The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Year: 2005 Rating: PG-13 Overall Evaluation: 9.0 Significance Suppositions Story Style 10.0 / 10 8.0 / 10 8.0 / 10 10.0 / 10 Click HERE for evaluation criteria.

Style

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, including intense/frightening sequences and disturbing images. No pea soup vomit launches or heads spinning around (not to bash The Exorcist - which excelled in terror). No nudity or sexual scenes. No gratuitous cussing. Yes, it's pretty spooky and several scenes are disturbing and unnatural (unless you consider seizures natural), but nothing is unrealistic or overdone from the point of view of the people in the movie.

Story

The story involves a college age girl whose death appeared to have been caused or exacerbated by the circumstances surrounding her failed exorcism. It is told through flashbacks as witnesses take the stand in the trial of the priest who administered the rite. The plot also concerns the priest's lawyer and her dealing with agnosticism. The movie is said to be based on true events, it is at least inspired by the last exorcism acknowledged by the Roman Catholic Church as authentic (that of Anneliese Michel in 1976). Instead of a German girl in the 1970's it takes place in a college town in the 21st century, and instead of involving both parents and priest in the court case it is limited to the priest. The final outcome of the trial is slightly different as well.

Suppositions

The worldview is right on target in the big picture, but as a Protestant I have to hold back from a perfect score. :) While the film is certainly not propaganda for the Roman Catholic church, one is left feeling like the only two options for belief are naturalistic rationalism or spiritualistic Roman Catholicism. There is a third possibility even if every event was 100% accurate in its description - that demons used the Roman Catholic superstitions to convince many of their truth. In other words - it is not simply supernatural vs. natural, or religious vs. crass rationalism. It could be that demonic forces attacked a Roman Catholic using the very components of her faith that would attract others to Roman Catholicism or turn them toward atheism. But if both Roman Catholicism and atheism are false then the demons would win either way. I don't expect that a movie would even attempt to deal with the issue this deeply - but the either/or presentation lends itself to the idea that one must accept Roman Catholicism if they wish to avoid atheism.

Significance

This is one of the best supernaturalism vs. naturalism films I have ever seen. The drama focuses more on the presuppositions of each side in the trial more than the sensational trial itself. The clear theme is brought out over and over again as each side examines and cross-examines its witnesses. The prosecution is headed by a "Christian" while the priest is defended by an agnostic. Ironically it is the "Christian" who defaults to naturalistic rationalism and the agnostic who argues for an open mind to both the spiritual and the material. The closing arguments say it all: "Facts do not leave room for doubt . . . what you have heard in this case are not the facts - they are interpretations of the facts. Can you be sure your assumptions are correct?" Even better . . .

[SPOILER WARNING!]

While the priest is found guilty of negligence leading to the death of Emily Rose the jury asks that the judge assign time served as his sentence. The judge looks at the priest and says, "You are guilty . . . and you are free to go." What a masterful and simple picture of the Gospel!