‘Shadow Of God’ Review – An Abomination Of A Movie In Almost Every Sense

The challenge for any new film centering on exorcism is crafting a unique angle for the story. It is difficult to reinvent the wheel in a subgenre forever defined by movies like The Exorcist. The Exorcism of Emily Rose, as does even a more recent entry like The Pope’s Exorcist, comes to mind. Neither of these are The Exorcist, but they are not pretending to be. The point is that exorcism films are difficult to present, especially in the context of presenting anything out of the ordinary. This is sadly the case with Shadow of God. It is a film that bubbles with great potential but squanders it in a hymn of cliches, recycled plot points, and one-dimensional characters, leaving us feeling the need for our own exorcism to wash away the sin of this movie. 

The story begins with exorcist Mason Harper (Mark O’Brien) surviving a botched exorcism. Mason finds himself riddled by ghosts of the past and proceeds to return to his hometown for clarity. The botched exorcism results in the death of his fellow priest, and this situation weighs heavily on Mason. Upon returning home, he sees visions of his dead father (Shaun Johnston). However, the hallucinations are real, and it turns out his father is alive, or at least not dead. For added torture, a spirit now possesses his father, prompting Mason to perform an exorcism. Though prohibited from performing the act, Mason goes through with it and discovers the spirit he is confronting is of a divine nature.

Yes, possession is not the cause of a demon or evil spirit in this film, but God is the one causing the possession, allowing this film to subvert the usual expectations. Here, God is looking to cleanse the earth and, in doing so, must see it destroyed. It reverses the usual affair where the exorcist battles with a malevolent source. By subverting the trope, the film can do something provocative. Yet, the movie becomes too consumed with outdoing itself and injecting the usual dynamics that the premise is lost in the melee of crucifixes and holy water. 

Shadow of God runs for ninety minutes but casts a long shadow. I rarely find myself clock-watching, but in this case, the film and its plodding plot feel like we were being subjected to our damnation. At various points, I needed to begin jotting down notes, not reflecting but trying to keep myself on course. The story, despite some unique creations, is a whiplash. On the one hand, the film tells the story of an estranged father and son dealing with an exorcism. The element detailing Mason’s upbringing at the hands of his tumultuous and abusive zealot father is the movie’s strongest point. The problem is that these elements are dismissed in favor of small-town cults, the presence of Lucifer (Josh Cruddas), and the usual religious horror paraphernalia.

The cast does their best to make the shoddy material work. Mark O’Brien is compelling as a broken man, clinging to his faith even as the world around him no longer makes sense. There is tragic pathos to his story, stemming from his broken childhood and lingering traumas. The problem again here is that the movie cannot stay in a single lane. Once the exorcisms begin, his character becomes a quasi-action man. There are corny one-liners and cheesy effects that take away any element of mystery or lingering darkness.

The film tries. Moreover, it tries patience. Fear not for the uninitiated; this may be like other exorcism films. There are no chills in the cinema, save for a few more tragic flashbacks in the context of Mason’s upbringing. It is disappointing because Shadow of God starts with a unique premise: a botched exorcism and an exorcist presented with an unholy, holy challenge. Where it unravels is when it becomes nothing more than endless supernatural horror films, following in the shadows of the great innovators. 

Shadow of God is currently available to stream on Shudder.