When film history was made with the release of The Exorcist in 1973, scores of moviegoers, even non-believers, had the bejesus scared out of them, making any filmic exorcism infantile in comparison. The Last Exorcism is no exception.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 9, 2023

Meanwhile it binds and unbinds its damned skein, there is no one who can take away the 82 minutes of morbid entertainment. [Full review in Spanish]

| Jul 13, 2022

The prospect of journeying to Hell and back seems less daunting than sitting through another horror yarn made in the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project, but The Last Exorcism proves to be a pleasant surprise.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 26, 2021

...it's almost trite to say I don't need anything more than what The Exorcist has to offer...

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 20, 2021

A delightful blend of intelligence and suspense.

| Original Score: 3.0/4.0 | Sep 13, 2020

The best post-Exorcist exorcism movie has arrived.

| Apr 6, 2020

The movie has sympathy for its characters, exactly the right number of twists (not too many!), a terrific final image, and-maybe most importantly-a sense that life is baffling and desperate, but not meaningless.

| Jan 23, 2020

The film is worth a look just for the buildup. The payoff may not be what most are hoping for, but it is still good enough to satisfy fans of the genre.

| Original Score: B | May 9, 2019

It may seem churlish in this day and age to fault a film for being unoriginal and derivative, but unfortunately the many, many nods to The Exorcist overpowered the original, admirable elements of The Last Exorcism.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 5, 2018

I cannot emphasize enough how well-acted and gripping this film is. It may be marketed as a horror film, but it has the pacing and emotional intensity of a thriller.

| May 23, 2018

The film is at its most chilling, though, when considering the possibility for cruelty that is created when powerful emotions (grief, guilt) are coupled with devout belief.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 19, 2017

It all makes for interesting, and even terrifying, viewing at times. But it's not very smart and far too predictable.

| Original Score: B- | Sep 9, 2017

A bad 12 minutes before the credits is all it takes to undo the goodwill generated by a generally sturdy 74 minutes preceding.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Jan 2, 2016

The Last Exorcism is completely boring, devoid of any scares, tension or unease and has one of the worst endings ever. Avoid at all costs.

| Original Score: 2/10 | Nov 9, 2013

It's disappointing--if not exactly surprising--when at the halfway point the film turns into The Linda Blair Witch Project.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 13, 2013

A fairly absorbing pseudo-documentary demonic-possession flick with all the bodily contortions and jittery camerawork you'd expect.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 26, 2013

Even if you take "The Last Exorcism" on its own terms, you're going to be in for quite an uneventful movie.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 23, 2012

Its mature focus on characterization really sets the film apart.

| Feb 9, 2012

The seams are obvious in this faux documentary, but the thrills are fairly genuine.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Jan 16, 2011

If you make a film about exorcism, you better be ready to be compared to one of the best films ever made. Surprisingly, the film holds its own in that regard.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jan 11, 2011