Editorials
10 Years Later: ‘The Last Exorcism’ Provided an Effective Found Footage Take on Morality and Faith
Despite their popularity, exorcism movies are extremely difficult to pull off. Not only are there religious issues that have to be carefully dealt with in order to avoid offending any particular faith, but the end product will also inevitably be compared to William Friedkin’s The Exorcist. Naturally, it’s hard to follow up on one of the best films of all time.
Despite this, there are some brave filmmakers out there that have accepted this challenge and attempt to add their own unique spin on Exorcism stories instead of just regurgitating what’s already popular. While none of them have ever surpassed Friedkin’s classic, every once in a while we’re blessed with a movie that reminds us there are still new and creative ways to depict a demonic presence on the big screen. One of my personal favorites of these is Daniel Stamm‘s The Last Exorcism, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Horror was in a different place back in 2010, with found-footage once again on the rise after the insane popularity of the Paranormal Activity franchise. Back then, these movies were seen as consistently safe investments for studios and not just an opening for independent filmmakers with tight budgets. That’s why it wasn’t all that surprising when Eli Roth became attached to produce an ambitious little found-footage project about a faithless preacher being forced to confront the darker side of his own profession.
For those who haven’t seen it, The Last Exorcism is framed as a documentary about Reverend Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) and his attempts to expose the fraudulent nature of exorcism rituals. When he’s contacted by a farmer worried that his daughter, Nell (Ashley Bell), might be possessed, the documentary crew accompanies Marcus to the heart of Louisiana for what they believe will be another case of religious fervor gone wrong. Unfortunately, it’s clear that there’s more to Nell’s condition than meets the eye, and Marcus begins to doubt his own convictions as the situation becomes more and more horrific.
Definitely one of the best scenes in the movie.
The ambiguous nature of Nell’s alleged possession is only made more engrossing by the found-footage approach, with the “documentary” going back and forth on whether or not there might be a supernatural element at play. Marcus’ casual debunking of traditional Exorcism tropes grounds the movie in reality while the Louisiana setting helps with the atmosphere. The Bible Belt backdrop is also thematically appropriate, considering that this is a scary yarn about the merits of faith versus reason.
Despite the film devoting a sizable chunk of its runtime to character development and thoughtful conversations instead of cheap scares, audiences actually really seemed to like it. The Last Exorcism ended up grossing over $67 million on a $1.8 million budget, and even critics seemed to enjoy it, with many of them praising the believable characters and claiming that it was one of the best horror movies released in 2010.
Having grown up in a deeply religious setting myself, I really appreciate this movie’s commitment to accurately depicting faith and creating a truly three-dimensional main character. While Reverend Cotton is technically a con-man, he’s still trying to help people and is ultimately a really likable protagonist, which is a rare feat in a found-footage project.
Of course, part of this is due to a compelling performance by Patrick Fabian, though the acting here is great all around the board. Ashley Bell obviously stands out as the movie relies on her for both the scares and dramatic moments, making her chaotic role the most demanding of the bunch. It’s hard not to sympathize with Nell’s innocent farm-girl persona, but she’s still capable of absolutely terrifying viewers when the supposed entity takes over.
A worthy successor to Linda Blair’s Regan
Apparently, Stamm took an unorthodox approach when preparing the actors, requiring Fabian to write and perform real biblical sermons and even framing Bell’s audition as an actual exorcism. Later on, he even incorporated the actress’s extremely flexible body into her role, adding even more freaky moments without the need for heavy effects work. This commitment to telling a believable story makes a huge difference, and the end result is a memorable film that stands on its own even in an overcrowded genre.
In the end, what I appreciate the most about The Last Exorcism is how it doesn’t hold your hand, leading to a terrifying finale more reminiscent of a Lovecraftian tragedy rather than any traditional Exorcism tale. It might not be for everyone, but I certainly admire how the movie is able to leave so many loose ends while still having a satisfying conclusion. The ending is somewhat marred by an unnecessary 2013 sequel, though it had little involvement from the original team and isn’t even presented as found-footage.
While I always take these stories with a sizable grain of salt, it’s worth mentioning that Eli Roth claims that the movie’s post-production was plagued with strange happenings, especially during work on bonus features for the home video release. According to him, certain crew members requested that a recorded prayer be played before interviews, and the DVD itself is reportedly blessed (not so sure about the Blu-ray, though). I obviously can’t confirm any of this, but it’s fun to think that a scary movie can be so well made that it starts to affect real life, even if only because the story freaked out the folks who were working on it.
