Plot Details: This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
Things that go bump in the night
Plot Overview
Iraq, 2010: a firefight leads from desert to brush to grotto (“go in”) to darkness. South Bronx, 2013: NYPD Sergeant Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) uses his intuition—his partner calls it “radar”—to selectively respond to calls that turn dicey. Theirs is the night shift, but what they encounter involving USMC vets Jimmy Tratner (Chris Coy), Mike Santino (Sean Harris), and Lt. Griggs (Scott Johnsen) is dark to the point of demonic (“What's that smell?”) Sgt. Sarchie finds an unexpected ally in Jessop Priest Father Mendoza (Édgar Ramírez) as he investigates what's behind various closed doors in apartment, basement, and zoo, accompanied by strains from The Doors: “Break On Through (To the Other Side)”, “Killer on the Run”, and “People are Strange.”
Ideology
The title “Deliver Us From Evil” derives from Matt. 6:13 in the Lord's prayer, which the Orthodox Church renders: Deliver us from the evil one, i.e. Satan, the devil, Lucifer. Iraq was ancient Babylonia whose capital Babylon was the source of all occult practices, merely renamed over time. Isaiah 13:21-22 describes the fauna that later resides in this erstwhile consumer metropolis, nicely evoked in this movie by bats, bush life, and zoo animals. Fr. Mendoza explains to Sgt. Sarchie that demonic entities must enter this realm through portals, doors if you will, one of the common ones being the occult. The band The Doors were named after doors, their music plays in the background throughout the film, the symbol alluded to.
It is up to the Church, represented by Fr. Mendoza, to combat this Ur-evil, per Matt. 16:18. Sgt. Sarchie is enlisted to help him perform an exorcism after he first rediscovers his faith and confesses and forsakes his sins à la James 5:16. A policeman can be effective against secondary evil, the bad guys, while being a stranger to God, but one has to be right with God to prevail over the primary evil.
Production Values
“Deliver Us from Evil” (2014) was directed by Scott Derrickson who with Paul Harris Boardman wrote the screenplay. It was based on the 2001 non-fiction book Beware the Night, by Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Cool. It stars Eric Bana and Édgar Ramírez, who both fit the parts.
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA) is rated R for bloody violence, grisly images, terror throughout, and language. Most of the action occurs in murky, eerie locations where evil is quietly lurking. The director opts for cheap jump scares on an animal level. The atmosphere is striking in its chilling intensity, with minimal sound or light, and with an ominous background score. Sarchie's partner Butler (Joel McHale) provides comic relief with a sarcastic wit.
Review Conclusion w/ Consumer Recommendation
“Deliver Us from Evil” is a full blown possession/exorcism/slasher thriller that keeps the tension high sans letup. This is a tough genre in which to please people. This one doesn't exceed its grasp. It delivers its basic promise without major failings. Its lighting is so dark I suggest you find a seat in the theater before it starts while you can still see, or for home viewing darken the room to get the intended effect. Not recommended to fall asleep to if you are easily frightened.
Movie Ratings
Action factor: Well done action flick. Suitability For Children: Not Suitable for Children of Any Age. Special effects: Well done special effects. Video Occasion: None of the Above. Suspense: Don't watch this movie alone. Overall product rating: Four stars out of five.
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