Fridae

If you're tired of excessively stupid or outrageously
gruesome horror flicks, here is the spook-show that's
worth going back to the cinema for.



The Exorcism of Emily Rose is neither stupid nor
gruesome. Nor is it very scary. But it is the most
intelligent spook show we've seen in years, partly
because it actually tries to engage in a debate over
whether God and Satan exist or not. The film's
intelligence alone raises it above the standard
kill-kill-kill mode of most horror movies.



Tom Wilkinson plays a priest whose attempts to
exorcise the demons in young Emily Rose result in her
death. He is arrested for murder, and it is up to
defence lawyer Erin Bruner (Laura Linney) to defend
him in court. The film then cuts back and forth
between the courtroom drama (doubting scientists and
an exorcism expert take to the stand) and a flashback
of events (Emily in creepy spasms and contortions). 



The reason why this film plays somewhat like a

documentary is because it is based on a real 1978
court case. Some years ago, the lawyer released her
case-files to Hollywood, and of course, Hollywood
devoured them whole. Fortunately, Hollywood hasn't
tried to "dumb down" the facts, and the lawyer's
character is played by the typically intelligent Laura
Linney. 



Believe it or not, this talky courtroom drama manages
at times to be spookier than any three Korean
schoolgirl-horror films put together.