THE SEVENTH DAY is a new horror movie in the exorcism subgenre. It has an impressive cast that includes Guy Pearce and Stephen Lang. Unfortunately, the story is weak and predictable which results in a disappointing movie. Read our The Seventh Day movie review here!
THE SEVENTH DAY is a new exorcism horror movie with a crisp runtime of under 90 minutes. And yet, it feels too long and not nearly in-depth enough to make me really care. I mean, we’re talking about kids who are possessed by demons but there is a distinct lack of emotions in this movie.
From the score to the lighting and even the cast, I never felt myself getting drawn into this world that was playing out on the screen. And it should be said that when we watch screeners, we do so in the dark and on a big TV screen with excellent sound, so the movies do have everything going for them.
Continue reading our The Seventh Day movie review below to learn why this movie never struck a nerve.
Once more with feeling
My main issue with The Seventh Day is the fact that it feels a lot like a pilot for a new TV series. We’re introduced to some characters without getting much background information. Basically, the characters are quite crudely introduced and portrayed because we get these cardboard figures, we supposed to relate to.
Then there’s the “case” to be solved this episode, which (again!) feels like a way to introduce the plot of something that’s only just getting started. We never get under anyone’s skin really and it’s all so polished and predictable.
I wanted to like this movie. Mostly because I like the actors in it and I do enjoy a good exorcism movie. This one just feels like something I’ve seen many times before. Honestly, the pilot episode of Evil was a lot stronger than this entire movie.
Mexican actor Vadhir Derbez did a good job as the young Father Daniel, but he is struggling with a very flat character. He can only do so much. And, sure, I enjoyed watching Guy Pearce (The Innocents) do a modern-day “Jack Sparrow goes rebel Catholic”, but it’s hardly his best performance. In fact, it’s been too long since we’ve gotten that from him!
Instead, Stephen Lang (Don’t Breathe) was almost unrecognizable in his very small role. He actually made the biggest impact on me. Well, along with Robin Bartlett (Shutter Island) as the volunteer woman, Helen, working with homeless people.
The ending of The Seventh Day
When it comes to the ending of The Seventh Day horror movie, it was as predictable as every other moment in the movie. I know, I do watch many movies, but this truly was like watching a paint-by-numbers story play out. And I’m not just talking about the ending since the “plot twists” throughout the movie was obvious a mile away!
Also, I am just not a fan of an ending where we see flashbacks of all the scenes that lead up to this big reveal. In fact, it just reminds me that I caught on from the first moment this twist was (rather lazily) indicated.
I really don’t mean to sound quite as pissy as I know I do. However, take this as a sign that I expected more from The Seventh Day. I saw the cast and remembered the previous movie by this writer-director, which makes me think; I know you can do better. This movie could – and should – have been better.
Even the score and lighting worked against it ever getting scary.
I’m not angry about the ending of The Seventh Day and I won’t do spoilers here. I don’t think they’re even necessary since you’ll figure everything out ahead of time if you’re paying attention. That’s why I’m disappointed more than anything else.
Watch The Seventh Day in theaters and on VOD
Justin P. Lange is the writer and director of The Seventh Son. As already covered in the previous section of this movie review, I am actually familiar with this director. That’s why I expected more from him because I know he can do better. As of writing this, The Seventh Son holds an IMDb rating of 4.4 which is low but also feels right. Unfortunately!
His previous movie, The Dark (2018), also holds a much higher IMDb rating. As it should. So, if you want to see Justin P. Lange as a much stronger filmmaker, you should watch The Dark instead. It’s a low-budget fantasy-horror movie that has a lot going for it! Still, if you’re a fan of exorcism movies, you should also check out his latest film. Just don’t get your hopes up too high.
You might like: Our review of the Shudder exorcism movie The Cleansing Hour >
Personally, I still look forward to whatever comes next. Maybe this latest movie was just a stepping stone on his way to better things. That’s what I choose to believe because Justin P. Lange is definitely a better filmmaker than this movie would lead you to believe. Then again, Guy Pearce is also a better actor than he is in this, so it all comes together in that sense.
The Seventh Day is out in limited theaters and on VOD on March 26, 2021.
Details
Writer & Director: Justin P. Lange
Stars: Guy Pearce, Vadhir Derbez, Stephen Lang, Brady Jenness, Robin Bartlett, and Keith David
Plot
Renowned exorcist Father Peter (Guy Pearce) teams up with a rookie apprentice for his first day of training. As they plunge deeper into hell on earth, the lines between good and evil blur and their own demons emerge.
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