“As a cop, I’ve always had a heavy hand.”

Story: NYC Cop Ralph Sarchie loves his job. So when he gets pulled into a case that feels like more than bargain basement bad guys? Local priest Mendoza tries to get Ralph to see that it’ll take more than handcuff to deal with this problem.

Scares: Creepy possession and “who’s next” vibes
Splat Factor:  Blood and bruises, war zones, dead bodies

Subgenre: Cops Meet True Evil™️
Year Released: 2014
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Loosely taken from the nonfiction book “Beware the Night” by Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Coo.

Trick or Treat?: Evil is definitely a “put your AV mode on Dynamic” kinda movie. It’s tough to see what’s going on during night scenes. The film does look good (y’know, once the brightness level is set.) You can see the budget onscreen. From gritty streets, to homes that feel lived in, to the well done practical FX.

Once you can see what’s going on though? It’s a creepy good time. Nothing you haven’t seen before in terms of basic storytelling, and LAWD jump scares are plentiful… But Evil is still fun thanks to great atmosphere and performances that are better than they have a right to be in a mid-budget shocker. Leads Eric Bana and Édgar Ramírez (as cop and priest respectfully) partner well together, and their buddy-cop vibe helps keep the story together. Even though at times even good acting can’t help things.

There’s a lot going on in Evil, and having so many plot threads makes this film feel overstuffed. At almost two hours, there are whole subplots that could have been excised to make a more coherent, effective story. You’d never notice the cuts; every single character here doesn’t need a full subplot. We’re watching a possession film, not an ensemble drama. When Evil does work, though? It’s a good time. There’s a scene where a Sean Harris’ Mick is exorcized, and it’s absolutely phenomenal. Harris is a great performer and Bana and Ramírez give him the space to let him work.

The second act climax could have been great, but cutting between two high tension scenes dulls the impact of both. So while you’ll have fun watching, this isn’t gonna linger long past the end credits.

Score: 3.5 out of 5 pumpkins.