If there were £1 on offer for every possession horror film featuring Russell Crowe as a priest in the last 12 months, we'd have £2. Which isn't a lot, but, strangely, it's happened twice. Genre fans were baffled earlier this year when the Gladiator star donned his robes once more for The Exorcism, having already passed judgment in The Pope's Exorcist 2. Directed by Near Dark and Teen Witch creator Joshua John Miller, the meta-horror looked set to give us a fresh take on the over-wrought possession genre in a unique concept surrounding a cursed film. Unfortunately, the final product is less saviour and more unholy mess.

The Exorcism follows troubled actor Anthony Miller (Crowe) who has the chance to propel his career into an upswing while starring as a priest in a supernatural horror film. As filming continues, Miller starts to experience nose bleeds, low moods and sleepwalks, while unusual occurrences begin happening on set. His estranged daughter Lee (Ryan Simpkins) believes her father has relapsed into his past addictions, but it soon becomes clear there is something more sinister at work behind the scenes.

The concept of The Exorcism is rooted in the storied history of actual sets such as Poltergeist, The Omen and The Exorcist, each rumoured to be cursed. However, this setting alone is not enough to distract from the lacklustre scares and tired tropes that litter the film. Perhaps due to the prevalence of possession films over the last decade, every beat of The Exorcism feels predictable and dull in comparison to its peers. It wears its references on its sleeve, but cannot quite find its own place among the genre throughout its runtime.

Crowe's character feels out of place and his descent into madness is unconvincing, so much so that no amount of the actor's talent can salvage the thinly drawn role. While the film attempts to blur the lines of reality as Miller grapples with the horrors of his past and present, it does little to heighten the creepy atmosphere. Simpkins is a standout among the cast as his traumatised daughter, grappling with years of her father's inattentive parenting and addiction issues, but the rest of the characters feel somewhat inconsequential to the narrative and there to bulk out each scene.

Despite boasting a unique, modern take on the possession genre, The Exorcism does little to innovate or even so much as entertain with a narrative that peters out into nothingness after a series of eerie yet forgettable scares.

The Exorcism is released in UK cinemas on June 21.