We’re going to take a look at a possibly slightly harder representation of demon possession requiring exorcism. I’m talking about the 2014 critically appreciated but not commercially appreciated film “Deliver Us From Evil.”
Set in New York City, we follow Eric Bana’s Special Ops Police Detective Ralph Sarchie. Old Ralph’s got a nose for excitement and finds himself embroiled in multiple investigations of similar cases involving people acting in strange and unusual manners. As he gets closer to the truth, he also gets closer to a mysterious hooded figure who seems to be making his victims do terrible things through demonic inscriptions.
Partnered up with a majestic priest, will he be able to solve the case before his own family becomes victims of the demon? And will he find the strength to believe hard enough to provide the necessary support and encouragement to his boi Mendoza as he does the dirty work of expelling that nasty bitch?
Deliver Us From Evil Movie Explained
Deliver Us From Evil opens on the dunes. We’re in Iraq in 2010 during a military conflict. As the soldiers move into the dark palms, the behavior of the local fauna becomes concerning. But they find their enemies and make quick work of them, uncovering the opening to a large pit in the process.
It only makes sense to look for more combatants, so they venture into the tunnel and continue on despite the putrid aroma. They end up losing the video, so all we know is that something was there, and it made them scream…presumably in a bad way.
We then flash forward to 2013, New York City, specifically the Bronx. Sergeant Sarchie has responded to a call regarding an unusual bundle found at the bottom of a dumpster, which we learned to be a baby. The trauma of this knocks loose the fault line in Sarchie’s brain.
Later, we find him and his partner Butler trolling the streets, just a couple of baseball-loving bros. When a call comes in for a 10-52, Sarchie has a feeling about this one and jumps the line to take the call because these police special forces boys are looking to get each others’ rocks off.
They arrive on the scene at the domestic violence call and insist this sweaty bitch confirms that his wife’s okay. She’s not, but he’s not going back to jail – everyone there makes fun of him.
So it’s looking like your classic police officer knife duel, which he declines to participate in. The partners chase him recklessly until Sarchie ends it by throwing one stick and pummeling with another. After balancing out each others’ felony counts, they get him cuffed up and take him in.
The Zoo Work
We then meet Mendoza, a simple man who likes reminiscing and training – both to the extreme. He interrupts his wind and sprints for a drink. Well, he’s wearing a wool cap. He knocks back his brown and always leaves the ladies wanting more.
We then catch up with what’s going on at the old Bronx Zoo. A woman rolled up at closing time and tossed her toddler into the lion pit. She’s suspected to be hiding out in the faux wilderness nearby somewhere. They needed special ops to take this one because the power went out, and they couldn’t trust just anyone with this advanced tech.
Butler learns that the carousel runs on auxiliary power and also that bears are loud. Sarchie learns that all animals are nocturnal and that moms love digging. When they try to ask some questions, all she does is babble about breaking through to the other side.
Then Sarchie notices that there’s been a maintenance worker lurking in the shadows this whole time. He walks off because he’s late for his heroin appointment. But Sarchie would like a word. Unfortunately, he’s transmogrified into multiple lions. He keeps his cool and reverses slowly, only pulling a minor boner when all is said and done.
Capturing Santino
Santino then returns, so they rush in to confront him. But they bust in and clear the rooms without finding a trace. Sarchie is drawn into the hall by some music playing, and they catch a glimpse of Mick on the elevator. Butler takes the stairs while Sarchie waits and confirms he’s gone to the basement, then he takes the elevator down.
Sarchie makes his way through the basement, following the sounds he’s been hearing, which seem to be related in some way to his greatest sin. Santino uses this tactic to distract him long enough so Jimmy can pop out of the piano and grab him.
While Jimmy’s doing work in the basement, Santino cuts off Butler on the stairs. He’s looking to spill some blood, but Butler’s no easy target, and he ends up going double knives to give the greatest chance of rending flesh.
Despite his clear expertise, Santino gets the best of him. He’s now too injured to properly defend himself, and what could any of us do after getting hit with that baby T-Rex technique? He slips the pick side of his hatchet under the vest and pulls a nice, arterial flow.
Downstairs, Sarchie is being taken into deep waters, but then Mendoza shows up to provide a helping hand. He is able to complete his procedure, which ends with him singing Jimmy to sleep. After his brain becomes saturated with blood, he cuffs Jimmy and runs to find Butler, which he does.
Sarchie Tries To Cleanse Himself
Now, after seeing all that, Sarchie is ready to cleanse himself. He starts with some small stuff, like when he stole a candy bar, and that time he crop-dusted a guy on the escalator, and then finishes by mentioning that he killed a guy in cold blood.
He happened to run across the most recent crime scene of a local serial killer – this is where he heard the sounds that haunt him during his hallucinations. And the culprit returned to the scene to soak in the aftertaste. Sarchie gave chase, caught him, and pounded his face until it was nothing more than a wet pile of goo. He’s had an oily darkness growing inside of him ever since.
Despite his progress, the scratching continues at home, flushing Christina out of her room, where she is confronted by Santino. Then, as Sarchie drives back home, Jane drops in to deliver a message. She seems to have suffered several injuries, and to make the message explicit, Santino calls him from his home number.
Deliver Us From Evil Ending Explained
When he gets home, Santino explains that his family will die if he doesn’t find them, but he’ll only tell him where they are if he lets him slide into his mind hole. After he declines, Mick rips a pipe off the wall that seems to contain an excessive amount of steam for an exposed pipe. I mean, how hot was that pipe, and was it a hot water pipe, or was it just part of a steam delivery system?
At any rate, they get him cuffed and bring him in for questioning. He mostly just leaks all over the place, prompting Sarchie to send the men off so Mendoza can begin his special interrogation technique. He does his best, but it’s hard to concentrate, with Santino screaming in their faces the whole time.
Mick starts to peek through, but Mendoza recognizes the game being played here. He then foolishly gets within bite range, but in a twist, Santino cranks up his own leg and starts biting on it. Mendes nearly exhausts his supply of holy water, which elicits an unexpected crown of thorns.
Controlling The Demon
They then reach the final phase before the demon typically reveals his or her true voice. Here, Mendoza fails to follow his own advice, listening to the prodding of the demon and falling victim to his sins. But Sarchie helps him regain his focus and shift back to controlling the room like an alpha.
This causes Santino’s neck to go Gumby before it finally reveals its name. This gives Mendoza full power over it, initiating the backlash phase. This is the phase where things get real. However, through their persistence and tenacity, Mick eventually returns to them – surely confused by the current state of his body. What does this mean for Sarchie’s family?
Through some vague recollection in the back of Mick’s memory, their location is revealed, and they are soon reunited. From then on, we assume, Sarchie resolves to only work part-time. Seven months later, at their new baby’s baptism, Ralph Sarchie renounces Satan – officially.
