The Deliverance (2024)

The Deliverance (2024)

As it is well known, there is a large variety of directors who started their careers in scary movies and later transferred to more commercially accepted genres, such as Peter Jackson or Jordan Peele. They are inexpensive, widely accepted, and mostly don’t come with the pressure cooker of expectations associated with making a blockbuste­flm. It is, however, much more unusual to see established figures adapting to the demands of the premise. It is a well-known fact that both Stanley Kubrick and Danny Boyle were established directors who later in their careers delved into the world of horror, and with their prior filmography, it was clear they would sell a good scary movie. The same cannot be said about the director Lee Daniels, as most of his previous work had assumed he would not make a successful horror movie. And this is what can be referred to as the hallmark of this genre. A deep understanding and being immersed in what styles and motives should go into making a horror film spawned the conclusion that the film was not suited for horror.

A gripping drama rather than a suspense movie, The Deliverance is inspired by the famous Ammons Haunting Case, although it does not reveal this until the end titles. About a decade ago, a Black woman along with her three children claimed that their new home in the poverty-struck Gary town, Indiana was possessed by demonic forces. She called for an exorcist and eventually left her house, but the story was put on the National news. Afterward, the house that was cursed, was owned by the paranormal investigator Zak Bagans, who later filmed a “documentary” named Demon House in the house several years later. However, even in the case of being very flimsy in depicting facts, it is still considered one of the best-found footage films to have ever been created, filled with Bagans in-your-face style; for example, he once decided to lay down under an axe and asked ghosts to use it and kill him.

In his documentary Demon House Bagans alleged that a Hollywood producer had been stalking the family because he held the film rights to the Ammons case, which would explain their absence in the film. They dominate The Deliverance, a film that opens well please, but which then, poof transforms into poorly conceived screenplays with over-the-top sound effects and all that. For close to one hour or so, it is almost as if Daniels is trying to sell a psychological drama of the black family’s deficits such as father’s absence, oppression, violence, and drug abuse. It works also as a parable of the effects of alcohol addiction and how it ripples into the children of the addicted parent. Nevertheless, the last part with its being highly religious and accompanied by very poor plot narration, should be taken out of this movie.

Andra Day who received an Oscar nomination for portraying Billy Holiday in Daniels’ last film brings to life the character of a struggling Ebony Jackson. The Cursed House is home to Ebony and his three children, including her white mother interpretatively played by Glen Close, and 2 teenagers among the younger and more unsteady Andre. Even before getting her bearings, Ebony surprises herself by speaking to Andre about his imaginary friend Trey. But this one never bothered her because she had more pressing issues. She is in arrears her mother has cancer and Child Protection Services simply won’t leave her alone.

Despite seeming rough around the edges, Ebony comes off as cruel and careless most times, but Daniels’ consistently flawless direction, in some ways softens these erratic attributes. While he doesn’t really manage creepy situations well, he is also far too detached from his characters to safely immerse himself in the world. Perhaps that is the reason why the most interesting aspects of the film are those parts where he explores the darkest aspects of Eboney’s character, her substance abuse. The deliverance would have been a refreshing experience if it explained that’s what the narrative intends, that Ebony herself is the main reason for her children’s Oedipal conflict. However, by stating clearly that their difficulties stem from being possessed by a devil the film defies its very ideas.

Nate, Shante, and Andre take turns blacking out in the school leaving it so unsafe that Ebony has no choice but to remove them from the situation. With no other option available Ebony resorts to hiring an exorcist, albeit reluctantly. Aunjanue Ellis Taylor stars as the exorcist who turns the second half of the film into a disaster mainly due to her role and is flimsily referred to as an exorcist which she despises. Perhaps the only redeemable part of it is when Close briefly transforms into a sharp-toothed demon who slides on the floor and hisses at poor Ebony while swearing. That came out of nowhere, but it’s hilarious a whole other movie.

The disappointing rest of the climax it would seem has been crudely stitched together from scenes of every film about demonic possession you’ve ever seen. There is a good deal of writing and excessive drooling, and in one spot, Ebony starts to shake her body and yell incomprehensible gibberish at the devil. What’s even more strange though is Daniels’ strange choice to remove the film away from the redemption arc it was about to go to and instead change it into a film about finding Jesus. This not only immediately undermines the pain of the three children and wipes Ebony’s slate clean, but it totally subverts the very strong ideas that The Deliverance had so far seemed interested in.

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