Director, writer, actor, and all around filmmaker Daniel Falicki, returns with his latest creation, Accidental Exorcist, from Sector 5 Films, which is a division of Chemical Burn Films, known for the more low-budget and highly independent productions. Some critics of this film mistakenly consider it Daniel’s first production, and that of course that’s incorrect, previous noted creations, for example The Last Vampyre on Earth and Devils in the Darkness both from 2013. In addition, to director and the principal actor of the film, he assisted in the screenwriter process, along with Sheri Beth Dusek (13 Demons [2016]) and his partner in crime, writer and producer Warren Croyle (Awaken the Devil [2014]), who has done countless productions, with over 30 in the horror genre.

Daniel stars as quite the oddball with the career as an exorcist, Richard Vanuk, but not very professional, a complete mess, and the appearance of him clearly sells the point, swigging alcohol from his trusty flask, snapping photos of the possessed, and providing his special talent, while attempting to maintain an ordinary life. However, his career choice comes with little rewards, no rest and little pay, if anything, which represents a positive, finds itself lost on him, no ability to have success in writing a book, family, and failure in the corporate world too. His entire world contains, the battling of demons and the possessed, and strangely enough, the small area surrounding him the city contains a hotbed of demonic forces. Sadly, it’s never truly explained why him, and the enormous concentration of satanic forces deem the area home base. As for another downside, the battles against evil, has a negative effect to his faith and body, similar to that of both characters Father Merrin (The Exorcist [1973]) and Lorraine Warren (The Conjuring 2 [2016]), in which the films make reference to the weaken soldiers of Christ. The audience slowly learns Richard never sought out the aspiration to battle evil and become an exorcist, nor studied the subject, his knack for making mental connections and sickening mushroom smelling throw scenes (watch and listen to understand the reference). Each battle he incurs more screams, tantrums killing demons, more puke, and the result barely any funding for rent or survivability, (why?) and winds up in the strangest places after alcohol benders. Herein lies, a few problems with a potential thriller, that simply muddles through the structure of scenes and allows everything to coincidentally fall into a meandering sluggish pace clocking in at 105 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes over what the movie required to tell the tale. One likely will fidget in their seat, not from frights but rather boredom, and dragging of the storyline, as previously stated Daniel’s character holds the screen over 90% of the time, and while he does it effectively, the rest of the cast doesn’t quite measure to the task. Many times, actors overlook the importance of the secondary roles, and yet those bits likely add incredible elements to any movie. As for exorcisms, the blackened eyes, endless drool, and strange talks with them and then the magical fix to cure them are repeated countless times with no building of suspense of a final battle sequence. The film does set a dark tone, although never achieves a creepy sensation or convincingly conveys a shiver to the audience, the gore factor may disgust some, it lags without more consistent action moments from the disinterested exorcist warrior.

The cover art presented for the film never truly comes together and add in a movie with a plodding aimless plot, and one grows weary of the film. A few characters appear interesting, but never grow past a one-dimensional design of them, and the humor, which naturally brews never fulfilled with unrelenting insight. A definite miss with fun of the blackest bleakest character’s trials and tribulations, and the artistry of practical effects conjures gory attributes and once again allows the possibilities to slip away and not secure more intense results. Although, one can dismiss most these issues regarding the independent film status, however the dialogue oozes groans, which hurts the set-ups and good versus evil battles.

The movie offers an interesting look, of the lasting impact of fighting the devil and demons with their inexhaustible resources of evil, while the mere mortals such as Richard, suffer for the righteousness of the innocent. One could wonder from a theological standpoint why the evil has unlimited powers. Sadly, though, Accidental Exorcist misses a great opportunity for exploits of a b-movie supernatural horror story, and while not completely terrible, the movie showers with the creative sets, and many what-ifs.

This film was originally reviewed in August 2016 on the now defunct Rogue Cinema website.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4834150/

IMDb Rating: 4.4/10

Baron’s Rating: 4.0/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQArUgy3VPA