La Exorcista

Although there are quite a few exorcism-themed movies around, only a handful are probably worth your while. I must admit to enjoying a good exorcism movie, but only if it's done right. Since La Exorcista was an official selection at the SITGES 2022 International Fantastic Film Festival, I had high hopes that this movie would be at least fairly enjoyable.

Director Adrian Garcia Bogliano has made an effort to dispose of many of the genre tropes, such as avoiding a single location narrative and the typical male priest vs. Possessed female. This gives La Exorcista a slightly fresh(er) dynamic. The excellent María Evoli stars, which is also quite exciting as I have been a fan of her performances since seeing We Are The Flesh (2016). And once again, her performance here is immaculate and involving, carrying the film for the entire runtime.

The effects in La Exorcista vary from great to slightly wonky, with mostly the CGI being the offender. However, there are some really creepy visuals throughout with some innovative sequences, such as when a possessed woman emulates a snake and slithers into the darkness. It was such a WTF moment, I had to replay it again.

Overall, La Exorcista offers an atmospheric good time for horror fans and María Evoli is also quickly becoming a genre favourite.