The Song of Solomon Blu-ray Review

After the death of her father, Mary’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. Following a visit to a family counselor, it appears her problems are far more serious than simple depression. Demonic possession becomes the frontrunner explanation and soon the Catholic Church becomes involved, hoping to save her soul. The Archdiocese sends in Father Blake, a retired priest with little interest in performing another exorcism. He is assisted by the young Father Lawson, but they are unsuccessful in their efforts. Father Corbin, a radical Soldier of God, is up next, but his attempt is another failure. A fourth priest, Father Powell, is brought in for cleanup and he leaves the room with different results. The church has an ulterior motive in this fight against evil and it is up to Powell to figure it out and save young Mary.

In 1973, The Exorcist dropped the mic on this type of religious horror movie. The film casts a long shadow and many pretenders have tried and failed to knock it off its post as “The Scariest Movie Ever Made”. The Song of Solomon does not even try to fill its legendary shoes, opting instead for a more intimate tale that is light on theological discussion and heavy on the gore. The exorcism scenes dominate the duration of the running time and writer/ director Stephen Biro plays it straight for the jugular. This is not a particularly introspective film, as special make-up effects artists Marcus Koch (Oddtopsy fx) and Jerami Cruise (Toe Tag fx) are given the lingering spotlight to deliver the gory goods. The guys are definitely talented and they present one shocking sequence after another. The film works on a visceral level and is frequently shocking in its depravity.

Jessica Cameron (Mr. Hush) stars as the tormented Mary, and the movie hinges on her performance. She is up to the challenge and pulls it off with ease, though we barely get to meet her before she shows signs of possession. Cameron does a great job and is put through physical and emotional torment in the role. Jim Van Bebber (Deadbeat at Dawn) co-stars as Father Blake, the troubled priest reluctant to step back into the ring with a demon. He shares a great onscreen chemistry with Cameron and the two work well together. The rest of the cast are uneven but have their moments, but are nowhere near the league of these two performers.

The Song of Solomon is the latest entry in the American Guinea Pig series of films created by Biro and his company Unearthed Films. Inspired by the Japanese gross-out pictures of the 1980s and '90s that gained notoriety for their extreme levels of graphic violence, Biro acquired the rights to the Japanese Guinea Pig franchise and in 2014 started making new features as a domestic spin on the material. Gory set pieces are the driving force of these movies and the filmmaker brings a great deal of creativity to the table. His strong suit as a director is letting the special effects team step in and do their thing. These extended sequences overstay their welcome and refuse to stop until viewers are either hopelessly disgusted or giddy with laughter at the excess of the situation.

Copious levels of blood and guts are no substitute for a solid script, however, and the film falters under its own weight. Dialogue is occasionally flat and clunky and not helped by some of the actors delivering it. There is also some wonky camera work that breaks the 180˚ rule making it look like a character is jumping sides in a conversation or talking to the back of someone’s head. Biro is not making an art film and never pretends to be better than the story he is telling. This is an effects-heavy show reel for the artists involved. The movie works as a fun albeit really disgusting entry in the possession subgenre and gorehounds will eat it up. Casual viewers are in for a wild ride and may not make it to the finish line, but I encourage you to stick around as the film builds to a satisfying conclusion. Those thinking about making a purchase may want to rent the title first.