The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Within the genre, this is quite an atypical, one could even say original, horror thanks to the combination of a classic theme of demonic possession with a courtroom drama, where the scriptwriter and director provocatively work with the possibility of the existence of irrational supernatural evil in our material world within the framework of the trial. Flashbacks, editing, and music help create a truly oppressive atmosphere, and the excellent cast helped create an above-average genre film. I admit that I had a bit of a problem with the irrational level embedded in our modern world when the film does not appear as a stylized horror fairy tale, but as a story from reality, due to my enlightenment and modernity as a child. Overall impression: 75%. (18/04/2009)

A tedious battle between science and faith set in a courtroom. It’s a pretty long film – by the end I was looking at my watch – the events in the courtroom are quite boring because they are very predictable (you can figure out exactly how the case will develop and what the verdict will be). What is a little bit better are the flashbacks showing a still alive Emily. The entire film has three mildly scary scenes, very little for an almost two-hour runtime, which is a real shame because they are very effective and intense. Formally speaking, there’s not much to reproach: the actors handle their roles perfectly, the characters don’t do anything stupid and the direction is good enough. 70% (19/01/2008)

My skepticism towards the easily outdated topic disappeared when Laura Linney first appeared and the seemingly unbelievable intention to connect a courtroom drama with a horror started to fit into the presented concept naturally and simply. When the courtroom storyline becomes too straightforward, we are given a convincing insert by the twisting Jennifer Carpenter, and when similar scenes exceed the tolerable limit, we return to another hearing. Moreover, the formula "based on true events" works reliably this time as well, and during this brisk, but above all, unpredictable film, theological and philosophical dilemmas were running through my mind non-stop. So mainly for that, I must give Exorcism a big salute, not to mention the long-awaited climax in court. (04/04/2006)

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 notch better than The Exorcist, which doesn’t have even a drop of rational explanation and the viewer must believe in the supernatural, whether they like it or not. The Exorcism of Emily Rose is much more variable and tries to look at things from different perspectives. The judicial aspect cleverly helps with this in the present, allowing us to listen to alternative opinions of people not directly involved with the accused. The theme is very interesting overall and very well executed. The exorcism scenes are incredibly explosive and captivating (far surpassing The Exorcist), effectively pinning the viewer to their seat. Equally impressive are Christopher Young's musical motifs, which create a perfect nerve-wracking atmosphere. And last but not least, we have Laura Linney's performance. A serious film about a serious topic, but one that looks at it with a cool head, and that is appreciated. (25/06/2006)