I went to see this film on opening weekend because I didn't really have anything else to do. I had seen the trailers and was expecting an Exorcist rip-off (as if we don't have enough of those already). Anyway I was surprised to realize that The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a courtroom drama. I know several reviewers on this site have complained about this fact. They thought they were going to a horror film as it had been advertised.
I actually enjoyed this movie. I guess I went into it with little or no expectations. I was impressed by both the writer and director's ability to explore different sides of the argument. A priest is on trial for the "negligent homicide" of Emily Rose as a possible result of an exorcism he performed on her. The prosecution's arguments are based on science and medical testimony -- whereas the defense has to find some way to validate the priest's faith-driven actions. It is a complicated web of epilepsy, schizophrenia, pharmaceuticals, arcane Roman rites, and extreme Cathoilicism. The resulting courtroom dialogs I found engrossing on both a mental and emotional level. Well written and thorough. There is an open mindedness here that I find refreshing.
As for the possession scenes -- I have to admit I found them pretty damn scary. I'm fairly jaded from a childhood of watching intense horror movies so it takes something special to give me a chill. I think the reason these scenes are so frightening lies in the duality of possibilities: Emily Rose is either possessed by a supernatural being, or she is so mentally and physically ill that she is able to destroy herself from within. I find the latter just as chilling as the former.
I actually enjoyed this movie. I guess I went into it with little or no expectations. I was impressed by both the writer and director's ability to explore different sides of the argument. A priest is on trial for the "negligent homicide" of Emily Rose as a possible result of an exorcism he performed on her. The prosecution's arguments are based on science and medical testimony -- whereas the defense has to find some way to validate the priest's faith-driven actions. It is a complicated web of epilepsy, schizophrenia, pharmaceuticals, arcane Roman rites, and extreme Cathoilicism. The resulting courtroom dialogs I found engrossing on both a mental and emotional level. Well written and thorough. There is an open mindedness here that I find refreshing.
As for the possession scenes -- I have to admit I found them pretty damn scary. I'm fairly jaded from a childhood of watching intense horror movies so it takes something special to give me a chill. I think the reason these scenes are so frightening lies in the duality of possibilities: Emily Rose is either possessed by a supernatural being, or she is so mentally and physically ill that she is able to destroy herself from within. I find the latter just as chilling as the former.