The exorcism itself, where we might expect to get our money’s worth, is an almost amusing mix of the bizarre and the banal. In a room much too crowded with defenceless witnesses, a stern cardinal from the Vatican talks the holy trinity, sprinkles the holy water, wields the holy dagger, and extracts some wholesome eggs.

…while there are a few appropriately scary scenes, the overall feeling is that Neveldine could have served up far more terrifying film if he’d pushed the envelope more, given the intense subject matter.

Forget exorcism, the devil will give up if he is forced to sit through such films.

It’s a shame that this is the golden age of horror films, yet most of the products coming from the industry are so cheap and stale. Even if you’re looking for a timepass date movie, ‘The Vatican Tapes’ fails to deliver. The only respite is that it is not found footage.

The characters are all bland and also predictably stupid. Dudley is the exact same teenager found in countless movies – the adorable damsel in distress making twisted faces because of a demon yanking her soul. The film is audacious enough to tease at a sequel at the climax, promising an all out war between Beelzebub and the Vatican. If it is actually greenlit, perhaps the filmmakers could explore the option of making it an intentional comedy.

The performances are perfunctory and the characters do not touch you emotionally. You don’t connect with them at all. With moderate production quality, the found footage technique is acceptable. While the conclusion of the film isn’t original by any stretch of the imagination, for a film of this genre, this twist is intriguing and elevates the end on an allegorical note.

If you enjoy horror films, The Vatican Tapes can be what you watch this weekend. Even though the film treads along a very cliched plot, the final act is really good. If you need a break from romantic films, Vatican Tapes will amuse you.