Asmodexia (2014)

That was an excellent one.

Simply A Masterpiece

Boring

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Eloy is a cult leader who travels by foot with his granddaughter Alba. They perform a 1 minute exorcism. They just know where to go. The time is right before 12/21/2012 the "end" time for the Mayan prophecy which is blended with Biblical prophecy. Meanwhile there is a woman in a mental institution with her sister, a policewoman who is investigating the strange occurrences. The weather is unseasonable warm as the world is about to "reverse" whatever that is.The film is pretty much as expected. Once we see the flashback film of the cult, we get a good idea what is going on. The twist at the end was not totally unexpected and it was a bit boring.Wasn't worth sitting through with subtitles.Guide: F-bombs. No sex or nudity. Some blood.

This very interesting Spanish exorcism story concerns Eloy de Palma (Lluís Marco) and his fifteen year-old grand-daughter Alba (Clàudia Pons), as they travel Barcelona where demonic possession is slowly spreading like a disease. Of course, we get our fair share of gut-wrenching screams and blank-eyed wailing - I'd be disappointed if we didn't, to be honest - but the story is a lot less predictable than many of the other 'Exorcist' variants that have done the rounds over the past few years. The possession seems to be attracted by the more vulnerable members of society - mental patients, drug addicts, the hospitalised etc.The thread that links the various exorcisms is the enigma of Alba herself. From the sweaty opening scenes, it is apparent there may well be something unusual about her, but this possibility is put to one side for much of the running time, although there are further hints to this effect.The very satisfying end which both solves that particular riddle, as well as the truth about her grandfather, is powerfully conveyed. This is Marc Carreté's debut as director (and co-writer), and hopefully his is a name we shall more from in the future. For the most part, he goes against the scare tactics, gore, sex and jump-scares of his associates in the field and the results are very refreshing, as well as dark and brooding. Producer and art designer Llorenç Mas must also get a mention, as must Jordi Dalmau who provides an excellent, sinister score.

The synopsis is actually very scant in that it basically said this was four days in the lives of two exorcists working in the Barcelona area; so a bit of Gaudi, God and Satan sort of thing - but no. It follows the story of Eloy and his granddaughter, Alba, and they at first appear impoverished but are on a foretold mission to save 'souls'. Now to say any more could reveal too much so that the slow feed of twists and revelations (no pun intended) are spoiled. I kept thinking I had it all worked out and each time I was left surprised.It is all acted exceptionally well and is obviously an indie effort but it does not really show. The locations are great too adding to the atmosphere of the piece. This is not a slasher though so please avoid if that is your thing. It also covers areas you would not have expected. I have to say I was really impressed with this – mostly in Spanish with good to OK sub titles this is one for folk who like things to be a bit different.

Since 2010 or so, exorcism horror movies appear to be totally hip again. Personally I have never been a big fan of this sub genre (and even think that some of the greatest classics are a tad bit overrated), so I couldn't yet bring myself to watch all those similar looking and clichéd sounding new titles like "The Last Exorcism", "The Possession", "The Devil Inside" or "The Rite". At this year's edition of the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Films, however, I was immediately intrigued by a modest and rather anonymous little Spanish effort entitled "Asmodexia". The poster art looks creepy, the title alone sounds intriguing already and – most of all – the plot appears to be more original and ambitious than the average "innocent young girl possessed by the devil" vehicle. Unusual as it may sound, debuting writer/director Marc Carreté comes up with the creative idea to blend the exorcism rites with a kind of road-movie concept and, moreover, even link it to the infamous 2012 Maya-predicted apocalypse. Elroy de Palma, formerly the leader of a creepy hippie cult, roams around the Barcelona area with his 15-year-old granddaughter Alba in order to perform exorcisms. The phenomenon of demonic possession strangely turned into a kind of virus that spreading fast, especially among the most vulnerable members of society like children, mental patients, and drug addicts. They are also pursued by wicked disciples of Elroy's old sect, and they are particularly interested in Alba's pure virgin soul. "Asmodexia" is an extremely tense thriller with a constantly grim atmosphere and an intelligent (albeit slightly too convoluted) screenplay. Several sequences (notably the ones shot inside the mental asylum) are disturbing and the finale is sublime and much more satisfying than any other exorcism-horror I've seen. The modestly budgeted film also benefices from slick and impressive camera-work and a moody soundtrack. There's also a more than decent amount of shocks and bloodshed, for the sick puppies among us, and the acting performances are very adequate. If you choose to watch your next exorcism-horror film, why not make it this Spanish one?