The Exorcist is the most iconic horror film of all time. Although it's rife with controversial takes on Christianity and organized religion in general, it still holds a special place in the hearts of genre fans and film buffs. And while I think The Exorcist 3 and the Fox TV series are excellent sequels, I seem to be in the minority. Because of this, the sequel, The Exorcist: Believer, and The Exorcism, which offers an intimate look at the creation of William Friedkin's classic from the perspective of the real-life son of the actor who played Father Damian Karras, were roundly rejected by audiences and critics. This didn't deter filmmakers from exploring the connection between the divine and the supernatural, and even The Conjuring franchise enjoyed great commercial success, despite being derivative and repetitive.
Shadow of God attempted to do something different in this subgenre. Michael Peterson's Shadow of God, written by Tim Cairo, introduces us to an exorcist named Mason Harper dealing with a demonic possession in Guadalajara, Mexico. The situation quickly escalates, and Mason's assistant dies after being thrown across the room by the entity that possessed the wheelchair-bound girl. This violent incident forces the exorcist to return to his hometown in southern Alberta. While waiting for his former love, Tanis Green, to pick him up at the bus stop, Mason seemingly witnesses the ghost of his late father, Angus Harper, jumping off a bridge.
Director: Michael Peterson
Writer: Tim Cairo
Stars: Mark O'Brien, Jacqueline Byers, Shaun Johnston
He dismisses the vision as a mere figment of his imagination and goes to settle into his old home. But that's when his world is turned upside down when the local police drop off a man, who looks like a resurrected Angus, on Mason's doorstep. As Mason tries to make sense of the situation, a cult led by Beau approaches the newly reunited father-son duo with sinister intentions. Oh, and Lucifer is in on it too. The Shadow of God is primarily about religious fanaticism and how, if left unchecked, it can turn a seemingly quaint town into a fascist hellhole where people can be punished and even killed for the slightest "mistake."
Cairo also shows the scars, both physical and psychological, that children born into hyper-religious homes carry throughout their lives, and how devotion cannot be an excuse for irresponsible parenting. But then Lucifer and God enter the picture, and the narrative focuses on daddy issues. Without giving away any major spoilers, Cairo uses the tense relationship between Mason, Lucifer, and their respective fathers to take the aforementioned familial themes to the next level. So, yes, the film could have simply been a realistic drama, with some religious teachings, about Mason and Angus coming to some kind of understanding. However, when you see this playing out alongside the struggle between Lucifer and God, almost the entire complex father-son dynamic takes on a biblical, slightly cosmic significance. And the creative choices Cairo employs to solve these complex problems are simply breathtaking. Forgive me if I sound vague, but at the risk of seeming repetitive, I try not to spoil the third act.
Visually, The Shadow of God oscillates between decent and absolutely masterful. It has that blurry "digital look" that I detest. There are some visual effects that make this film look like an episode of Supernatural. And there aren't enough memorable images in the first two acts to make a lasting impact. It's passable if you're in a forgiving mood. However, in the third act, Peterson gives the film a boost and takes it from average to phenomenal. There's a shot of a huge black cross in a completely white void, with Mason emerging from it, that blew me away.
The first conversation between Lucifer and Mason reminded me of Mandy and Jeremiah's hypnotic interaction in Mandy. I really enjoyed the final act, which makes a great reference to Raiders of the Lost Ark. I'm sure many will laugh at the visual effects and computer-generated animation in that sequence, but I found it oddly appropriate, as the overall strangeness heightened the feeling of being confronted with something incomprehensible. Furthermore, all of this made me wonder why certain filmmakers, incapable of creating frames as powerful as those of Peterson, cinematographer David Baron, production designer Myron Hyrak, and the rest of the crew, continue to receive a budget ten times larger than this film.
The performances of the cast of The Shadow of God are brilliant. Mark O'Brien, constantly smoking while performing an exorcism, reminded me a bit of Keanu Reeves's Constantine. His portrayal of fear, anxiety, and apprehension is very subtle. But then, when he has to take a risk in the final act, he gives it his all. Jacqueline Byers is excellent, though she doesn't get much screen time to truly demonstrate her acting talent. Shaun Johnston is despicable and heartbreaking.
Adrian Hough is downright chilling. However, not as much as Josh Cruddas. There's a YouTube channel called Pancake (at the time of writing, it has a picture of a dog as its profile picture) that chronicles the best portrayals of the devil in movies and TV. Since I found Cruddas's version of Lucifer quite effective, I think he should be on that list. He really does look like a snake trying to pass himself off as a human; he's splendid. Sofia Skates, Barb Mitchell, and the rest of the supporting cast are excellent. Also, a round of applause for all the specialists, because while they get their due in action films, they tend to be overlooked in horror.
Shadow of God is definitely worth seeing, especially for the third act. I know I've already set high expectations for it, but I don't regret it at all. I hope this film is seen by a lot of people so that investors and producers receive the necessary support to back artists like Michael Peterson. I don't want us to find ourselves in a situation like The Exorcist: Believer, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, or Apartment 7A.
I understand that audiences and algorithms reward franchises these days, but that doesn't mean projects have to be devoid of artistic talent. I pray for the day when, in addition to Peterson, Andrew Baird (Sunrise), Sasha Rainbow (Grafted), Brandon Espy (Mr. Crocket), Alberto Corredor (Baghead), and Liam Gavin (A Dark Song) get the support they deserve to give us modern classics in the vein of The Exorcist. By the way, if you’re looking for non-North American films that focus on exorcism, I highly recommend Vash (again, don’t watch the Bollywood remake), Manichitrathazhu (you can watch the Bollywood remake, but not its sequels), Phenomena, and one of my all-time favorite films, Exhuma.
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