DELIVER US FROM EVIL

US, 2014, 118 minutes, Colour.
Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez, Olivia Munn, Sean Harris, Joel Mc Hale.
Directed by Scott Ericsson.

It is over forty years since The Exorcist made such an impact on worldwide audiences as well as on critics. Almost immediately there were many imitations, some of them spoofs from Italy, then a number of serious sequels and variations on the theme. While there have been some lulls in release of films of diabolical possession and exorcisms, there has been an increase since 2005, and there is no sign that it is abating.

A significant question is: why do audiences worldwide continue to have a fascination in the phenomenon of diabolical possession and the rituals of exorcism?

It can be noted that one of the best of these films in recent years, based on fact in the United States as well as in the course offered in Rome for those interested in exorcism, was The Rite (2011), with Anthony Hopkins as a Jesuit priest.

Perhaps it is the “Francis-effect” with the impact of Pope Francis and his Jesuit background, but here is another film with a priest confidently announcing that he is a Jesuit. As the film progresses, Jesuits may wonder whether he is the kind of role model that they would like.

This statement is not advocating Deliver Us from Evil as a great film about exorcism or even a good one. It is rather something of a potboiler with some interesting moments about Catholic themes and the problem of evil.

As regards the plot, the screenplay draws on elements of the original The Exorcist and its sequels, with mysterious goings on in the Middle East, especially with Demons. The screenplay is up-to-date insofar as there are three American soldiers in Iraq in 2010, going down into a vault, with video camera, smelling strange odours, finding a message on the wall, photographing the material. But, three years later, each of the soldiers is in violent crisis back in New York City, one brutalising his wife, another found dead while doing a painting job, the third, present in a sinister manner at the Bronx Zoo, actually possessed.

The possessed man is confronted by a New York police officer, Ralph Sarchie, who wrote a book about the experience and vouches for its truth (sounds more like PR than actuality). In the confrontation with the possessed man, he encounters a Jesuit priest, Father Mendoza, who has had a difficult drug past, experienced some conversion which included belief in God and becoming a Jesuit, with some lapses (which could cause some difficulties in the contemporary context of sexual misconduct), but has become an expert in psychiatry and working with people in violent mental difficulties and possession.

This is a New York police story, there is plenty of action, quite an amount of violence and deaths.

For Christian audience, especially Catholics, it is the Jesuit character who is of interest, although the police officer has been a lapsed Catholic from the age or 12, denying a God who did not intervene in an attack on his family. Father Mendoza makes a distinction between Primary Evil and Secondary Evil, the latter being the destructive experiences in most people’s lives. His focus on Primary Evil is on the unexplained presence of pervasive evil, the dichotomy, we might say, between God and the Devil, Primary Evil being a continual menace in the world.

When the detective wants to upbraid God because of not intervening in disaster, Father Mendoza says that they could talk all day on the problem of evil but they should focus on the problem of good, why so much good in the world – and he makes the point that God relies on us humans to intervene and help with God’s work for good. And the pertinent example is that of the detective and others in their police work confronting criminals and bringing them to justice. Father Mendoza uses the language of Ignatian “discernment” but it is a fairly basic and unnuanced description that he gives. However, he does persuade the detective to make a confession, sacramental, where a detective confronts his memories of dealing with a child abuser, beating him to death in his anger. The priest points out that vengeance was done on the abuser but not justice, and that vengeance normally stays with the avenger, contaminating the avenger’s life.

This does provide an interesting religious core to the film.

One reviewer expressed surprise that ain exorcism should take place in a police interrogation room. But, why not? Whether the scene is an authentic interpretation of the official ritual is not always clear, Father Mendoza explaining the six steps in the process of exorcism and proceeding then to pray, to demand the demon’s name, to oust the demon (with just a few special effects to remind us of The Exorcist). The production team could have well done with a Catholic adviser because Father Mendoza uses “Holy Ghost” instead of Holy Spirit and the colour of his stole for the exorcism is blue!

Edgar Ramirez, long hair, somewhat unkempt, a jogger, a heavy smoker (which he sees as a better addiction than many others), is meant to be an image of the contemporary priest. Eric Bana is the detective and Sean Harris the former soldier who is possessed. It is interesting to note that the film was directed by Scott Derrickson, an American director with a Presbyterian background, who made the far more effective The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and a very effective haunted house film, Sinister (2011).

