The exorcism horror movie Devils Stay

, which released in South Korea in November 2024 and is now getting a wide release in the United States, perhaps could have been a fresh new thriller but needed a few more rewrites. It follows father and surgeon Cha Seung-do (Park Shin-yang), whose daughter So-mi (Lee Ra) dies in an exorcism at the beginning of the movie. But Seung-do and Father Ban (Lee Min-ki) are both led on a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly investigation when the lingering effects of the exorcism cause them to believe that So-mi — or the force that possessed her — is still there.

Devils Stay’s Biggest Themes Never Land

Devils Stay Is Supposed To Be About Family, Guilt & Responsibility

On paper — and even for the first 20 minutes or so of Devils Stay — this is an interesting spin on the basic plot first spawned by The Exorcist in 1973, even if a few projects may have done it before. The movie kicks off with a horrific exorcism scene, using some chilling establishing sH๏τs of the setting and the family members waiting for it to be over, before delving into the psyches of the people involved, exploring the events that led up to the girl’s death, and the consequences thereafter.

Not a bad set-up for a psychological thriller with some supernatural touches, leveraging some tropes we are familiar with. However, Devils Stay‘s structure breaks apart its solid foundation, while its themes simply don’t come across the way they are supposed to. The movie relies on flashbacks to tell the story of So-mi’s heart transplant, Seung-do acquiring the new organ through less than ethical means, and Ban’s own trauma involving past exorcisms. Had these flashbacks been more limited and strategically planned, they might have been more effective. Instead, they disrupt the main timeline.

Meanwhile, the movie seems to be attempting a show-don’t-tell approach to its main message, when it perhaps needed at least one direct statement. There are a few moments that work somewhat of this being a tragic story about a family facing terrible circumstances. But then it’s interrupted by goofy, if well-filmed, funeral scenes where only the women are loudly wailing, and a few particular bits of dialogue that are just cringe.

It feels like the weight behind the story is supposed to be about Seung-do’s desperation to save his daughter, especially as a doctor who’s meant to save lives. Yet her survival is just out of reach, or if he had just waited for an official organ donation, all would have been fine. However, the movie never explicitly states this and Seung-do’s profession is just an incidental part of his character, leaving me feeling like the experience relied on me supplementing it with the themes of Grey’s Anatomy and The Exorcist.

Devils Stay Actually Has Some Very Memorable Imagery

The Exorcism Effects Are Disturbing Yet Stunning

The movie also awkwardly rushes through the storyline of the satanic cult where the possession originated, which has no real consequences after only one onscreen appearance. There are actually some very captivating, twisting imagery and sH๏τs that make this a very terrifying exorcism scenario, including a cloud of gigantic moths gathering around the possessed and inky black pulsing veins. If we are going on pure visuals, this is a slick, chilling, and inventive horror, with some very striking sH๏τs of even non-supernatural elements, a moderately action-ready exorcist, and the resonant tale of a family trying to protect each other.

However, Ban’s backstory is a bit scattered and difficult to understand, and the themes surrounding the family are maligned. Lee Ra gives the best performance despite the story setting her up with such a limited role (since she’s “ᴅᴇᴀᴅ” for most of the runtime) and she has to be very charming and thoughtful in her few speaking scenes. The other two leads are fine in their roles, but their characters never reach their full potential. And that’s what Devils Stay is — a movie full of potential, but ultimately one of many bland satanic horror flicks.