In any case, even after 10 years, this gem of a movie is just as effective now as it was on release, not only as a horror experience but as a nuanced take on morality and faith. That ending might not please everyone, but I still think this is worth a watch even if you’re tired of Exorcism movies. Just be sure to hang a crucifix somewhere before pressing play. Just in case.
Five decades ago, Stephen King published the story of a bullied girl with telekinetic powers and forever changed the world of horror.
Carrie follows a high school misfit who seeks revenge for a hideous prank by psychically destroying her senior prom. The name Carrie White has become synonymous with the concept of a formal dance thanks to a flawless adaptation from Brian De Palma. Now fifty years after the film’s release, Mike Flanagan is putting his own stamp on the troubling story.
Rather than a feature film, the writer/director will expand King’s relatively slim debut novel into an eight-episode miniseries for Amazon Prime set to premiere on October 7.
Flanagan is no stranger to the world of Stephen King. A long-time Constant Reader, he first made waves with his daring adaptation of Gerald’s Game (2017), a novel many fans considered un-filmable. His underrated Doctor Sleep merges the disparate plot of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining with King’s original source material, and his 2024 genre-bending tearjerker The Life of Chuck faithfully executes one of the author’s most metaphysical novellas.
He’s currently mired in pre-production for an expansive adaptation of The Dark Tower series, keystone to King’s connected universe, and Warner Bros. recently announced that Flanagan will helm a new version of The Mist, King’s 1980 novella which sees a small Maine town overrun by otherworldly monsters.
Considering the vast array of the author’s previously unadapted material, an obvious question arises. Why reimagine Carrie in 2026? Noting the timeless nature of the content, Flanagan expressed his desire to bring the story of a bullied girl into modern times, mirroring his approach to Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher. He explained, “The only way to approach it was to build something new out of the ingredients of Carrie. Otherwise, there’s really no purpose in trying to retread ground that’s been so beautifully walked before.”
His miniseries will maintain the novel’s bloody bookends while delivering “big surprises” along the way.
A New Prom Night Nightmare
The roughly 60-second teaser introduces Summer H. Howell as Carrie White just before the moment of catastrophe. Standing in a prom dress, she smiles at her applauding classmates with an ominous crown perched upon her head. Moments later, Carrie unleashes a rage-filled scream into the night air while promgoers rush for the exit doors. But careful examination of this scene shows Carrie wearing a different, albeit dirty dress as she seems to telekinetically punish her peers.
In an exclusive first look with Entertainment Weekly, Flanagan explains that in his version of the story, “the events of that prom are going to be completely different.” An open trunk emitting a crimson glow does hint at the pig’s blood dumped on Carrie’s head, but it’s likely Flanagan’s formal dance will be a different kind of horror altogether. Despite these changes, the series may end with the widespread destruction outlined in the source material. Unlike any previous adaptations, King’s novel ends with the near-total destruction of Chamberlain, Maine. A flaming street in Flanagan’s trailer promises similar carnage no matter what prank sparks Carrie’s deadly revenge.
The Monstrous Addition of Social Media
On the opposite end of this fiery conclusion is an extreme act of bullying that brings together the story’s main cast. King’s novel begins as Carrie gets her first period while showering in the girls’ locker room. Completely unaware of the concept of menstruation, the sheltered girl thinks she’s bleeding to death. Her classmates respond with vitriolic rage. Led by ultra-mean girl Chris Hargensen (Alison Thornton), they mock the terrified teen while pelting her with tampons. Glimpses of this disturbing event reveal that Flanagan has excised the scene’s nudity while adding a seismic update. As Carrie sobs in the shower stall, Chris and her friends film the breakdown with their phones.
Other scenes note the presence of social media, bringing King’s fifty-year-old story into the digital age.
Flanagan’s adaptation promises to explore the destructive power of social media, an often invisible entity with a potential for harm rivaling Carrie’s own powers. While King’s tormented heroine suffers in front of a small group of girls, Flanagan’s version of the incident will likely become a viral video, potentially circling the globe on social media. Similar to Katt Shea’s criminally underrated The Rage: Carrie 2, which includes elements of revenge porn exploitation, Flanagan’s modern retelling will distinguish itself by exploring the nebulous cruelty of online bullying, a force ten times more powerful than the irl pranks King first envisioned.
