The Last Exorcism rated PG-13 for disturbing violent content and terror, some sexual references, and thematic material

I was vaguely aware of this picture when this movie came out.  I didn't go out of my way to watch it until it started to show on cable movie networks.

At the beginning of the movie we meet a jaded preacher named Cotton Marcus (played by Patrick Fabian).  He seems to have very little faith in God and  is especially critical of exorcisms.  He is willing to expose his tricks while he is being filmed for a documentary by Iris Bahr (played by Iris Reisen) and her camera guy. In the documentary he says that while exorcisms are a fraud the people who have exorcisms performed are usually emotionally healed by the experience.  He agrees to perform one last exorcism for the Sweetzer family in Ivanwood LA.

The Sweetzer family consists of Mr Louis Sweetzer (played by Louis Herthum) and his two children Caleb Sweetzer (played by Caleb Landry Jones) and Nell Sweetzer (played by Ashley Bell).  Both of the younger Sweetzers are teenagers with Caleb being the oldest.  According to Louis, Nell has been acting strangely lately which makes him think that she needs an exorcism.  Caleb is hostile toward Cotton and the documentary film crew especially at first.  He gives hints that there is more going on at the Sweetzer farm than just possible demonic possession.

As Cotton and the documentary crew get more involved and research the Sweetzer family it starts to become apparent that there is more going on than just a demonic possession.  The truth about what is really happening was unexpected and surprising in my opinion.  As many people as I have met who are able to predict the endings to movies I find it hard to believe that hardly any of them would actually figure out what is happening.

As far as found footage films go this one does go back to the having some of the characters first names be the same as the respective actors real-life names.  This is one of the better found footage films in my opinion primarily because the ending was unexpected and better for it.  The acting was ok.  There weren't any especially annoying characters that you couldn't wait to be rid of one way or the other.  The story was dealing with familiar subjects (demon possession) in a different way that was refreshing. It wasn't especially dizzying.

All in all, definitely worth watching if you are curious.