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    This movie did have potential, but unfortunately it suffers from a lot of problems that would've been hard to avoid.  First of all, they pick a story line that has been explored in maybe not the exact same way, but certainly similar ways in many movies.  One of those just happens to be considered a classic, The Exorcist.   I mean, there's an exorcism scene, the girl levitates, she's got creepy looking demon-like dude inside of her, you've got a priest asking to be taken in by the spirit and letting the girl go, two main priests (one representing old thinking and one representing new), you've got mother in Exorcist and mother-like best friend in this movie.   C'mon!!!  If you don't want to be compared to the Exorcist then you should come up with a more original story line.

   Okay, so that's one problem that would've been hard to avoid unless they just decided to pick a whole new plot.  Ok, another:  They did try to differ from The Exorcist by making the girl older but then the writers decide to put a kind of love interest in there which I noticed made the audience  a little uneasy / queezy.  Most of the audience wasn't intrigued by the torment inside the church, most were repelled.

   Ok, problems that could've been helped.  The movie was slow and the cinematography was a little over the top and ended up becoming very distracting.   It was helpful at times and would've been nice if it wasn't so overdone.   Also, the movie was a little chaotic.  Whenever the story became interesting the freaky camera work set in and rapid editing made it aggravating.  Then, when the movie wasn't doing something like this it was the complete opposite...too slow.

   So, how did it manage to pull a two?  Although the movie is predictable and you can basically figure out what's going on and the big picture early on, it's still and interesting story.  Also, the acting is not bad at all.  In fact, this is one of the first movies where I can remember REALLY liking Gabriel Byrne.  He picks good movies but I've never thought the was a shining quality.  However, I thought he was very good.  I also think that Patricia Arquette did a good job.   I thought she was appropriately cast.  Both leads were.  Gabriel Byrne was a good choice for upper class/pious type and Patricia for the lower class-younger age group girl.

   The movie is kind of interesting and starts off very intense.  I does drop off more at the end and get kind of cheesey including a walk through the fire scene that was just a little too much for me to handle.  Then this movie has probably the biggest let down for a conclusion...nothing.  What the heck.  We get girl walking through the garden mirrored by the statue of a saint.  Um, ok.

  Basically this movie could've been a lot worse but it could've been a lot better.  The things besides acting that I found appealing had been done already so this movie doesn't win a whole lot for creativity.  I'd wait for rent, if that.