A Completely Reimagined White Family
In addition to modernizing these canon events, Flanagan hints at updates to Carrie’s oppressive upbringing at the hands of her mother, Margaret White (Samantha Sloyan). Dead before the novel begins, we never meet Carrie’s domineering father Ralph, known to carry a bible alongside his gun. Flanagan’s White household will be an altogether different beast. In his version of the story, Carrie and her mother have been hidden away in the unassuming home, forced out of hiding by Ralph’s unexpected death. Perhaps we will finally meet this elusive man whose shadow hangs over his wife and child. Considering the White family’s fundamentalist lifestyle, this reimagining hints at tradwife culture and a home ruled by staunch patriarchal control.
Whereas King’s Carrie has been tormented by her classmates since Kindergarten, Flanagan’s Carrie will be a wide-eyed newcomer to public school, eager to make friends and engage with her peers. We glimpse Carrie cozying up to Chris and the equally popular Sue Snell (Siena Agudong) as she navigates a new social scene. Of course, we know this kindness is part of an elaborate plot designed to lull Carrie into a false sense of camaraderie, setting up an atrocious act of public humiliation. These brief moments of feigned compassion put Sue’s own complicity into question. Will Flanagan’s version of the character find the courage to defend Carrie from vicious bullies or will she succumb to peer pressure and join in the mob mentality?
Perhaps the biggest deviation from King’s original text is the relationship between Carrie and her mother. King’s Margaret White is a horrifically abusive religious zealot whose worldview has been hardened by internalized misogyny. She shames Carrie for menstruating, locks her in a closet to “pray,” and regrets not killing her child in infancy. She’s also responsible for Carrie’s social ostracization. Known to berate her neighbors for their “sins,” Margaret forces her daughter to live by an extreme code of conduct and disallows any potential friends lest they corrupt the girl with their worldly ways.
Flanagan’s version of the character is perhaps just as much a victim as Carrie herself. Also trapped inside her home, his Margaret is overly vigilant, her own trauma manifesting as strict control. Describing a more sympathetic depiction of the iconic villain, Flanagan explains, “Our Margaret White is a woman who fiercely loves her daughter and wants to protect her from this world … [She] doesn’t know how to do that and thinks the way to protect her is to close her off; not punitively, but to create this private utopia.”
Despite this potential softening, Sloyan’s Margaret may still have a sharp edge. Though she has appeared in many Flanagan projects, from Hush (2016) to The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), she is best known for her role as the abhorrent Bev Keane in the poignant saga Midnight Mass (2021). Perhaps inspired by King’s Margaret White, Bev is pious and sadistic, willing to punish anyone who does not adhere to her warped approximation of Catholicism.
Flanagan specifically wrote Margaret with Sloyan in mind, likely remembering the actress’s eerie ability to create deceptive empathy and shift our allegiances on a dime.
Expanding Stephen King’s Telekinetic Universe
While most of King’s story deals with an unthinkable prom night in Chamberlain, Maine, large sections of the semi-epistolary novel see experts debating the nature of telekinesis. Do Carrie’s frightening abilities represent a new phase in human evolution or is the prom night carnage merely a fluke? King settles the debate with a shocking denouement in which a young mother recounts her infant daughter’s ability to dangle her crib toys in midair. We’re left to wonder if she will become another tormented girl who surprises the world with metaphysical strength.
Flanagan plans to build out this brief scene while amplifying themes of female empowerment. After introducing our main cast of characters, episode two will open with an unrelated story in which we meet another girl with the TK gene. Each subsequent chapter will expand this world, building out a roster of telekinetic young women. Considering King’s fondness for stories about powerful kids, often described as possessing “the shining,” Constant Readers will no doubt have their eyes peeled for various Easter Eggs nodding to the author’s vast catalogue.
Giving Carrie Her Own Voice
Perhaps the most striking distinction in Flanagan’s new trailer is the extent to which we hear Carrie’s voice. The sneak peek is fully narrated by the titular prom queen as she demands accountability. “I want to know why,” she explains while detailing Chris’ elaborate plan. Aside from the aforementioned coda, King’s book essentially ends with the aftermath of the prom night tragedy, leaving little time for Carrie to reflect. His shifting narrative does bring the reader into her fragile mind, though not before she’s been cowed by relentless cruelty. We watch Carrie sink into bloodthirsty revenge, but never hear a considered desire for justice or repair.
Flanagan’s original monologue allows Carrie to voice her pain and mourn the life she could have had. We’re also treated to a mug shot-style photo of Chris with a bruised and bandaged face, implying that the mean girl will have to answer for her senseless sadism.
Flanagan is known for filling his series adaptations with heartwrenching speeches that cut to the heart of his thematic intentions, and this teaser seems to follow suit. After years of fans, critics, and scholars analyzing Carrie’s pain, perhaps his modern retelling will offer the titular anti-hero a chance to finally speak for herself.
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