Patrick Fabian is charming as Marcus, and director Daniel Stamm delivers a series of surefooted scares as the staged possession turns real. But the movie is still unsatisfying; in its eagerness to deliver familiar genre pleasures, it somehow misplaces its soul.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
ReelViews by James Berardinelli
The Last Exorcism is one of those rare films where the marketing campaign is more interesting than the film it publicizes.
A smart horror film will fatten its pigs before the slaughter, and the mock doc The Last Exorcism feeds its prize hog nicely.
Austin Chronicle by Marc Savlov
The shock ending isn't all that shocking if you're a fan of genre films, but it's nonetheless effective despite the fact that it sidesteps several key questions. Never mind: It's hellishly fun.
The Hollywood Reporter by Michael Rechtshaffen
A backwoods psychological thriller delivered faux-documentary-style, with mixed results.
Village Voice by Nick Pinkerton
With a small, well-chosen cast, sly script, and slippery, ambivalent characters, The Last Exorcism gives a welcome titty-twist to the demonic-possession movie revival.
Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman
For a while, The Last Exorcism shrewdly exploits our voyeurism, as it sustains the teasing question of whether there's actually anything supernatural going on. The payoff, however, isn't scary enough.
Miami Herald by Rene Rodriguez
The more hellish the story gets, the sillier and less involving the movie becomes.
Orlando Sentinel by Roger Moore
Its grisly violence and ridicule-religion tone make it sort of the anti-"Exorcism of Emily Rose."