The Old Ways

Exorcism done by the old way! I'm Motherfucking Bruja! The main character is a likeable journalist of Mexican descent who returns to her homeland to report on witchcraft, but is kidnapped by locals who claim she is the devil incarnate. I liked that the film starts off like this immediately without any unnecessary 30 minute filler. An exotic and refreshing approach to the rather exhausted sub-genre of exorcism, which thanks to the attractive Mexican jungle setting and cultural differences, comes across as likeable and managed to surprise me on more than one occasion. The film has style, likeable actors, cool make-up effects (the final look of the demon is cool), there were a few scares, the hallucinogenic scenes are great, and the half hour exorcism is properly mystical. While watching it, I was reminded of the Korean film The Wailing, and that kind of hand-poking in the stomach was quite unpleasant. Old Ways is not revolutionary or a gem, but it is so likeable, fun and eager that I'll gladly throw in 4 stars, especially considering how uninterestingly other filmmakers have approached the theme of exorcism the last few years. Story 3/5, Action 3/5, Humour 0/5, Violence 2/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 2/5. 7/10. (25.08.2021)