The Exorcist in the 21st Century

New Showbiz Analysis

The film opens with the stark, ritualistic imagery of a Catholic exorcism, immediately establishing a world where spiritual warfare is literal and urgent. It follows Constanza, a Colombian woman claiming fifteen years of demonic possession, as she seeks help from Father José Antonio Fortea, a Vatican-approved exorcist. The documentary’s argument is straightforward: the Church’s rituals are the only effective response to genuine spiritual evil. There is no irony or distance; the camera treats the possession as real and the exorcism as necessary. The sold meaning is one of traditional authority, where faith is the sole lens for interpreting suffering. The ending reinforces this, presenting liberation through ritual as the only valid resolution. The film does not challenge the hierarchy of Church authority or the binary of good versus evil; it simply documents the process. The last image is one of spiritual release, affirming the power of the ritual and the Church’s role in it. This is a traditionalist piece, where the old default of faith as the ultimate truth is not just present but celebrated. The narrative relies on the authority of the Vatican-approved exorcist to validate the experience of the possessed woman. No external perspective or scientific alternative is introduced to complicate the spiritual framework. The camera remains a passive observer, reinforcing the internal logic of the Church’s response to evil. The film’s structure supports its central claim without deviation. Constanza’s journey is framed entirely within the context of Catholic ritual, from initial suffering to final liberation. The absence of critique or alternative interpretation ensures that the viewer accepts the Church’s framework as the only valid explanation. The final image of spiritual release serves as a definitive endorsement of the ritual’s power and the Church’s authority.