Sean Parker
There is no shortage of religious horror films in the world these days, but anyone who once considered The Exorcist extreme could never have envisioned Pedro Cristiani’s monster hunter body-horror nightmare, Deus Irae. The title, which translates to “Wrath of God,” involves three former people of the cloth, a holy trinity if you will, of excommunicated exorcists that make Father Merrin and Karas look soft by comparison. These are gun-toting holy rollers on a mission from God to save the world from an infestation of demons that use the living as hosts to propagate the species. This incredible, inventive idea of Mod Squad exorcists righteously gunning their way through the possessed is downright brutally violent and gory. It features a special effects team that is blessed with talent. But it would be a miracle if I knew what the hell was going on.
Deus Irae is told from the perspective of Father Javier (Pablo Ragoni), a heroin-abusing priest coping with his awakening to an underbelly of apocalyptic demons lurking within everyday people. After a violent swelling rises inside him from his first encounter, we find Javier has mutilated his fingertips and is confessing his reactionary aggressiveness to a friend. Then Father Marcos (Gastón Ricaud) and Sister Helena (Sabrina Macchi) come to rescue Javier from making a grievous error in judgment by doling out some good Old Testament justice. But that only pisses the demon off. You need to find the demon’s name in order to expel it.
Like the result of most Catholic exorcisms throughout the years, the possessed rarely survive attachment in Deus Irae, behaving so monstrously that the power of Christ barely catches their attention, let alone compels them. The Bible is only a good book for smacking demons across the face in the film. But when demons go low, this group goes to hell and brings shotguns to the Holy War.
Just then, a hardcore Rob Bottin inspired The Thing creature of skeletal remains, which is brought spectacularly to life as it rises out of Javier’s dead friend. I was in awe. The composition of the scene is striking, with fire burning all around Javier as he lay unconscious beside the creature. This enjoyable blend of being way over the top makes the experience a breeze, even if the plot is loosely connected. Still, it felt like it would be easy to understand where the story is headed despite the initial pacing and cohesiveness issues. It’s a forgivable miscalculation for the first few minutes, but it grows more out of sync as the film continues.
Loaded with mind-blowing imagery that, whether you’re religious or not, may have you consulting a priest after, Deus Irae is a visually impressive effects-driven bonanza. Its creature creations are gorgeous and utterly mind-blowing, top-notch stuff. However, just trying to whittle together an organized synopsis from what I just watched was a bit of a struggle. Right from the start, with a brief scene that is revisited less than twenty minutes later, I felt like that older person in the room who needs to ask questions like what’s happening? Who’s that guy? Where are we now? Is Russell Crowe in this one?
After about ten minutes, I thought I missed something essential. The movie was jumping around, and I didn’t really understand why beyond a brief conversation concerning Father Javier missing time. So, I ended up restarting Deus Irae due to its wild incoherence. That’s not a great sign, as most audiences may not restart it. I began to grasp that some Memento-level non-linear storytelling was happening after another ten minutes when Cristiani brought the film back to a rooftop scene. After that, I hung on for the ride, feeling like it was 2004, and I just got a copy of Nochnoy Dozor (Night Watch), knowing instantly that blend of visual artistry and storytelling would make me a Timur Bekmambetov fan. Sure, the stories in both films are somewhat tricky to follow, but there is something indelible about Cristiani’s bold blend of blood and scathing commentary on righteous crusaders.
I liken this film’s brazen sacrilege to Alejandro Hidalgo’s audacious The Exorcism of God, another film that incrementally distorts Christian ideals and theology. Cristiani hasn’t revealed his reasons for this effort, at least that I could find, but I believe it exists to open your mind by satirizing religious totems. Since Father Javier also seems to be losing his grip on reality, Deus Irae tends to touch upon the mental health association that causes people to revel in religious constructs in order to deal with forces they can’t control. In Javier’s case, this may be caused by the trauma that started his drug use. Perhaps we’ll learn more if there’s a follow-up film, as the ending leaves the door open for further chapters.
Despite its convoluted story, Deus Irae is a hardcore effects movie. I firmly state that it will not be for everyone, and I can hear the cacophony of dissenting voices in comment sections all over the internet already. If you’re a Christian and take issue with blasphemous images, like the head of a Jesus statue masking a demon, then I’d steer clear of this film. But, if you’re interested in extrapolating theological constructs of demons hiding in plain sight behind their institutional beliefs through super-cool VFX, give Deus Irae a try.
Deus Irae is now playing in Screambox.
Deus Irae | Official Trailer
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