.webp "Alix Angelis in The Cleansing Hour")
Meet Father Max (Ryan Guzman), well, he’s not really a priest, but he plays one on the internet, which is probably more profitable these days anyway truth be told.
He runs a weekly livestream called The Cleansing Hour, where he performs totally fake exorcisms for views, and as you can probably guess, it’s all bullshit, as his "possessed" guests are actors, the demonic voices are pre-recorded, and the whole thing is just an excuse to rack up likes and sell overpriced merchandise.
Max’s best mate Drew (Kyle Gallner) is the guy running the show behind the scenes, and unlike Max, he actually gives a crap about the business and wants to grow it, while Max, just wants attention, which makes him exactly like every influencer who’s ever filmed themselves crying on Instagram.
When their scheduled actress doesn’t show up, Drew’s fiancée, Lane (Alix Angelis), steps in to play the possessed victim, and suddenly some actual real demon action starts happening, and now these two clowns who’ve spent their whole careers faking exorcisms, have to figure out how to do a real one or they’re probably gonna die.
The film manages to keeps things interesting because it’s not just about the exorcism, it’s also about these two idiots being forced to confront their own sins, and it turns out, they both have secrets, and the demon has decided tonight’s a good time to air out all their dirty laundry.
Some of the reveals are a bit predictable, but the film is pretty entertaining as you watch these guys squirm under the pressure, and while their friendship is falling apart in real time, the demon’s just sitting there like a talk show host stirring up drama.
The Cleansing Hour doesn’t hold back on the horror either, with some nice body horror and gore thrown in around all the exorcism elements of the film, and in truth, while the film is an exorcism film, it's also more, too, and its done quite well for the most part.
The effects on show in the film are a bit of a mixed bag, and while some of the practical stuff is fantastically nasty, the CGI lets its down, and here is where the low budget of the film really shows, and there’s one moment where I swear it looks like a cutscene from a PS3 game, but thankfully t doesn’t ruin the movie at all, but it’s noticeable.
The film also throws in a social media angle, as while Max and Drew are fighting for their lives, millions of people are watching, thinking it’s all just part of the show, and there’s this great commentary on how obsessed we are with viral content, not realizing (or caring) if it’s real or fake.
And Max is the perfect embodiment of internet culture, as he's self-absorbed, desperate for attention, and willing to do anything for views, and we all probably know a Max - Hell, some of us are Maxes, whether we like to admit it or not.
Ryan Guzman is pretty solid as Max and puts in a good performance, and he's just unlikable enough without making him unbearable, I mean, you don’t want him to die, but you also kind of want to see him get slapped around by a demon.
Kyle Gallner is also good, as Drew, who is the more likable of the two, as he’s the guy trying to keep things together while everything goes to hell (literally), and Alix Angelis? Absolute MVP, playing a normal person and a demon-possessed lunatic in the same movie isn’t easy, but she pulls it off.
I quite enjoyed The Cleansing Hour, it's not just a good for an exorcism movie, but it’s actually a solid, entertaining horror film with a solid concept, strong performances, some brutal horror moments, good pacing and just enough dark humor to keep things fun.
So, if you like your horror with a bit of satire, a bit of chaos, and a few WTF moments, give this one a go.