Possessed

Amazing! Whoever would have expected to see James Bond matching it with Regan's distant young cousin!

Based for the most part on Thomas Allen's book of supposedly the only bona-fide recorded exorcism ever conducted in the US, Dalton is just out of his tree as Father William Bowden, the priest who actually performed the exorcism on the young Mannheim boy.

Given a more direct and less Hollywoodesque approach, the circumstances of the boy's "affliction" (and many, having watched this will have their doubts) are presented as totally realistic. The exorcism itself is deftly handled and Dalton gives a power-house performance as the priest being torn apart by forces he can barely comprehend. He gets finally to show his considerable acting skills, uncluttered by his usual veneer of a one-dimensional and synthetic personality. (He was starting to get there in HAWKS!)

This telemovie comes highly recommended for both believers and non-believers. Both sides will get something out of this!

A fictionalized version of the possession which was also the basis of THE EXORCIST, this film remains closer to the actual case than does the other. POSSESSED gives us a good cast approaching the topic rationally and with great dignity. The film begins without much of the traditional horror atmosphere, and that lends to the realism. Once the sense of reality has been created, there are some elements of the typical horror film, but they are well executed.

Set against the real horrors of the atomic age, the Cold War, and McCarthyism in the 1950s, the film is as powerful as THE EXORCIST but without using some of the FX. There are some genuine chills, and the story is well told, making the film well worth watching.

I just saw this movie a few nights ago and even though the plot was predictable in places, the performances make it worth watching. Timothy Dalton's portrayal of a priest tormented by wartime flashbacks was quite believable and almost moving in parts. The exorcism rituals and events are more believable than those in The Exorcist and your don't need any previous Catholic upbringing to keep up.

Other than the paranormal events which occur, one can almost believe the child is simply a severely psychotic individual with a fixation on the afterlife and demonic imagery, which lends an air of credibility to the presentation. If you chose to believe the events have been exaggerated and the paranormal occurrences did not occur as documented then this story should sit well with you. Even those that take the account as accurate as told will find the story quite gripping.

Regardless of your level of belief I think just about all will find this story well told in this movie. Your disbelief will not need to be suspended very much to walk away from this film with a good impression.

Considering this was based on a true story that took place in the 1940's you would think 60 yrs later they could do a better job!

The main character is very badly cast even taking into account the boys age he is just not adequate for the role. Timothy Dalton as the priest is probably the films saving grace but even he can't carry a badly thought out cast and story.

The Excorcist will always be and remain the most scary and well produced and cast Horror in my eyes, that aside this movie offers nothing and some scenes I actually found comedic which is not what you expect in a horror not helped by the music score during some of the scenes either.

Well-made television movie(made for Showtime)that tells the true story(so we are told) of the only modern American Exorcism rite performed by the Roman Catholic Church. This film is compelling in its nature as it draws the viewer in to see a priest battle with his own private demons only to fight with the real thing squatting in the body of a young boy named Robbie. The film is beautifully shot and possesses some wonderfully creepy scenes that enhance the mood of tension and foreboding. The acting is the best thing, however, as Timothy Dalton never acted better. He is so very convincing in the role of the priest with a tough exterior and a head full of painful memories from World War II. The young actor playing Robbie is very gifted and convincing too. Christopher Plummer adds a nice small role as an archbishop more concerned with publicity and image than healing and souls. The film has much going for it. Good story, artful direction, excellent acting, and some fine philosophical points of contention to gnaw on a bit. Is it better than The Exorcist? Yes and no. It does not carry the impact of that film, nor does it in anyway contain the shocking scenes that film employed. No crucifix masterbation here, etc.. In fact no one dies in this film. What it lacks in scares is really a better sense of what an exorcism is and what the rite actually meant. Interesting to me but perhaps not to all. So if you want some intelligent horror...look no further. Watch The Exorcist again too...another great film in its own way.