30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
MOVIE REVIEW: We decide if you should feel compelled to watch exorcism-themed horror 'Shadow of God'
Wastes its genre-flipping premise and several actors we've seen do much better work.
Exorcism-flavoured movies are a dime a multitude of dozens and while Shadow of God attempts to flip some of the genre tropes on their swivelled heads, it largely fails miserably.
Mark O'Brien stars as Mason Harper, an elite exorcist with a troubled childhood who suspects the entity he is doing battle with might be a holy being rather than something demonic.
If that sounds like an interesting take on the genre then you'll be even more disappointed by director Michael Peterson (Knuckleball) and writer Tim Cairo's execution of the material.
Much of what they present to us, particularly during the final third, makes little sense.
There's some sort of group-wide conspiracy at play but it's never clear exactly why they are doing what they are up to - or who is leading the show.
O'Brien (Ready or Not) tries his best to embody his character with mistrust and grit on a downtrodden path but his lack of passion sometimes comes across as boredom and you are never fully behind his quest for answers.
Speaking of bored, Shaun Johnston feels like he is sleepwalking his way through his turn as Mason's dad Angus.
Jacqueline Byers (Tanis), who starred in her own religious horror, 2022's Prey for the Devil, is given such short story shrift, she could be cut from the film altogether and it wouldn't make much of a difference.
Josh Cruddas is no stranger to offbeat roles but his presence here enters unintentionally hilarious territory.
Peterson's visuals are very hit-and-miss; some are creative and interesting while others are bizarre and quite cheap looking.
He should have made greater use of the well-rendered practical effects over the distinctly dismal CGI.
Bungling an intriguing main central premise and wasting several actors we've seen do much better work, Shadow of God should've been doused in holy water before its creative team felt compelled to get their hands on it.
● Do you have any favourite exorcism-themed horror flicks?
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● Shadow of God is available to stream now on Shudder.
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