Jennifer Carpenter was amazing in this movie. it's worth a watch just for her performance.

A horror / courtroom drama for PG-13 Catholics.

*Falacies of the Useless* ✓Script (history) and Performances:[0.9] WTF, blood of Jesus has power ✓Theme(Direction):[0.8] ✓Costume:[0.8] ✓Makeup:[1.0] ✓Edition:[0.7] ✓Aim of the Film:[0.6] ✓Photography:[0.5] ✓Art Direction:[0.7] ✓Visual Effects:[0.8] ✓Sound:[1.0] Grade: 7.8

I found it pretty dull, honestly. Not because the idea of mixing horror with courtroom drama was bad in itself, but because the film leans far more toward the legal drama than the horror, and it does so without enough strength for one side to compensate for the other. It is neither truly scary nor compelling enough as a trial drama to carry the whole thing. That is its main problem: you expect an exorcism movie and instead you mostly get lawyers, witnesses, and debates about faith and reason. The intention may be interesting, but the result feels dry and, in many stretches, not especially engaging. There is too much argument and not enough real tension. The actors are good, though. Laura Linney gives the film solidity, and the cast in general does its job well. Emily Rose herself also provides a few striking images, and there are isolated scenes with some genuine unease. But they are only brief flashes inside a film that never really takes off. I also think it tries too hard to seem deeper than it actually is. The conflict between science, religion, guilt, and truth is there, but I do not think it develops any of it in a particularly brilliant way. It feels more like it is stretching an idea that sounds better on paper than it turns out on screen. It does not help either that, compared with other films in the genre, it falls short in atmosphere, force, and real dread. It wants to set itself apart, yes, but that difference is not enough to make it memorable. It is watchable, but more out of curiosity than real involvement. Overall, I think it is a decent film in some respects, especially in the performances, but rather disappointing where it matters most. It does not really work as horror, and as a courtroom drama it never becomes gripping enough.

I thought this was actually a really good movie for a exorcism movie. It was definitely scary for it’s time.