Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

The Devil Inside

MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for disturbing violent content and grisly images, and for language including some sexual references.

Reviewed by: Steve Warburton
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Supernatural-Horror Thriller
Length: 1 hr. 23 min.
Year of Release: 2012
USA Release: January 6, 2012
DVD: May 15, 2012
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Relevant Issues
Copyright, Paramount Insurge, Insurge Pictures

demons in the Bible

Satan / Devil

Is Satan a real person that influences our world today? Is he affecting you? Answer

exorcism / exorcist

self mutilation (cutting) due to demonic possession

SELF-MUTILATION—Help for Cutters (and others who self-injure in some way)

supernatural events

“holy” water

SUICIDE—What does the Bible say? Answer

If a Christian commits suicide, will they go to Heaven? Answer

child in peril

Roman Catholicism / Catholic priests / Vatican City

baptism

mental hospitals

murder

death in the Bible

final judgment

prayer

mother daughter relationship

FILM VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer

Featuring Fernanda Andrade … Isabella Rossi
Simon Quarterman … Father Ben Rawlings
Evan Helmuth … Father David Keane
See all »
Director William Brent Bell
Producer Automatik Entertainment
Creative Artists Agency
Lorenzo di Bonaventura … executive producer
See all »
Distributor Paramount Insurge
Insurge Pictures

“No soul is safe.”

I seem to be the reviewer of choice when it comes to “found footage” themed movies that deal with exorcism. I’ve already reviewed “The Last Exorcism,” and now “The Devil Inside,” which is about a young Mexican woman who is trying to deal with her mother’s demonic possession. When the film opens, we learn that the mother killed three priests in a failed exorcism. She is now confined to a mental institution, and the Vatican isn’t willing to perform another exorcism on her. So our heroine goes to an exorcism school, where she meets two young priests who disagree with the pontiff’s stance.

We learn that demons can jump from one person to another. We also learn that all of the people involved in this exorcism have less than rosy pasts. The old Catholic church might have called this “unconfessed mortal sin.” And make no mistake, Catholicism plays a big role in this movie.

And you know… despite all the profanity and violence, what offended me the most was that Catholic ritual is portrayed as the only way to deal with demonic possession. I don’t think this stands up Biblically. We sola scriptura Protestants would say that all you need is to confess your sins before the Lord and then exorcise those demons in the name of Jesus.

Now, I’m not big on devil stuff. I hope I never witness a live exorcism, and I take offense to Christian ministers (or charlatans) who make money off of telling their devil horror stories to gullible audiences.

Having said that, I can’t recommend “The Devil Inside” to Christian audiences. It has a depressing and unsatisfying ending, and we learn nothing worthwhile from this movie. There’s no reason to see it.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Heavy / Sex/Nudity: Minor

DEMON POSSESSION and Influence—Can Christians be demon possessed? In what ways can Satan and his demons influence believers? Answer

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—“The Devil Inside” was an excellent movie. …Exorcism is an essential part of the ordained priest‘s ministry and always has been. …Do you think the devil is sweet and cordial? Naaaaaa he’s a violent, cruel deceitful, lustful maniac who in the movie was portrayed more subtly than he really is guaranteed. Don’t you get the spiritual war above you?
My Ratings: Moral rating: none / Moviemaking quality: 5
Manda, age 37 (Canada)

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