The Exorcism of Emily Rose

This unorthodox horror film is elevated by the decent performances and Christopher Young’s excellent music. A few eerie shots, especially in the first half, successfully try to establish a sense of mounting tension and dread, but as the trial comes into focus, we are no longer watching the ghost story we expected, but an ambitious psychological drama that tries to impress the viewer as much as possible with the fact that this actually happened. But that doesn't change the fact that Scott Derrickson is obviously a very skilled filmmaker who can portray even a trial more than engagingly, and the film, despite its length, passes like water. And I mustn't forget to highlight the performance of Jennifer Carpenter, whose gestures and tortured looks really gave me chills and who managed to increase the momentum and authenticity of this unpolished work. (05/07/2011)

A fine courtroom drama with an interesting and attractive premise, from which I will only remember the absolutely brilliant ten-minute or so scene of the actual exorcism of Emily Rose. It doesn't let you breathe and becomes a clear highlight of scenes of this kind, including The Exorcist. (02/12/2005)

I've got two major gripes with films centered around exorcism themes. Firstly, I'm not a fan of the various religions and churches depicted. Secondly, ever since Max von Sydow tried to dodge streams of pea soup, it seems like filmmakers haven't really come up with anything new (unless we count the use of CGI on the possessed). This particular film wasn't exactly a horror movie, more like a courtroom drama with added exorcism flashbacks, with the courtroom scenes being the saving grace. Unfortunately, the trial concluded with a verdict that seemed like a clever cop-out. So, for me, the film ended halfway through; I was entertained and yet not quite satisfied, and my rating reflects this mixed bag. It wasn't a terrible movie, but it had way too many flaws to leave a lasting impression on me. / Lesson learned: If you have a fit in a deeply religious family, you're in trouble. (30/07/2023)

The Exorcism of Emily Rose serves up proper portions of impressive chills, for which – as in The Grudge – composer Christopher Young deserves a lot of credit. However, these very effective elements of modern horror are overshadowed by a courtroom drama that begs to be handled more intelligently and in a more dignified manner. The theme, which elevates the film above the current crowd of mediocre horror movies, is used only superficially by the filmmakers, who thus miss the mark. In comparison with Friedkin’s The Exorcist, this film is merely a skillfully shot diversion based on a mediocre screenplay. (26/10/2005)

Surprisingly very decent. If it weren't for the corny phrases during the "horror" passages, I would even dare to use the word authentic. It helps a lot that the point of the film is not about scares, but rather about the reconstruction of the trial with Father Moore and a rather interesting dilemma about whether to believe the facts or admit the supernatural. The atmosphere is dense, and it’s really a pity that the film tries to evoke the impression of the devil's existence in a nickel-and-dime way, without any invention. (01/04/2008)