Prey for the Devil
Genres Horror ,Mystery ,Thriller
Directors Daniel Stamm
Writer Robert Zappia
Country United States
Votes 19991
Rating 5.3
IMDBID tt9271672
Runtime 93
Languages English
Release 28 Oct, 2022
Cast Jacqueline Byers ,Colin Salmon ,Christian Navarro ,Lisa Palfrey ,Nicholas Ralph
Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers) believes she is answering a calling to be the first female exorcist... but who, or what, called her? In response to a global rise in demonic possessions, Ann seeks out a place at an exorcism school reopened by the Catholic Church. Until now these schools have only trained priests in the Rite of Exorcism - but a professor (Colin Salmon) recognizes Sister Ann's gifts and agrees to train her. Thrust onto the spiritual frontline with fellow student Father Dante (Christian Navarro), Sister Ann finds herself in a battle for the soul of a young girl, who Sister Ann believes is possessed by the same demon that tormented her own mother years ago. Determined to root out the evil, Ann soon realizes the Devil has her right where he wants her.
CinemaSerf
Jacqueline Byers is "Sister Ann" - a troubled young nun whose relationship with her late, clinically diagnosed schizophrenic, mother has left her determined to take holy orders and to help other people with mental health disorders. She has a nursing position at a church hospital where the Catholic church - under the leadership "Fr. Quinn" (Colin Salmon) and psychiatrist "Dr. Peters" (Virginia Madsen) use scientific and ecclesiastic methods to treat their patients. The former leads their exorcism training regime and it to that that the nun is drawn. Her skills are initially tested when she has to try and deal with the apparent possession of the young "Natalie" (Posy Taylor) but that operation merely serves to open up an entire wardrobe of demons - including some very close to home for "Ann". Actually, the story here is not half bad - but the acting and the whole presentation of the film is seriously lacklustre. Sure, there are a few quite effective jump moments but as the story gathers pace it loses any semblance of plausibility. The writing clumsily muddles scripture and vernacular and the ending is really old hat. It has the ring of an over-stretched short story to it. It might almost have made for a decent "Tales of the Unexpected" forty-five minute television drama rather than dragging it out with loads of establishing shots of the rather nice building she works in and rain, lots and lots of rain! Saw it tonight in 100-seat cinema all by myself - I can't say I am surprised - this is really all rather poor.
posts by : CinemaSerfCinemaSerf
Jacqueline Byers is "Sister Ann" - a troubled young nun whose relationship with her late, clinically diagnosed schizophrenic, mother has left her determined to take holy orders and to help other people with mental health disorders. She has a nursing position at a church hospital where the Catholic church - under the leadership "Fr. Quinn" (Colin Salmon) and psychiatrist "Dr. Peters" (Virginia Madsen) use scientific and ecclesiastic methods to treat their patients. The former leads their exorcism training regime and it to that that the nun is drawn. Her skills are initially tested when she has to try and deal with the apparent possession of the young "Natalie" (Posy Taylor) but that operation merely serves to open up an entire wardrobe of demons - including some very close to home for "Ann". Actually, the story here is not half bad - but the acting and the whole presentation of the film is seriously lacklustre. Sure, there are a few quite effective jump moments but as the story gathers pace it loses any semblance of plausibility. The writing clumsily muddles scripture and vernacular and the ending is really old hat. It has the ring of an over-stretched short story to it. It might almost have made for a decent "Tales of the Unexpected" forty-five minute television drama rather than dragging it out with loads of establishing shots of the rather nice building she works in and rain, lots and lots of rain! Saw it tonight in a 100-seat cinema all by myself - I can't say I am surprised - this is really all rather poor.
posts by : CinemaSerfCharliehrnr06
To begin with this, I just want to ask this question, "how can anyone take this movie too serisouly?" After learning from a friend of mine that the exorcsim/demon possesion in real life isn't like that in real life at all, it is just a very dramtic effect that the westerns put to it. So after learning about that, I can't take this movie all too seriously. And if this movie said it was based on a true story, I would have my doubts about it. But it still doesn't make it not that scary!
posts by : Charliehrnr06JPV852
Pretty standard and forgettable possession-horror film, a genre I generally don't care for to begin with. There's not much here to distinguish from others from the dark lighting, okay make-up effects and average performances, though Jacqueline Byers was fine. This isn't something I'd ever revisit. **2.75/5**
posts by : JPV852