The scariest exorcism movies

Key Takeaways

• Exorcism movies still inspire fear, even though horror trends are changing.
• Unique twists on exorcism stories like “The Rite” provide fresh horror.
• Movies like “The Conjuring” brilliantly blend horror and exciting storytelling.

It's not as popular in the horror genre as it used to be, and even though it's changed a lot over the years, the idea of ​​exorcism is still as terrifying as ever. As filmmakers continue to find ways to create unique versions of possession stories, the subgenre of demonic horror continues to bring great scares and thrills.

Although some of the early exorcism-related movies aren't as scary as they used to be, there are still plenty of great, scary movies from past decades and recent years. Exorcisms may not be everyone's cup of tea, but they can be a great storytelling device and have created some of the most fear-inducing scenes and moments in film history.

8 consciousness

When Someone Actually Seeks Exorcism

• Release date: January 28, 2011
• Starring: Colin O'Donoghue, Anthony Hopkins, Ciaran Hinds
• Directed by: Ole Bornedal
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 22%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 40%

Even if it doesn't get good reviews from critics consciousness It was a scary movie that took a different direction on the exorcism genre. Instead of depicting someone being haunted and later possessed by a demonic entity; consciousness It focuses on an American who travels to Italy to learn more about exorcism and believes it is fake.

What he discovers and what the audience sees is truly shocking. consciousness The film is a great example of a twist on the traditional Exorcist movie formula, and has great rewatchable quality thanks to Anthony Hopkins playing the veteran Exorcist in another great horror film. consciousness It has remained relevant in the genre even after many years.

7 possession

A box of fear that is captivating you

• Released: August 30, 2012
• Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick, Madison Davenport
• Directed by: Ole Bornedal
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 39%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 48%

It's not often that a horror film is based on a news article, but an infamous post about Dybbuk in the LA Times in 2004 was the inspiration. possession. When a young girl discovers and purchases a mysterious box at a garage sale, it begins to produce strange effects and her father realizes that something terrifying has been unleashed within.

Putting a Dybbuk back in its crate is not considered the same as an exorcism, but there are similarities as well as features of possession itself. possession It can be seen as an exorcism movie. Not only that, but scenes like opening the box remain so horrific that possession It's unforgettable with some truly creepy demonic features that at times feel like a demonic horror game.

6 save us from evil

New York cops battle a demonic mystery

• Released: July 2, 2014
• Starring: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez, Olivia Munn
• Director: Scott Derrickson
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 30%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 42%

Although not properly reviewed, save us from evil It remains one of the scariest exorcism and demonic horror films released in the last decade. Eric Bana is a police officer who investigates strange incidents around New York that appear to be linked to demonic events.

Instead of children or families moving to a new home, save us from evil The devil has his sights set on the world and the police are as terrified as anyone facing such a thing. Due to the constant jump scares and real threats. save us from evil It has a tense atmosphere and all the other hallmarks of a truly scary experience. The thrilling final exorcism sequence capped a film that spanned the length and breadth of the city and gave viewers a mystery worth solving.

5 The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Exorcism rituals taken to court still filled with fear

• Released: September 9, 2005
• Starring: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott
• Director: Scott Derrickson
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 45%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 60%

Packing exorcisms and demonic attacks into an entire world can be difficult because it makes it feel less realistic. This is one of the reasons why in movies these events are often confined to a single building. but, The Exorcism of Emily Rose Boldly manages to terrify the audience while challenging everything about these scary events in a court battle.

After a pastor performed a church-sanctioned exorcism on a woman but she still died, he faces court on charges of culpable homicide. While the court case is the framing story, most of the runtime is the story of the exorcism, told through flashbacks that are creepy and make everything even scarier, with flashes of a much more subdued story being told throughout the case. The Exorcism of Emily Rose It's an original concept and a scary movie worth exploring.

4 wailing

A remote Korean village and complete horror

• Released: May 12, 2016
• Cast: Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jun-min, Cheon Woo-hee
• Director: Na Hong-jin
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 99%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 81%

There are many great foreign films featuring exorcism and the devil, but wailing It might be the best of them all. Police arrive in a remote village in South Korea. An epidemic broke out there and all the villagers were taken captive. Not only is this a far cry from most common exorcism movie plots, but it may also be a completely unique idea that brings plot ideas from vampire or zombie movies into the realm of the devil.

When a police officer's daughter begins to contract the plague, a mystery is created involving the man or entity causing the plague and starting a race against time. wailing It's an absolute masterpiece of the exorcism genre, and a terrifying, oppressive feeling permeates the entire runtime, as the feeling of impending doom for the entire town underpins many unsettling moments.

3 exorcist

The original masterpiece is still a worthy scaremonger today

• Released: December 26, 1973
• Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair
• Director: William Friedkin
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 78%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 87%

This film may not have been the first demonic horror film, but it is often credited with being the first film to feature an exorcism. exorcist It was given multiple sequels and reimagined by many, but it never quite matched the horror that inspired audiences at the time, seeing a young girl slowly being overtaken by a demonic presence.

Young girl Riggan exhibits increasingly worrying behavior to the dismay of her actress mother, and a priest facing a crisis of faith begins to realize that he may need to step in and help along with a professional exorcist. exorcist While it doesn't retain all of the terrifying quality it had when it was released 50 years ago, it's still full of scares and an unsettling soundtrack and remains one of the best horror movies of all time.

2 final exorcism

• Released: August 27, 2010
• Starring: Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Barr
• Director: Daniel Stamm
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 71%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 35%

A pastor who has been performing exorcisms for years seeks to prove that these acts are in fact fake by having a documentary crew film him while he performs what he calls his final exorcism. Found-footage horror has come and gone as a fad several times over the years, but it rarely covers anything quite like exorcism.

final exorcism There are plenty of spine-chilling jump scares and terrifying depictions of possession that will have viewers gripping their seats in the final act. At every moment, unexpected things happen and it is filled with all kinds of horrors. final exorcism It's a particularly scary ride that audiences will want to return to, but aren't sure they can handle it all again.

1 conjuring

The ultimate tale of demonic horror

• Released: July 19, 2013
• Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Lili Taylor
• Director: James Wan
• Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 86%
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 83%

The story of the Warrens, real-life demon investigators who worked for decades around the world, is fascinating. The genius of having calm moments, charming moments, and normal family life that makes fans feel connected to both the Warren family and the extended Perron family. conjuring Arguably one of the best horror movies of all time.

Not only was the story incredible and the cases compelling, but the cast overall was genius, and references to other Warren cases, like the Annabelle doll, immediately led to a huge franchise of these films. conjuring It sets and sticks to the rules for demons, presents scary scenes like clapping games and various nocturnal jump scares, and leaves its mark on the viewer, helping maintain the kind of rewatchability that most horror films can't manage. conjuringThe exorcism scene ends up on many lists of the scariest exorcism movies of all time, and even the best exorcism movies of all time.