INCARNATE

Dr. Seth Ember is a scientist who performs exorcisms different from the traditional ones, that is, entering, thanks to the help of two collaborators and powerful cutting-edge technological means, the subconscious of the possessed to eradicate the demon from their inside. When the Vatican calls him to entrust him with the case of a boy possessed by a demon passed on from a vagrant, the protagonist finds himself facing the most important and difficult challenge of his life, not only from a professional point of view. Inside the body of the little Cameron, in fact, hides Maggie, an entity that years before had taken possession of the body of the woman who had caused the terrible car accident in which his wife and son lost their lives. Between a journey into other dimensions, harsh verbal confrontations with the demon and nightmares from the past that resurface forcefully, Ember will be involved in the eternal struggle between good and evil that will not only involve his personal sphere, but the whole world. New year, old habits. The 2017 of horror, in fact, began on the same lines as the previous years, that is, with a film branded BlumHouse, the well-known production company of Jason Blum which for more than a decade has launched on the market the most famous sagas to all fans of the genre ("Paranormal Activity" and "Insidious", just to mention the most famous examples). If the exorcism strand, or rather of demons that possess physical persons or dwellings, is the most popular by Jason Blum, the new year, as happened in 2016 with "The Vatican Tapes", could not but open with a similar product. This time it is the turn of "Incarnate – you cannot hide", a new film directed by Brad Peyton who, after the disaster movie "San Andreas", attempts the big leap into horror with a film with good intentions, but with a disappointing result. What comes out of it, in fact, is a predictable, foreseeable film that above all does not scare and does not create tension. Despite this, everything can be blamed on this "Incarnate" except the fact that it does not attempt to be innovative and refresh a strand that has now become repetitive and lacking in major narrative ideas. The main great innovation is given by the figure of the exorcist who here is no longer the usual middle-aged priest, but a scientist who does not use crosses to fight evil, but the ability to enter the subconscious of the possessed and powerful technological means that follow their developments step by step. A suggestive and surprising game of bouncing between parallel realities and different space-time dimensions is thus created, which become the battlefield of the struggle between good and evil. Once this innovative good is exhausted, however, Peyton’s film is really little. The idea of reincarnation, very interesting in itself, is not explored and introduced, thus leaving the viewer in a state of total ignorance of the subject that certainly does not help to understand the development of the story. Things get worse when the spotlight shifts excessively and disproportionately to the inner drama of Ember, which, on the one hand, offers the opportunity to delve into the psychology of the protagonist, on the other hand, makes the other characters, including the interesting figure of little Cameron, mere background elements. The cherry on top, finally, is the total absence of scenes of fear and real tension to which the director tries to remedy through the usual means aimed at tearing off some jump from the chair such as sound jumps, double and deep voices and sudden movements of the possessed. Very positive performances by a cast that has its excellences in Aaron Eckhart ("The Dark Knight" and "Sully") and young David Mazouz who is very credible and disturbing as a possessed boy. Main mention for Tomas Arana who fans of Italian horror will remember in "The Church" and "The Sect" by Michele Soavi. In conclusion, "Incarnate – you cannot hide" is the most classic of wasted opportunities and Peyton once again highlights the need to reach a definitive artistic maturity.