Blackwater Valley Exorcism (2006) (V)

User Rating:

3.8/10   

Director:

Ethan Wiley

Writer:

Ellary Eddy (writer)

Release Date:

17 October 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

There is no escape when the Devil is inside you

Plot:

Emotionally disturbed Isabelle is locked in a fierce battle with a vicious demon that's hell-bent on owning her soul...

Cast

Cameron Daddo	...	Jacob
Kristin Erickson	...	Isabelle
James Russo	...	The Bishop
Jeffrey Combs	...	Sheriff Jimmy
Randy Colton	...	Ely
Madison Taylor	...	Claire
Don O. Knowlton	...	McCall
Leslie Fleming-Mitchell	...	Blanche
Paul Kapellas	...	Luke
Del Zamora	...	Miguel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Iris Stobbelaar	...	Demon Girl

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and sexual content.

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Company:

MEB Entertainment

Movie Connections:

References "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986)

An Amateur-Looking Unoriginal Film, At Best

A girl named Isobel becomes possessed by a demon. The local priest (who formerly dated Isobel's sister) must try to save her, but the bigger problems are with the family's suspicions of each other rather than the demon in their daughter.

This film is directed by Ethan Wiley, the writer of "House" and the writer/director of "House II". I loved the first film and liked the second one even better, so you would think this would be a winner. Alas, this one looks like it was thrown together by first-year film students. Dawson Leery could have done better. I have thought about blaming new writer Ellary Eddy, especially because the idea is hardly original (are they trying to cash in on the fans of "The Exorcism of Emily Rose"?), but Wiley should have been able to do his magic.

Also, you'd like to think veteran horror stars Jeffrey Combs and James Russo would help this film. Russo (playing the bishop) barely shows up, and Combs has a great role as a sheriff... for the five minutes he's on screen (but I love the mustache). So, no help here.

After seeing "The Exorcist", all other exorcism films must be compared to the classic by default, no? And the demonic possession in this film was not scary in the least. No head-spinning or paranormal activity at all. Just a girl with a deep voice and runny makeup. All the "demonic" stuff was centered around the father accusing everyone of sleeping with his wife. As another reviewer wrote, "you get a lot of Isobel bouncing on her bed like it's a trampoline, hiding in her closet, and jumping from a hay-loft. Yeah, it's Chuck E. Cheese gone wild." That sadly sums up the extent of the "evil" in this movie.

If you want to watch a movie about family members who invent accusations and yell at each other while the possessed daughter sits in another room off-camera, this is the movie for you. But, if you don't mind my saying so, you have a horrible taste in film if this is what you're seeking.

The plot seems to focus on the father accusing a cowboy of sleeping with his wife (who didn't, but did sleep with his daughter) and of the veterinarian of sleeping with his wife (who might have, but denies it). And then you have a gardener who attacks the possessed girl with a crucifix and tells the family to call an exorcist, but once the priest arrives the gardener declares he does not believe in God. What was all the Bible-quoting you were doing five minutes ago?

A horrible exorcism movie. Horribler examples of what Combs and Russo are capable of. And such a sad display of directing after the "House" series of films became classic. I would like to pretend Wiley had no part in making this shamefully derivative and unoriginal, uninspired film. The power of Christ compels you to avoid this movie as if viewing it were a cardinal sin.