An example of the current trend of possession and exorcism films, a police-action thriller with some acknowledgement of theological and religious themes.

1. The title? From the Lord’s Prayer? Expectations? The problem of evil?

2. The film based on a true story? The central character as consultant? How credible the supernatural experiences?

3. The introduction, Iraq 2010, the three soldiers, the snakes, bats, spiders? Their mission, the explosion, the vault, the video, the smell, the effect on each of them and the reading of the message? Possession?

4. The film travelling from dark to light, the only initial light with the family sequences? The effect of so much action in the night, in the dark, feeling oppressive? The musical score?

5. The introduction to Ralph, sitting with the dead baby, his partner, the calls, the night work? The Bronx, in the night, the streets, apartments, the dingy buildings, the Bronx zoo, the lions, the threat to Ralph and his handling of it, the animal keeper and fear, Santini and his presence, the mother, her madness, killing her baby? The call about the battered mother, the escape of the husband? A New York story?

6. Ralph, his love the Jen, love for Christina? The soccer sequence? The family at home, his inability to communicate to Jen, his yelling at his daughter, living in an atmosphere of danger?

7. The connections between the Bronx story and the Iraqi background? The battered wife, the violent husband? His running? The office, the painting? Painting over the message? His attack, fleeing, his death? The fate of his wife?

8. The lesson, the message, the entry of evil into the world, possession and consequences?

9. Ralph, his character, work, tough, easy relationship with his partner? With the other police? Involved in fights, the violence? Seeing the clues? His hearing the sounds, seeing the flash on the screen and others not seeing it? The explanation of his particular gift?

10. Father Mendoza, his explanation of himself, a Jesuit, his drug story and his degradation, his choosing God? Studies, ordination, parish? The relationship with Claudia, the drugs, the sex? The possibility of being defrocked? The reaction of his parish priest? Claudia and the issue of abortion? His becoming a specialist? Knowing Jane, visiting the institution? His appearance, his long hair, smoking, jogging, at the bar, the come on of the woman, the whiskey? His saying these were better than other addictions? His information, allowing for scepticism?

11. The discussion about the problem of evil, Ralph and his giving up on Catholicism, the attack on his family, aged 12, the presence of evil and God doing nothing? Father Mendoza saying they could discuss the problem of evil, but what about the problem of good? How could one outgrow God? God relying on police like Ralph to combat evil and criminals? The discussion about Primary Evil and Secondary evil Evil? What causes evil? The brief explanation of discernment and St Ignatius Loyola? The discussions about Marvin, Ralph explaining how he pursued him, bashed him? Father Mendoza saying that this was not justice but vengeance and this is what stays with the avenger?

12. The asylum, Jane, her madness in the zoo, her biting Ralph’s arm? The aggression, the babbling? The return and the cells open? Escape? Death?

13. Following the clues, finding the painter, his death, the creatures inside his body? His relationship with the wife-beater? With Santini? Ralph watching the videos of the vault?

14. Santini at the zoo, painting over the graffiti, vengeance? Possessed? With Christina, the floor of her bedroom, taking the family?

15. In the building, Ralph’s partner, Santini’s vicious attack, to the hospital? Santini and his being taken?

16. Father Mendoza urging Ralph to confession, not holding in the sinfulness, its having an effect on the rest of life? The Marvin story, the flashback, the crime, the victim, Marvin returning, Ralph pursuing him, beating him?

17. The interrogation of Santini, in the police precinct, the interrogation room? Santini’s attitude, not giving information?

18. The exorcism, how credible in this location, the book of ritual, the stall, Ralph and the responses, the preparation, the blue stole, the explanation of the steps of the process, the visuals? Santini’s reaction, bending his head back and the stretching of his neck? His reaction to the various stages? The denial, the insistence of Father Mendoza on knowing his name? The ultimate exorcism and Santini restored to normal?

19. The months later, Jen pregnant, the birth, the rescue of Jen and Christina, the baptism, Ralph and his renunciation of Satan? Of all evil?

20. The aftermath, the true story, how credible, ordinary experiences, evil and exorcisms? Ralph and Father Mendoza continuing their ministry?