The first time I heard there was a sequel in the works for the The Last Exorcism I was curious to the cinematic angle of the film. Would this be presented in a documentary format like the first or go for a more traditional film look. What I should have been concerned with was the story and direction the tale of Nell Sweetzer would take. After seeing the first trailer I was not pleased with what I witnessed. Once photos and clips became viral it sparked my interest to give the film a chance. Upon entering the theater I was skeptical my spidey sense was tingling. I didn't see a need for a sequel. The first one was fine and the ending turned away enough fans not to warrant a follow up. Yet here it is the sequel to what I think is one of the better possession films of the last decade The Last Exorcism Part 2.
Ashley Bell returns as Nell Sweetzer and the film immediately picks up where the last ended. Nell fresh from her horrific night in the woods is taken to a hospital in New Orleans. There she is observed and taken through steps to recover her memory and to find out why she was left alone in the woods with her family slain. After she makes some progress she is taken to a local home for girls. To get a fresh start to a new life. All the girls at the home need a second chance but none of them are ready for the evil that accompanies their new roommate.
The start of the film had tons of potential but started to drag about 10 minutes in. Showing Nell rediscovering the world was fine but many parts lasted too long. It caused the film to move at a dying pace and made the first hour of the film boring. I thought there would be more interaction between the girls and the demon but only one girl got a taste of the demons fury with a seizure. Fury may be a little too dramatic but I will say whatever I can to keep you as interested in this review as I was the film. It really didn't hold weight to the impact of the first film. It felt rushed and uninspiring. It makes me wonder why it took them so long to make another one. This could have been made the next year and received the same results. Its disappointing but I should not have expected anything more.
The foundation for Nell in this film is the attraction to the demon. It has to be seduced by her to get the demon to unite. The catch is she must invite the demon to take over her. Once that happens then the end of the world as we know it will happen. That is a bit much. It seemed like a better idea to keep a Nell a simple farm girl and also keep the demon simple. The complexity of the tale took away from a story line that could have fit if better executed. All of a sudden the demon was everywhere and in everyone but all the outcomes took too long to deliver. The worst part of the film was the censoring of the violent parts. Each kill scene left a desired to see a directors cut feel to it. It is a shame because it would have helped move the story along.
The Last Exorcism Part 2 did what many sequels of the modern age do. Fail to even come close to the expectations of the original. It was going to be difficult enough to match the beauty of the first film. The Last Exorcism Part 2 was was a train wreck from the start but should do well against a light opening weekend at the box office. I wish there was one thing I could point out in the film that I liked but I cannot recall any.
I would advise you to stay away from this one in theaters and if you are a fan of the first waiting on this to hit the DVD shelves is your best bet. The Last Exorcism is directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly and stars Ashley Bell, Julia Garner, and Spencer Treat Clark. It is in theaters everywhere.
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