Deliver Us from Evil is the third film directed by Scott Derrickson that has appeared in my Favorite Horror Challenge, but was, most of all, the one I anticipated to debunk from the list. I remembered leaving the theaters with an underwhelming feeling, the acting and cinematography was both well-executed, with creepily delivered imagery and a grimy atmosphere that stays consistent from the beginning to the end. I left the theater feeling underwhelmed, but was convinced by my peers that I had paid witness to a more worthwhile film. And, don't get me wrong, there are one or two moments that are worth singling out as memorable, but through the power of suggestive persuasion and my own forgetfulness, Deliver Us from Evil was kind-of lumped into the Challenge. Not really because I expected it to be a contender, but more because I wanted to give it a second chance and see if I'd find something more to like about it.
I didn't, I'm afraid. If anything, upon a second-viewing, I've realized that even the best moments aren't as well-delivered as I remembered. The film suffers from the best aspects about it also being its worst. The grimy atmosphere feels heavy-handed, with rainy streets and dreary surroundings, the dark and gritty approach beckons tiredness and disinterest from me as a viewer. Frankly, the lack of color in this affair is brought to the forefront by a lack of happenings inside of it, a very slow-burn pacing and a plodding two hour run-time. The payoff isn't enough to justify itself either.
Slow-burns are a mixed-bag, and this film feels too run-of-the-mill and ho-hum to make my attention seem like a worthwhile investment. The film's narrative tries its hand with religious themes, a common trait in Derrickson's films, but the execution of the film around the character's intermingling fails to make me care about them beyond a superficial level.
Rating: 1.0 out of 5.0
I didn't, I'm afraid. If anything, upon a second-viewing, I've realized that even the best moments aren't as well-delivered as I remembered. The film suffers from the best aspects about it also being its worst. The grimy atmosphere feels heavy-handed, with rainy streets and dreary surroundings, the dark and gritty approach beckons tiredness and disinterest from me as a viewer. Frankly, the lack of color in this affair is brought to the forefront by a lack of happenings inside of it, a very slow-burn pacing and a plodding two hour run-time. The payoff isn't enough to justify itself either.
Slow-burns are a mixed-bag, and this film feels too run-of-the-mill and ho-hum to make my attention seem like a worthwhile investment. The film's narrative tries its hand with religious themes, a common trait in Derrickson's films, but the execution of the film around the character's intermingling fails to make me care about them beyond a superficial level.
Rating: 1.0 out of 5.0