There is more than meets the eye with this low budget Australian flick. Beneath the veil of this family drama, nestles a disturbing and modern insight into the paranormal; a balance between scientific understanding of a troubled mind, and the delicate belief in a possessed soul.

Lara (Georgia Eyers – soon to appear in upcoming film Violett) has been experiencing horrific visions that seem to have manifested since a horrific car accident, which led to the death of her baby son. One would presume that this trauma has brought about these hallucinations, her bodys’ way of coping with this deeply psychological scar. Her husband though, (a devout, religious man) Ron (Dan Ewing – Operation Rainfall franchise) is drawn into a web of religious zealots, clouded by their beliefs that Lara is possessed by a demonic spirit. This has not only fueled Ron’s attempts to have an exorcism performed on his wife, but even has Lara convinced that she is not well and may have to listen to his demands in order to rid her of her ailment. 

Encouraged by one of the congregation, Barbara (Rosie Traynor – Lake Mungo), Ron dismisses the warnings of Lara’s psychiatrist (Eliza Matengu), who firmly believes that the trauma has brought about the onset of schizophrenia, he calls upon the help of an extreme exorcist, Daniel James King (Tim Pocock – Red Billabong). King is a man of his own world, and bends to his own rules outside of the Catholic system; a red flag if ever there was one. Once he has been invited into Ron and Lara’s world, there is no stopping him from ridding Lara of three demonic spirits that he is convinced has consumed her soul, but at what cost?

The Prognosis:

Director Nick Kozakis takes the bull by its horns for his sophomore outing, creates an anarchic approach to the subject matter, which belies the hindrance usually associated with a low budget feature. While it takes some turn for the cogs of damnation to turn, the heart of the film lies with Eyers’ portrayal of Lara. Throughout the narrative, Kozakis deliberately twists and turns the audience journey, manipulating our own speculations of Lara’s plight. Is she really possessed or has her mind snapped under the pains of a truly traumatic ordeal, forcing her to fight internally with the strain of her psychosis? He also slowly turns up the dial, making for uncomfortable viewing and guiding the viewer to be forced into a painful process, led by the strangled beliefs and views of all those involved. 

Yes, there are flaws, but the gritty, portrayal of these characters’ blindly driving to cure Lara from her plight, hooks you in and refuses to let go until the deed is done.

• Saul Muerte

Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism is currently streaming on ShudderANZ.