PREY FOR THE DEVIL

                                        prey for the Devil

Story: “Prey for the Devil” is about a nun who receives training as an exorcist under the Roman Catholic Church and then is sent to another school in Boston as a nurse and patient care. There she gets an opportunity to exorcise a possessed - a domain out of bounds for women.

Review: “Prey for the Devil” is another example of how difficult it is for exorcism-based movies to escape the shadow of William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist.” The syntax for telling horror stories that “The Exorcist” established 50 years ago is still in vogue. This horror-thriller adopts the same style sheet and follows a formula that so many other movies have done before and has nothing unique to offer. The movie's plot unfolds slowly, and its jump scares aren't really effective. Although the acting is generally passable, the plot is nonetheless stale and does not provide viewers with much to think about.

“Prey for the Devil” deals directly with possession and its final exorcism rather than delving into the psychological world. It won't be a stretch to say that most of the scenes and occurrences are things we've seen several times in horror movies and that this doesn't add anything fresh. The worst aspect is that you know exactly what will happen next and that it takes a direct route to reach its target. If only the plot had meandered for a little while. There isn't much in the movie that sticks with you, except for a few disturbing images.

Ann, a nun of the Roman Catholic Church that is now battling the surge in demonic possession cases, is the protagonist of this horror thriller. In response, the Vatican decides to establish a number of exorcism schools outside of Rome. As a nurse and a patient care specialist, Ann is assigned to one such school in Boston, Massachusetts. Nuns at these institutions are not allowed to participate in exorcism rituals, but Father Quinn offers to train Sister Ann and subsequently permits her to assist in a demon possession case after noticing that she has the skills to handle such instances.

“Prey for the Devil” is no exception, as it adheres exactly to the guidelines set forth by William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" decades earlier. In this movie, the creators haven't bothered to clarify the demon's motivation or what exactly they're after. There is not a single unique element in the movie that would keep you interested. In fact, this movie is so strikingly similar to “The Exorcist” that there are points when you question why you're even watching it. When imaginatively plotted horror movies like “Smile”, “Babadook”, and “The Hereditary” are winning awards, it raises doubts about movies with exorcism as their central theme. How creative they can be when few movies have essentially catered to all the clichés in the past.

While Colin Salmon as Father Quinn and Jacqueline Byers as Anna both deliver respectable performances, it is difficult to say the same about the rest of the film’s departments. It has a plot that has been recycled several times and now has reached a point where viewers have lost all interest. “Prey for the Devil” is an ordinary film that does everything to frighten viewers, but regrettably none of it works.