But this unusual gift has long made Seth a target for the forces of the underworld. In fact, one entity essentially ruined Seth's life by causing a car accident that killed his wife and son and left him paralyzed.

Could this be the same evil spirit currently besetting Cameron (David Mazouz), the young boy whose plight Camilla has brought to Seth's attention? Seth suspects so, and that's his principal motive for eventually agreeing to see what he can do for the lad.

As scripted by Ronnie Christensen, "Incarnate" feels grim and uninspired even when it's not antagonizing believers -- as it does even by way of its ill-chosen title. There is a bit of a concession to Christian sensibilities during a key confrontation toward the end of the picture. And the bloodletting is kept within appropriate bounds for a mature audience throughout. But it's still amounts, overall, to a slow slog through Hades.

The film contains occult themes, anti-Catholic sentiments, occasional violence with some gore, a few uses of profanity, at least one rough term and several crude and crass expressions. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic News Service.

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CAPSULE REVIEW

"Incarnate" (BH Tilt)

Director Brad Peyton's mostly secular addition to the exorcism subgenre centers on a burned-out victim of demonic activity (Aaron Eckhart) who has been targeted by the nether world because of his ability to enter the minds of the possessed and rescue them from their plight. At the request of a Vatican official (Catalina Sandino Moreno), he takes on the case of a young boy (David Mazouz) whose besetting fiend may be the same evil spirit who ruined his own life by causing a car accident that killed his wife and son and also left him paralyzed. As scripted by Ronnie Christensen, the low-rent proceedings are grim and uninspired while the portrayal of the church is marked by lazy cynicism. Occult themes, anti-Catholic sentiments, occasional violence with some gore, a few uses of profanity, at least one rough term, several crude and crass expressions. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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CLASSIFICATION

"Incarnate" (BH Tilt) -- Catholic News Service classification, A-III -- adults. Motion Picture Association of America rating, PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.