Review | The Devil’s Light movie review: exorcism horror, with Jacqueline Byers giving a female twist, doesn’t have a hope in hell
- The Devil’s Light tells the story of a Catholic nun who trains to become the first female exorcist, working in Boston
- Following in the footsteps of 1973 hit film, The Exorcist, it fails to come close to William Friedkin’s original religious horror story
1/5 stars
It has been almost 50 years since The Exorcist was unleashed upon unsuspecting audiences, propelling the religious horror movie into the mainstream.
In the years since, everything from The Omen to The Conjuring has mined the eternal battle of good versus evil for its box-office potential, but nothing has come close to emulating the enduring cultural impact of William Friedkin’s surprise 1973 hit.
Originally slated for release in early 2021 before being banished to pandemic purgatory, The Devil’s Light, released in some territories as Prey for the Devil, is the latest in this endless procession of acolytes and idolaters.
The film tells the story of a young American nun who is trained by the Catholic Church to become its first female exorcist. This potentially intriguing premise quickly becomes subsumed, however, in a tedious and tired parade of crucifix-wielding clichés.
As a child, Ann suffered physical and emotional abuse from her violent, and ultimately suicidal mother. While she was diagnosed as bipolar, Ann is convinced her mother was possessed by something altogether more demonic.