‘Once you know the Devil, the Devil knows you.’
Prey for the Devil is a 2022 American horror film about a nun who is studying how to perform exorcisms when she encounters a demonic force. Also known as The Devil’s Light
Directed by Daniel Stamm (Into the Dark: Down; 13 Sins; The Last Exorcism; A Necessary Death) from a screenplay written by Robert Zappia, based on a storyline co-written with Todd R. Jones and Earl Richey Jones. Produced by Paul Brooks, Earl Richey Jones, Todd R. Jones, Jeff Levine and Jessica Malanaphy.
The Gold Circle Films-Lionsgate-Confluence production stars Virginia Madsen (Better Watch Out; Dead Rising: Watchtower; Candyman; Zombie High), Colin Salmon, Ben Cross (Black Forest; The Unholy 1988), Jacqueline Byers, Christian Navarro, Nicholas Ralph, Lisa Palfrey and Tom Forbes.
Plot:
Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers) joins the Catholic Church’s fight to curb the rising number of demonic possessions. After opening a school to teach young priests how to perform exorcisms, her abilities to combat demons are recognised and, despite rules stating nuns aren’t allowed to take part in the practice, she’s authorized to perform exorcisms.
Alongside the young Father Dante (Christian Navarro), she’s tasked with saving the soul of a young girl who is seemingly possessed by the same demon that took Ann’s mother. Drawn into a battle against the demon, she soon realises the danger she’s in and that the devil wants to take hold of her too…
Production and release:
Prey for the Devil has had a troubled production history since 2020. James Hawes (Black Mirror) was initially signed to direct. It was originally slated for a January 2021 theatrical release before being pushed back once again until February 2022.
Lionsgate released the film theatrically in the US and UK on October 28, 2022.
Reviews:
“Prey for the Devil is fittingly sleek as an airtight, scare-a-minute feature. However, the film’s straightforward approach becomes a dual-edged sword. Several of the religious ruminations in Zappia’s screenplay fail to take flight, often sinking under the weight of didactic exchanges and a lack of meaningful insights.” Battle Royale with Cheese
“Stamm strives to make a more emotionally grounded, character-based take on the violence of the situation and how it touches on the lives of those committed to the mission to cast out Satan whenever he appears. Unfortunately, Prey for the Devil is more of a T.V. pilot than a cinematic event, with Stamm keeping the endeavor in neutral, skipping chances to make this dull effort more frightening, or at least more gripping.” 2 stars out of 5, Blu-ray.com
“On the surface, Prey for the Devil tries to appeal to modern audiences by featuring a female protagonist and a diverse cast. And while these are usually victories to be celebrated, here they are actually a distraction. That’s because, at every turn, Prey for the Devil undermines how the battle against evil justifies any means. Even dark periods of history, such as the Inquisition, were worthy of keeping the souls of the faithful safe.” Collider
“The movie’s visual effects are adequate, but visual effects are wasted if the overall story is subpar. And the movie’s very last scene looks like the filmmakers just ran out of ideas on how to end the film. Prey for the Devil is ultimately a forgettable exorcism movie that doesn’t seem to care about bringing anything new or exciting to the sub-genre of exorcism horror.” Culture Mix
“Even the seemingly forward-thinking intentions reverse backward as one contemplates the predictable twist and what Prey for the Devil is saying and shaming Ann for. There’s just about every exorcism cliché in the book, from despicable remarks to bodily harm (a hand coming out of a mouth?), wall-climbing, crab-walking, and limb contortion. It didn’t take long before I was praying for this to end.” 1.5 out of 5, Flickering Myth
“Not a film that would be particularly well remembered because it could have been more, but the story ultimately didn’t deliver. The cliché box is dug too deep, the finale isn’t nightmarish enough – and the follow-up flap is just stupid. A well-cast film – it has supporting roles like Colin Salmon, Virginia Madsen and Ben Cross […] which is disappointing mainly because it had potential for more.” 3 stars out of 5, Kino Fans [translated from German]
“None of the scares hold our attention more than a slight increase in our heart rates because of the loud noises but don’t necessarily scare us that we’ll not be able to go to bed at night. The performances are equally ridiculous. I enjoyed Colin Salmon and Virginia Madsen’s attempts at making their characters seem serious enough, but their dialogues are so poorly written that not even the greatest actor in the world could pull off something palpable.” ★★½ Loud and Clear
“A PG 13 film, Prey for the Devil suffers from lack of imagination. If you’ve seen one crab walk you’ve seen them all, and Stamm doesn’t deliver a single unique moment of horror in 93 minutes. But he knows that nothing takes down a Catholic girl faster than a lifetime of guilt and shame. That metaphor fits a tale of an irredeemable soul better than any I’ve seen, and a little slap of feminism is probably the only thing that can help.” 3 out of 5, Maddwolf
Just yanking characters and hurling them against walls or out of the frame down a dark and deadly corridor in the “catacombs” below the hospital (of course) isn’t enough. Nor is hewing so close to Exorcist formula that we know the story beats before they drop.” 1.5 out of 4, Movie Nation
” …the exorcism sequences, presumably meant to be a highlight, have been hard-wired with a hopelessly routine feel that’s indicative of the picture’s been-there-done-that sensibilities. The end result is a misfire that squanders Stamm’s technically-proficient direction and an admittedly strong performance by star Byers…” 2 stars out of 5, Reel Film Reviews
” …the concept of an exorcist academy in the heart of New England presents thrilling narrative possibilities, but director Daniel Stamm and his three screenwriters appear to have been exorcised of any and all creative impulses. The Devil’s Light seems content to congregate crowds of stern-faced priests around a shrieking bedridden child and have them spout erroneous incantations for 90 minutes.” South China Morning Post
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