Amityville Exorcism

Amityville Exorcism is a 2017 American horror film directed by Mark Polonia, with a screenplay by Billy D'Amato and Agung Bagus. Released direct-to-video, it is the eighteenth movie inspired by Jay Anson's 1977 novel *The Amityville Horror*. The story centers on Father Benna, a Catholic priest played by Jeff Kirkendall, who teams up with Jeremy Dukane (James Carolus), a troubled father, to exorcise Jeremy's daughter Amy (Marie DeLorenzo). The girl becomes possessed by a demon that traces back to 112 Ocean Avenue, the infamous haunted house in Amityville, New York. The film spawned two sequels: *Amityville Island* (2020) and *Amityville in Space* (2022).

The plot begins with Charles Humes, a general contractor sentenced to death for murdering his wife and two daughters with a hammer in Amityville. The day before his execution, Charles tells Father Benna that demons inside lumber he took from 112 Ocean Avenue caused him to commit the killings. The wood, which Charles added to his own home and other properties, came from a house that was exorcised by Benna's brother, Father Jonas, who died during the ritual. Charles gives Benna a list of the contaminated properties. One of those homes belongs to Amy Dukane and her abusive, alcoholic father Jeremy, whose wife Bonnie died in a drunk driving crash Jeremy caused.

Both Amy and Benna are terrorized by a demon. It disembowels a burglar, then fills Amy with a swarm of lesser demons called Legion. While Amy kills a photographer in the woods, Jeremy meets Benna, who warns him about the haunting. Jeremy remains skeptical until Amy torments him with visions of Bonnie. Amy later murders her boyfriend Robby as Benna blesses the house. When Amy returns, the blessing weakens her, and Benna and Jeremy tie her to a bed. Amy takes on a hideous form, plays mind games with Jeremy, and animates dolls to attack Benna. Benna fights off the toys and begins an exorcism. Amy breaks free, forces Jeremy out, and summons the demon that implanted Legion. The demon taunts Benna, who draws a cross on it with blood from a wound Amy gave him. The bloody cross banishes the demon and Legion back to Hell, freeing Amy. Amy and Jeremy reconcile, while Benna sets out to deal with the other properties containing the cursed wood.

Reception was harsh. Tex Hula of Ain't It Cool News ranked *Amityville Exorcism* as the worst of the twenty-one Amityville