MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM (REVIEW)

Dir. Damon Thomas

Reviewer. Martyn Wakefield

MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM takes a long time to get to it's titular scene and in that build up gives us plenty of teen drama and romanticised 80s high school high jinx but unfortunately just falls flat.

I'm evidently not the target audience and it would be interesting to see a teen girls view of this but tagged with a 15 age rating it feels like a less funny version of MEAN GIRLS with a horror twist. Despite some smirk inducing dialogue, the film really drags to it's conclusion and rather than build the tension throughout, it simply seems as though the end game is forgotten in favour of some teen drama. It's difficult in a world of STRANGER THINGS how teens would react to the blissful innocents that 80's films had, and as such an act will be perceived and truthfully I hope the film finds an audience, but those seeking an edgy, or even nostalgic comedy horror are better matched with WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS or THE FINAL GIRLS.

What's more disappointing is the prospect of what could have been from Damon Thomas. His resumé includes the BBC modernisation of DRACULA as well as KILLING EVE so how this came about is a mystery more intriguing than the film's contents. Surely, the nature for the subject should have been handed to someone relates to the source.

Despite a nicely edited hallway scene early on, there's little here for horror fans who haven't seen it done before and done much better. It's unfortunate that this is neither scary, or funny.