Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
When a priest is jailed for the murder of a nun on whom he was performing an exorcism, an investigative journalist strives to determine whether he in fact murdered a mentally ill person, or if he lost the battle with a demonic presence.
The Crucifixion is a fairly formulaic supernatural horror entry that fails to capitalize on its intriguing investigative-journalist-meets-exorcism premise. The plot meanders without building meaningful tension, and the central mystery is resolved in predictable fashion. Acting is serviceable but unremarkable, with characters remaining largely underdeveloped. Cinematography shows some competence with moody Romanian locations providing atmosphere, but it rarely transcends genre conventions. The concept of a journalist investigating a priest's exorcism trial had potential for genuine novelty but plays out in derivative ways, borrowing heavily from The Conjuring-era possession films. The ending opts for genre-standard resolution rather than committing to any thematic ambiguity it might have cultivated.