Incarnate takes it’s queue from the Exorcist2 more than, say, the original Exorcist. Doctor Ember is a bit of a disgraced type who focuses on exorcising demons with science, rather than deities.
When a young boy kills a homeless woman who had broken into their house, the Vatican calls Ember and his team in to deal with a determined case of possession.
It becomes clear that Ember knows more and is willing to risk his own life to end this possession.
Incarnate tries to bring something new by making science a major part of the exorcism game. But at the same time, it really does not rise above the level of, say, a ghost hunting show.
While it has a good cast, the film’s attempt to make it’s heart the final confrontation of a longstanding battle between Ember and a demonic entity never results in any sort of real engagement for the viewer.
Incarnate lacks any real emotional or visceral punches to draw the viewer in. In it’s attempts to make it a personal mission of the exorcist, it actually neuters anything the story might have done to keep you invested.
The recasting of Rachel Dawes with Maggie Gyllenhaal might have been the biggest casting controversy if not for the announcement of Heath Ledger as the Joker. Oh, the internet exploded. And then the movie came out and made a lot of people eat crow. The late Heath Ledger gave one of the best takes on the Joker. An anarchist who just wants to watch the world burn, The Joker starts out appearing like he is trying to take over the mob, only for them to be shocked as he proves he does not care about their goals at all.
Tripping Through Gateways 