Demonic possession has been tackled time and again in films, with celebrated classics and modern masterpieces like The Exorcist and The Conjuring. In one way or another, this horror subgenre (or trope, depending on how one sees it, resonates with audiences; people are afraid that they will be “possessed” by something, be it negativity, addiction, anger, fear, or even an illness.
A film about possession can make people consider their own fears about what lives within them and how it can come to the surface. This list, to be a broader review of existing possession filmography, does not include the well-known aforementioned movies, but hidden gems of their kind.
10 The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (2005) - 44%
With this Tomatometer rating, Scott Derrickson’s horror movie scored poorly with critics, but the audience has given it a better score and it’s fair to say critics can be unjust.
The movie tells the story of a trial, with a Catholic priest - portrayed skillfully by Tom Wilkinson - being accused of negligent homicide, as he previously insisted on a series of exorcisms to combat a mysterious psychotic condition young student Emily Rose suffered from. An agnostic lawyer comes to work on the case, and the limits between faith, science and the paranormal become unclear. Erin (Father Moore’s lawyer), unable to find another defense, has to do the unthinkable: prove in court that demons are real.
9 Jennifer’s Body (2009) - 44%
This film is a brilliant example of Karyn Kusama's feminist genre film perspective. Starring Megan Fox in a role that really shows off her acting talent, this film is about Jennifer Check, a beautiful high-school student that becomes possessed by a demon.
Told also from the perspective of her best friend, Anita "Needy" Lesnicki (Amanda Seyfried), as she -years later- is locked up in an asylum, we follow Jennifer’s descent from normalcy into possession, murders, and mayhem until the audience discovers the terrifying secret of how she came to be possessed.
8 Prince Of Darkness (1987) - 58%
John Carpenter’s much celebrated return to horror movies seemed to not be very well taken by critics, considering this picture’s Tomatometer rating. The plot features a group of scientists, students, and a priest investigating an abandoned church and unleashing a great evil, which leaves the last survivors of the team on a mission to save humanity.
Some critics found the film a welcome return, while others thought the script was very badly written and the acting was inadequate, but the signature Carpenter aesthetic will leave any fan satisfied. The film features a surprising cameo of rock star Alice Cooper.
7 Demons (1985) - 60%
This Italian film directed by Dario Argento and others is set in a Berlin cinema, where the audience watches a quite disappointing horror film. However, the real horror is soon to happen when viewer after viewer transforms into a beast and the few human survivors have to fight against hordes of demons.
The critics had mixed feelings about the movie, as some found that the dialogues and screenwriting were very poor, while others considered it an entertaining film overall. It is definitely a worthy addition to Argento’s body of work and a staple of Italian horror cinema.
6 Ava’s Possessions (2015) - 64%
Rotten Tomatoes critics seemed to mildly appreciate this film, although just the premise itself is definitely worthy of praise. This Jordan Galland picture follows Ava, a young woman who has previously been possessed by a demon.
In the film universe, demonic possessions are believed to be a real phenomenon, therefore Ava participates in an intervention program and then tries to take her life back. While some critics found the film poorly written and generally flawed, others thought it an interesting and original take on a story told quite a lot of times.
5 The Last Exorcism (2010) - 72%
Loved by the critics of Rotten Tomatoes, this Daniel Stamm film is praised for its clever twists. The film adopts an interesting take on exorcism, as a minister agrees to participate in a documentary about his own past exorcisms, but at the same time receives a call for help by a farmer whose daughter is affected by a demonic possession.
Following the tradition of The Blair Witch Project, this movie’s found footage style fits perfectly with its premise of a possession documentary. The film grossed a staggering $67 million while it only cost $1.8 million and received the Best Horror award of the Empire magazine.
4 Luz (2018) - 86%
With a “Certified Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes rating, this movie is praised for its unique take on the possession subgenre and its sinister atmosphere. A production made in Germany, Tulman Singer’s Luz tells the story of a cab driver who gets in a car crash. Luz is hypnotized by a doctor to bring back memories of the previous night, but a demon she summoned in her past comes to possess the doctor.
The film was critically acclaimed for its experimental technique, but some critics found plot inconsistencies, while the audience seemed to moderately enjoy the film, considering the mixed reviews that exist online.
3 Possession (1981) - 86%
With an audience score of 79%, this is the most liked by the audience film of the list. Directed by Andrzej Zulawski, this co-production of France and West Germany has elements from the horror, psychological and drama genres. It tells the story of a woman who neglects both her husband and her lover, and also her child. She then becomes passionate about a strange creature with tentacles who lives in her house.
Isabelle Adjani gives a great performance as both the wife and her obedient and quiet double, who at some point appears in the house. The film received negative reviews at first, but it has grown to be a cult classic in Europe and has been definitely critically redeemed.
2 The House Of The Devil (2009) - 87%
With an original perspective on the haunted house story with simultaneous blasts from the past, this film has a “Certified Fresh” rating and is praised for its nostalgic homage style and insidious atmosphere.
The movie, directed by Ti West (You're Next), follows Samantha, a college student who accepts a job of caring for an old woman in a remote mansion, to encounter a series of alarming incidents and killings and finally be dragged in a demonic ritual. The film was critically acclaimed and won a Best Actress (Jocelin Donahue) and a Best Original Score award (Jeff Grace) at the 9th Screamfest Horror Film Festival.
1 The Taking Of Deborah Logan (2014) - 89%
Adam Robitel’s The Taking Of Deborah Logan is a found-footage film, which features a PhD student wishing to make a movie about Alzheimer’s disease. The student follows elderly sufferer Deborah Logan and her daughter, Sarah, but the findings become more and more alarming and it seems Alzheimer’s isn’t the only thing messing with Deborah Logan’s mind.
Most critics found that the film was very well-crafted and unsettling. What it definitely was is a clever and haunting allegory about Alzheimer’s and old age and how these are viewed in an unforgiving society.
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