In one scene, when Caroline expresses fear that she may be possessed, a friend, Marnie (a nod to Alfred Hitchcock), dismisses the idea with a remark about the absence of “scars and green vomit.” It’s one of the few moments where The Containment demonstrates a degree of self-awareness, though it doesn’t fully capitalize on it.
The more shocking elements of possession horror are replicated, including a urination scene that deliberately recalls similar moments from its predecessor, albeit staged in a different location. While unsettling, it feels less like an escalation and more like a reiteration, lacking the t impact it once had. Gone is any sexual aspect of possession with the crucifix, which was toned down from William Blatty’s original book, making this a rather sterile film. The women become the savers of the soul in this case, Sister Esperanza, by Fernanda Romero, with the males bedridden or appearing in the background or brief roles.
There are flashes of originality, such as Caroline’s school life and mute younger brother Don (Gabriel Bonilla). For the odd reason, a potential Sappho relationship is introduced between Caroline’s mother Julie and a motorcycle-riding helper, May (Alice Coulthard), filling in for Kitty Wynn as Sharon in the Friedkin film. None of these are developed, signaling a sequel prequel cycle. Suggests a film that is capable of more than homage, one that could have carved out its own identity had it leaned further into these risks.
” … a film that is capable of more than homage …”
Unfortunately, the film’s pacing undermines much of this potential. Slow, over-enunciated dialogue frequently drags, sapping momentum and diffusing tension. Conversations that should escalate dread instead linger on one note, vocals creating a sense of narrative stagnation.
Performance-wise, the cast remains committed, grounding the material even when it veers into the predictable. Gia Hunter navigates the physical contortions and emotional aspects of possession with conviction, even if it’s deadpan. If one role is like this, you need a counterpoint to play off this; in this film, it just isn’t there. Fernanda Romano tries as the Nun saddled with getting rid of the entity, but the vocal power, the dynamics, and the fire are not there. Yet strong performances can only do so much when constrained by a script that too often circles familiar territory without deepening it. The end is the discovery of a plot of inherent evil, with the demon revealed to be “Protecting Caroline’ which might explain the last scene; again, this is said in passing.
The Containment is a film caught between reverence and reinvention. Its admiration for The Exorcist is evident in nearly every frame, from character behaviour to visual design to narrative structure. Homage alone is not enough to sustain a modern horror film. When it breaks away even briefly, it shows signs of life, hinting at a more daring and distinctive vision.
"…it shows signs of life, hinting at a more daring and distinctive vision."
