Directed by Christopher Alender
Written by Marcos Gabriel
Starring Brigitte Kali Canales, Andrea Cortés, Julia Vera
Rated R
Runtime: 90 minutes
Available digitally October 5th

by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

The exorcism subgenre of horror is a well-represented one. There are countless ones that owe much to the classic William Friedkin film The Exorcist. While it is an interesting realm to delve into, many of these films feel a bit like Christian propaganda; God and the church save the day by banishing the demons back to hell. So I was pleasantly surprised by The Old Ways, a film with an exorcism story that is much more grounded in Hispanic folklore and spiritualism.

The Old Ways follows Cristina, a journalist who travels back to her childhood town in Mexico. While she is there, she is kidnapped by people who are convinced that she is possessed by a demon. A bruja (witch) is present to exorcise the demon by any means necessary. Cristina is resistant to believing these claims but as she spends more time there she confronts darkness that cannot be anything other than the supernatural.

This film had a lot more unique storytelling and creepy effects than I had expected. The film has some great visuals when it comes to the demons and creepier aspects of the film. While the film is not necessarily scary, it’s fun and its third act takes a twist that I didn't see coming. So much of the film seems like a basic exorcism story but it ends up being about, among other things: drug dependency, connecting to one’s homeland, and matriarchal societies. It was also more of a witch film than I had initially anticipated, which ended up really peaking my interests by the second half.

The film looks great. While much of the film takes place in the room where the exorcism is being held, it does cut back and forth to areas of the jungle and surrounding caves. The lush greens and vibrant costuming help to liven up the darker aspects of the film. I enjoyed the way the creature effects looked when you get closer moments with the demons. While it felt that the film was a bit of a slow burn and dragged on, it would eventually pick back up with something beautiful, unique, or bloody.

The cast is mostly led by women with Cristina, her cousin Miranda (Andrea Cortés) and the “bruja”. The focus on family and the importance of not forgetting where you come from were moving elements to this horror film. Brigitte Kali Canales is great in the leading role of the film and really sells everything that the character is going through. You understand her pain and trauma and very much feel for the character. The film goes out of its way to give the majority of the leading cast their moment to shine and let the viewer in on their lives a bit more. It ends up being one of the biggest strengths of the film. It also has a brief appearance from B movie icon A.J. Bowen (You’re Next, House of the Devil) who is great at playing the pitiful man next to the strong female lead.

If you are interested in a different kind of exorcism story, The Old Ways is worth your while. Its focus on Mexican lore is very interesting and its characters are strong and complicated. It was a much more empowering and occasionally funny film than I expected, and a surprisingly fun watch.