'm all for a slow burn in a horror movie, but it takes far too long for them to get to the point. They could have taken less time setting up the family trauma and you would still understand that it's this fracture in the family that opens them up to evil. And then comes the "deliverance" and the sorry attempt at ripping off of the brilliant and classic "The Exorcist". It's laughable. The dialogue is poorly written the special FX look terrible, and not in a good way, and it fails on every level to deliver (yes I used that word deliberately) any impact, fear or semblance of a satisfying movie experience.

I don't know what happened to Lee Daniel's. Precious this ain't. As refreshing it is to see Close in a way we have seen before. And she's excellent in whatever part she plays. Audra Day and Mo'nique are both solid. I just wish someone had made a completely different film with the material laid out in the film's first half: a gripping family portrait of a struggling black mother, her kids and her mother.

The way this initially gripping film drifted off into laughable horror territory breaks my heart. No matter how often they tell us "based on a true story", it doesn't redeem what the director did. In the end it became its own parody. Close, Day and Mo'nique deserve better. And shame on Lee Daniel's. I expected so much more of you.