I thought this was going to be bad (to be fair, I go in to all these horror movies expecting them to be just filled with cheap scares and no substance), but it wasn't as bad as I feared.
I am a fan of Eric Bana ever since his version of Hulk. That was his first lead in Hollywood after all. I am a fan of Olivia Munn so it's great to see her on the big screen again. And these two, especially Bana, were good in their roles.
I was also very impressed with Joel McHale even though his character was one dimensional. I loved how he brought his character to life and it's very different from what I usually see him on Community. Here, he looked tough and he's a wisecrack. Both worked in his favour very well.
And then there's my first experience with Edgar Ramirez. Knowing that director here, Scott Derrickson, wanted him back for Doctor Strange made me pay more attention on Ramirez. And I could see why. Ramirez's acting here was very good. He was grounded, intense and drew me in with his performance.
However, I prefer my horror movies to explain everything. Like the clawing, the lights, the dead body, and the way the child was thrown. Just to give reasons to actions. But all these were somewhat minor in the movie. And I know some people rather not have everything explained to them.
But finally, I saw why Marvel wanted Derrickson to direct Doctor Strange. Deliver Us From Evil wasn't a straight up horror. The story wasn't a fantastic one, there weren't any convoluted twists and turns. Heck, there wasn't even any special effects. But Derrickson made the movie more interesting than it really was.
He didn't employ many cheap scares, which I really appreciated. He didn't scare us with a lot of visuals, but he scared us with very simple ways that included everyday objects and the atmosphere he created. This is the kind of horror I appreciate; very story driven, beautiful visuals and horrifying effects achieved through a whole scene rather than things popping out of nowhere.
And that whole sequence in the final act, I was hooked throughout because Derrickson did it so well. It's something we've seen so many times and yet he took the intensity to another level.
If Doctor Strange is going to be in this kind of atmosphere, I am excited to see the outcome; and with Marvel's story to back it up.
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