Any seasoned horror fan has seen their share of possession films. From The Exorcist (1973) to The Conjuring (2013), the genre has produced countless iterations of a tried and true format. The subject, usually young or otherwise vulnerable, encounters a demonic entity through direct contact with a cursed artifact, entrance into a forbidden locale, or some sort of moral or ethical transgression. The entity takes over control of their body and they become a danger to family and friends.

These films usually climax in an exorcism steeped in Catholic tradition: a heroic Priest armed with holy water and scripture attempts to cast the demon out. The possession film’s success usually lies in its execution and the moral message underlying the horror. Antonio Negret’s Shaman spins this tired genre in a new direction by deconstructing the tropes we’ve all come to accept. What appears to be a fairly standard possession film morphs into a timely exploration of religion itself.

Read More at Bloody Disgusting