Before watching The Exorcism of Emily Rose, my expectations were sky-high. My family had amped it up to be something I wasn’t ready for, even after a long history in the genre.  I was about to watch the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. 

But—There were very few scary moments throughout the movie. Of course, being a horror movie, there were a few jumpscares and moments of suspense, but overall it was underwhelming. The few scares present felt low quality, even low budget at times, possibly from having a third of the budget compared to the average movie in 2005. That’s on top of the fact that special effects have aged over time.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on the story of Anneliese Michel, a German woman who underwent 67 catholic exorcisms in 1975. Over eleven months, two priests attempted to drive away multiple demons, some of whom identified themselves as Lucifer, Cain, Judas Iscariot, Belial, Legion, Hitler, and Nero. Towards the end of her life, she refused food and water. The autopsy report stated Anneliese died from malnutrition and dehydration, weighing only 68 pounds.

This film takes an unconventional approach to the genre. The Exorcism of Emily Rose feels similar to a documentary, telling the story through Father Moore and his prosecution using flashbacks of Emily Rose when necessary. 

Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson do alright in their starring roles but don’t stand out much from the rest of the cast. Although not starring,  Jennifer Carpenter is great as Emily Rose and is the only other actor worth mentioning. The acting in this movie is good enough for the story to progress without turning viewers away—that’s all.

If you enjoy watching movies, then this is worth the watch. On the other hand, if you’re someone like me who isn’t interested in sitting down and watching a movie for 2 hours, probably not. In that case, watch a documentary on YouTube for 40 minutes that will give you the same information.