Twelve years ago director Daniel Stamm was considered in some quarters as having revivified a subgenre with “The Last Exorcism.” That sleeper hit that was no classic, but it took itself seriously in the right ways, as put across by a good cast including the estimable (and still underused) Ashley Bell.
Since 2014’s less successful “13 Sins,” he’s been occupied with episodic TV work.
Unsurprisingly, his first feature in eight years marks a return to the general terrain that worked for him before.“Prey for the Devil” won’t likely spur enthusiasm equal to Stamm’s breakout film, despite the relative novelty value of being built around a female exorcist — something not so unprecedented (at least onscreen) as billed, last year’s Veracruz-set “The Old Ways” being just one other example.
Still, even if it falls short of being particularly memorable or scary, this is a decently entertaining possession potboiler.
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