The Exorcism begins with an intelligent premise: a troubled actor may be relapsing, breaking under pressure or becoming possessed while filming a supernatural horror movie. Russell Crowe commits fully to the role, but the film gradually abandons its psychological ambiguity for a conventional and confusing final act.
The Exorcism review at a glance
| Category | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 2.5 out of 5 |
| Genre | Supernatural horror and psychological drama |
| Director | Joshua John Miller |
| Lead cast | Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, Sam Worthington and David Hyde Pierce |
| Runtime | 1 hour 33 minutes |
| Best feature | Crowe and Simpkins' strained father-daughter relationship |
| Main weakness | A disjointed third act that simplifies the movie's strongest ideas |
What is The Exorcism about?
Russell Crowe plays Anthony Miller, an actor trying to rebuild his career and repair his relationship with his daughter, Lee. Anthony is cast in a horror production that resembles the kind of possession movie audiences already know.
As filming continues, his behavior becomes volatile. He forgets lines, lashes out and appears physically unwell. Lee must decide whether her father is returning to destructive habits, suffering from trauma or facing something that cannot be explained by addiction and stress.
The movie-within-the-movie gives The Exorcism room to question why audiences enjoy stories about damaged people and demonic possession. It also allows real supernatural events to hide behind acting, makeup, rehearsals and an industry that expects performers to suffer for a convincing scene.
Russell Crowe gives the film weight
Crowe understands that Anthony cannot be played as a simple victim. He is difficult, unreliable and ashamed. His past has hurt Lee, so his daughter cannot respond to every crisis with unconditional trust.
The best scenes let Crowe blur performance and breakdown. Anthony is playing a priest while also confronting memories and guilt that the role may be awakening. A rehearsal can look like possession, and a supernatural event can be dismissed as an actor taking the scene too far.
Crowe's physical presence also works against expectation. Anthony looks exhausted rather than heroic. When he becomes frightening, the fear comes partly from seeing a parent lose control in front of a child who has experienced it before.
Ryan Simpkins gives Lee a real point of view
Ryan Simpkins plays Lee as more than the skeptical daughter included to ask whether the demon is real. She knows the patterns of Anthony's addiction and understands how easily concern can become enabling.
The father-daughter relationship is the movie's strongest emotional material. Lee wants Anthony to succeed, but she also needs boundaries. Her uncertainty gives the supernatural question meaning because the wrong interpretation could put both of them in danger.
The screenplay occasionally sidelines Lee when the horror machinery takes over. That is unfortunate because her perspective is more distinctive than many of the possession scenes.
A clever meta-horror setup
Director Joshua John Miller has a personal connection to the genre through his father, Jason Miller, who played Father Karras in The Exorcist. The Exorcism uses that legacy to explore how iconic horror can continue to haunt actors, filmmakers and their families.
The early production scenes contain promising ideas. Anthony is treated as both an artist and a replaceable employee. The director wants authentic pain, the crew needs to finish the schedule and everyone has an incentive to ignore signs that something is wrong.
David Hyde Pierce brings an unusual calm to the film as a priest advising the production. Sam Worthington plays the movie-within-the-movie's director, while Chloe Bailey and Adam Goldberg add to the ensemble. Their characters create possibilities that the screenplay does not always develop.
Why the horror does not fully work
The film is more unsettling when it is uncertain whether Anthony is acting, relapsing or being manipulated. Once it begins offering clearer supernatural answers, the scares become familiar. Distorted bodies, sudden movements, darkness and religious imagery replace the more personal fear established earlier.
Editing and pacing make the story feel as though important connective material is missing. Character decisions arrive without enough preparation, and the final confrontation seems rushed. The movie wants the emotional power of resolving Anthony and Lee's relationship, but it has not given every supporting idea enough time to connect.
The production had a long and complicated path to release, including additional filming after the original shoot. Viewers do not need to know that history to notice the unevenness. The tone and visual rhythm shift in ways that make the final section feel attached to a more conventional horror film.
Is The Exorcism connected to The Pope's Exorcist?
No. Both films star Russell Crowe and involve possession, which can create confusion, but they are separate stories from different filmmakers. The Pope's Exorcist presents Crowe as a priest who performs exorcisms. In The Exorcism, he plays an actor portraying a priest in a movie.
Is The Exorcism scary?
It contains disturbing behavior, possession imagery and jump scares, but it is not consistently frightening. The psychological tension and family conflict are more effective than the conventional supernatural sequences.
Is The Exorcism worth watching on Netflix?
It may be worth a watch for Russell Crowe fans, viewers interested in meta-horror or anyone curious about a possession film set inside another possession film. Crowe and Simpkins give the story emotional credibility, and the first half raises worthwhile questions about addiction, exploitation and performance.
For most horror viewers, however, the final act will be disappointing. The movie becomes less original precisely when it needs to bring its ideas together. It is a flawed curiosity rather than a hidden genre classic.
Verdict: Strong performances and an intriguing meta-horror premise are weakened by choppy storytelling and a generic final act. Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cast includes Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, Adrian Pasdar and David Hyde Pierce.
He plays Anthony Miller, a troubled actor whose behavior deteriorates while filming a supernatural horror movie.
No. They are separate films that both happen to star Russell Crowe.
The movie runs for approximately 1 hour and 33 minutes.
It is listed for Netflix US on July 28, 2026. Regional availability may differ.