The writers Shyam Menon and Deepu Pradeep devote an entire murder mystery subplot that takes up a chunk of the film's first half to put two simple plot points across. The first is that Fr. Carmen Benedict (the character Mammootty plays in the film) is a parapsychologist, and the second is that the bigger threat here is Ameya (Baby Monica), an 11-year-old orphan (which we sense the moment we see her!). Yet, I'd still say the first half is more interesting than the second. The latter half delves into possession, exorcism, and what-not in a manner that doesn't surprise us one bit. Also, Manju Warrier's role is terribly underwritten. It's difficult to categorize this film by genre, as it desperately tries to amp up the thrill factor but also focuses on predictable horror tropes. I don't think I'll fancy a second watch of The Priest ever, even if there are a couple of redeeming qualities like the watered-down superstar-isms and Baby Monica's creepy performance.
