Prey for the Devil, 2022

This is an American supernatural horror movie of director Daniel Stamm with the following lead stars like Jacqueline Byers, Christian Navarro, Colin Salmon, and many others.

Cast Lists

Plot

As a reaction to the global rise in the demonic possessions, our Catholic Church reopened exorcism schools in training priests in a Rite of Exorcism. Even though nuns are being forbidden to perform the exorcisms, Father Quinn recognized Sister Ann’s gifts, with empathy with the possessed victims of the demons, and agreed of training her. Thrust onto this spiritual frontline with the fellow learner Father Dante, Ann locates herself in fight for the young girl’s soul, Natalie, who she believed was possessed by the demon that tormented the mentally unstable mother of Ann for years.

Ann attended the classes, against some conflict from the staffs and amusement members by some priests. Terrifying events start to take place on her, like disturbing memories and visions, and the possessed, elderly male patient harassed her and dance with her next to her will when she’s trapped in the room. But, Ann persisted in her quest, digging into secret archived with the assistance of Dante, and gazing to the history of “terminal cases” seemed to die and a woman who had been released from the institution. Ann helped exorcise the troubled sister of Dante, apparently successful. But, the institute’s leadership and their Cardinal told her the following morning that the lady killed herself. Ann sadly concluded that she’ll return to the old convent in reply to a tragedy.

Dante dropped by and said that Natalie, who recovered and leave the school, had relapsed and was likely to be transmitted to Vatican as the “terminal case”. He convinced her to sneak in the institute with him and then exorcise Natalie. Ann was shocked to discover that Natalie was her daughter, whom Ann gave out for adoption some years past, when she had been pregnant as a teen. The anguish of neglect has made Natalie the topic of demonic possession. Finally, the demon left Natalie free, but possessed Ann, who fell down into the big holy water pool, fighting by the anguish of the troubled history, finally freed her from the demon.

Writer’s Opinion

The movie is a slow paced one with the couple of jump scares, likely some shy from being much but most still fully startled the viewers. Maybe it is because that the movie, maintaining that constant eerie aura, this does not lighten up in any point. The rather novel story had been decent, and also the acting, however, not totally spectacular.

The plot progressed pretty generic, and even its twist felt the lazy writing, however, the truth that it is scary is all you could really ask for the horror movie. It could have been more graphic, does not have lots of images that will stick with you, plus the ratings were limited. The story lacked depth, and not that this needed much though. The runtime that is relatively short is admirable and it used the little that it has effected. The movie leaves that impression of not just scaring the viewers, but for the viewers to have some things to think over while sleeping, and that is something admirable here.

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