Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Exeter, The Evil Dead meets The Exorcist

...as performed by partying teens!  I love those films which build up the ominous tension, and all of a sudden, halfway through them, we're screaming in horror.  I also love films like 2015's "Exeter," in which the carnage, scares, and evil hits with a smashing thud a few moments after the credits.  Throw in a cast of great looking nymphomaniac teens, lots of drug use, underage drinking, and bloody possession and we have a perfect film for this blog.  Shot in Rhode Island, writer/director Marcus Nispel keeps the action and gore going for the entire film.
As our film begins, a naked teen dancer blows her head off with a shotgun.  Of course, this scene will be revisited, but not before some high school seniors hold a party at an abandoned asylum for disturbed children.  Patrick (Kelly Blatz) is against the shindig as he doesn't want to disappoint his mentor, Father Conway (Stephen Lang).  He warms up to the idea when he sets sights on the beautiful Reign (Brittany Curran), a girl with a past.  The teens know that weird stuff occurred at this former asylum, so naturally, one of the teens, Amber (Gage Golightly) performs some occult ritual...always a good idea.  Immediately, Patrick's little brother, Rory (Michael Ormsby) is violently possessed and the other teens tie him up. Straight to YouTube on an iPad for exorcism ideas, the teens perform the same rite Fr. Merrin performed on Regan in "The Exorcist." This of course backfires.
The carnage continues and our teens are willing to try anything.  Reign and Amber join forces to contact the spirit...or demon with a makeshift Ouija board.  This backfires, as Amber is turned into a deadly demon with an appetite for her friend's faces.  Fr. Conway races to the location, but is killed by panicked teens trying to drive away....but he'll be back.  Now the force locks down the facility and Patrick and Reign emerge as the two most capable of finding a way out of this asylum.  Toothbrush, lawnmower, shotgun, and table-top soccer game carnage will menace our teens, and their body count will rise.  What or who is this demon preying on our partying teens?  Does Reign's mysterious past have anything to do with what's going on?  
Lots of twists abound in this very busy film, so watch closely.  The acting is great and one-liners are classic.  Available on Netflix, be prepared for some stomach turning gore f/x.  Oh yes, watch this film past the closing credits....no spoilers, here. 

2 comments:

  1. Where would film be without the Exorcist? That film was the gateway for so much good stuff..from the chilling Tubular Bells background, pace and screenplay..I haven't seen the Exeter..it's on my list..another cool review Chris!

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  2. ominous tension, carnage, abandoned asylum, disturbed teens, possession, body counting: it's perfection. great review as usual

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