From director Daniel Stamm (The Last Exorcism) comes Prey for the Devil, the best possession film I’ve seen in years!
The film centers on Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers), who believes she is answering a calling to be the first female exorcist…but who or what called her? In response to a global rise in demonic possessions, Ann seeks a place at an exorcism school reopened by the Catholic Church. Until now, these schools have only trained priests in the Rite of Exorcism – but a professor (Colin Salmon) recognizes Sister Ann’s gifts and agrees to train her. Thrusting onto the spiritual frontline with fellow student Father Dante (Christian Navarro), Sister Ann finds herself in a battle for the soul of a young girl, who Sister Ann believes is possessed by the same demon that tormented her mother years ago. Determined to root out the evil, Ann soon realizes that evil has been expecting her.
Our main character, Sister Anne, played by Jacqueline Byers, is fantastic. She’s kind and refuses to give up when it comes to her dream of helping people. Her tragic past, which is heartbreaking, drives her motivation in all that she does. She’s relatable and could not have been better cast.
The story itself has a ton of twists and turns that will leave even the most experienced horror fan guessing. Writer Robert Zappia did a brilliant job constructing a tale that is both scary and intriguing and will tug at your heartstrings.
Being a possession movie, you would expect some fantastic, twisted special effects, and that is precisely what you get—ranging from subtle to creepy AF. It all looks great. There’s one scene that involves a wall (I don’t want to spoil it) that left me saying, “WTF?” and had me looking away in horror. It freaked me out, which is a miracle in itself. The way the bodies of the possessed bend and contort left me unnerved and cringing. It was awesome! It’s easy to see that some scenes pay homage to the ultimate possession film, The Exorcist, but does so with their twist.
If Prey for the Devil would have had a full release just a couple of weeks earlier, it would have made our “Top 10 Horror Films of 2022” list. Yes, it’s that good. But I can tell you with all confidence you’ll see it on our 2023 list. If I had to rate it on a scale of 1 to 5, I’d give it an impressive 5. I already want to watch it again. That doesn’t often happen these days.
Prey for the Devil is an unnerving, emotion-driven, fright-filled flick you don’t want to miss! Luckily, you don’t have to wait to watch it. It’s out now on Digital and comes to 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital), Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand on January 3rd from Lionsgate.
4K ULTRA HD / BLU-RAY / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary with Director Daniel Stamm and Actress Jacqueline Byers
Possessed: Creating Prey for the Devil
A Lullaby of Terror
The Devil’s Tricks: Visual Effects
Prey for the Devil Cast-Read: The Original First-Draft Screenplay
Speak No Evil: A Real Exorcist and Church Psychologist Discuss Possession
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary with Director Daniel Stamm and Actress Jacqueline Byers
Possessed: Creating Prey for the Devil
A Lullaby of Terror
The Devil’s Tricks: Visual Effects
