Who thinks it's a good idea to throw a massive, drug- and alcohol-fueled party in a run-down mental asylum infamous for the abuse and suffering of its patients? Anyone? Well, in this movie, only one person objects -- but he's helpless to stop it and goes right along with the crowd once he meets a certain raven-haired young beauty. By morning, only our central gang of characters remain, and they decide to do what all hardcore partiers do -- try to levitate someone. Yes, like a bunch of prepubescent girls, they decide to play "light as a feather, stiff as a board." That's where the trouble really begins.

The next thing you know, they're looking up how to perform exorcisms and discussing ways to hide bodies. Of course, there's a backstory to all of the demonic goings-on they experience throughout the film. It all goes back to an uncontrollable former patient named Devon, whose unspeakable powers led to the deaths and misery that finally got the asylum shut down over a decade earlier.

There's really nothing original about this entire film, but Exeter does differentiate itself somewhat by placing its most climactic scene about one-third of the way into the movie. After that, it's just your typical survival horror film where characters try to avoid getting killed or possessed. There's blood and gore and some less than spectacular special effects along the way. On the positive side, the film does manage to maintain some level of suspense about what actually happened to Devon, and I guessed wrong about what the inevitable twist to the story turned out to be.

Honestly, the whole "trapped in a creepy mental institution with a demon" thing would have been a lot more effective if there was no way for these kids to escape. They have every opportunity to get out before things really hit the fan. Then, when they do want out, they just make a few weak attempts to rattle doors. Most of the windows in this place were already shattered, but no one tried a window. Even worse, they had internet access the whole time but never tried to contact anyone outside for help. I mean, come on.

Still, it's a decent effort. The pacing is good, the girls are pretty, the acting isn't bad, and the filmmakers did actually try to tell a story here, so I have to give them some credit. There are no scares to be found here, though. It's worth watching if you're a horror fan, but don't expect to be blown away.