THE EXORCISM -- Another Crowe Exorcist Movie???

Review by Adam Donato

Actors don't make movies; they make a living. Recently, Russell Crowe was asked about Dakota Johnson's comments about Sony and her experiences working on a Marvel superhero movie. Crowe, who had a role in the poorly received Thor: Love and Thunder and is going to star opposite Aaron Taylor Johnson in Sony's Kraven the Hunter, said: "If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons." His career has persisted, but he has yet to be the focal point of a hit film since the 2000s. He's had box office success and critical success, but never both at the same time. Even in Les Miserables, he's known to be the weak link of that cast. It's ironic that there's a Gladiator sequel coming out later this year, and it's primed to be a greater success than Crowe's last five films combined. This week sees the release of Crowe's latest leading role, The Exorcism. ​

One might ask, "Didn't the Russell Crowe exorcist movie come out last year?" This is not Deja vu. Just over a year ago, theaters were surprisingly packed for Crowe in The Pope's Exorcist. Just not domestic theaters, as the film only covered its $18 million budget in the states, but worldwide pulled in an extra $56 million. To The Exorcism's credit, the concept of this film is more compelling than that of The Pope's Exorcist. A disgraced actor stars in a horror film, and his estranged daughter notices he's either slipping into his old destructive ways or becoming possessed. With all the conversation about the value of method acting, this story may hit home for some people. Crowe is not very good in the film and fails to generate any scares with his performance.

The supporting cast includes some familiar faces. Sam Worthington, who won his way back into some fans' hearts with his performance in Avatar: The Way of Water, is one of Crowe's co-stars here. He's there, but his character is entirely forgettable. Ryan Simpkins is the older sibling of famous child actor Ty Simpkins, who appeared in Crowe's The Nice Guys. While everyone is begging for a sequel to that gem, we're stuck with multiple Crowe exorcist movies. Simpkins's character forms a relationship on set with an artist played by Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey's sister. Their relationship is cute and allows Simpkins an outlet as she struggles with her father's problems. 

The director is the son of the man who played the priest in The Exorcist. One would hope the experience would rub off on the son, but this film is far from the likes of The Exorcist. None of the scares are really effective in the way the film wants them to be. The narrative is easily predictable, and the character's internal struggle is not compelling. The Exorcism thinks it's really cute sucking up to cinephiles by taking place on a movie set and having references to superior films. It's not worth your time at the theater. 

The Exorcism completes the dookie of a doubleheader of exorcism films from Crowe in the last two years. With the release of A Quiet Place: Day One on the horizon, it's hard to see this entry finding an audience for itself at the domestic box office. Maybe it will translate overseas like its predecessor, and hopefully, some quality is mistakenly discovered. Save this one for streaming if you're going to watch it at all. These days, Crowe's reason for making a film seems to be the paycheck and more power to him. It's a rough industry, especially for action heroes past their prime, but when it's all said and done, nobody is going to remember The Exorcism. ​

The Exorcism hits theaters on June 21.

Rating: 2/5