Here’s a movie I respect the hell out of yet didn’t enjoy watching much at all. It’s a movie about demonic possession that somehow – somehow! – doesn’t follow the standard-issue plot requirements of the genre. There isn’t a family member that’s possessed and somebody goes seeking a priest to help. No… this film follows a different path and avoids a lot of (but not all of) the genre clichés.

I just wish it was a better movie.

The Old Ways follows an American reporter who goes down to Mexico to investigate something she’d been warned against. Before you can say “oops, how’d this demon get in me?” she is kidnapped by some locals who are very sure she’s got a demon in her. The grandmother knows The Old Ways and will work to exorcise that demon right out of her hair. She has to escape… or possibly start to believe.

The film just takes a different approach to this material than I expected. It’s as much a journey of self-reflection and improvement as it is film about slavering demons. Seems the reporter is a bit of a drug addict too… and, pro-tip, when they are accusing you of having a demon inside, maybe don’t shoot up today.

Unfortunately, the movie is just not that well made. It’s a bit too slow and seems to have a natural ending that the film blows right past and keeps going. Leads to a pretty cool moment, sure, and has to happen to reach the movie’s logical conclusion… but it just felt drawn out. I get they need to do all this for the story to have a satisfying conclusion, but it’s just not filmed with enough craft to make it interesting.

It’s unfortunate… this isn’t a terrible film, but it’s a very disappointing one. Wish I could recommend it but the movie fights against me. Maybe something there to look at though if you have the patience… and maybe you’ll just find a better film than I did.

Score: 71