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"The Last Exorcism" stirs up a cauldron of hand-held camera technique, faith challenged drama and solid acting for a suitably squirmy tale of demonic possession. It won't supplant "The Exorcist," but it stands up nicely to DIY-tinged shiver stalwarts "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity."

Director Daniel Stamm's faux documentary begins as a "Marjoe"-like portrait of Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian), a charming huckster preacher who intends to show the film crew how the fake-exorcism business works by taking the case of a distraught, hyper-religious Louisiana farmer (Louis Herthum) who believes the devil has taken hold of his teenage daughter (Ashley Bell).

Naturally, a few freaky incidents point to a situation not so easily explainable, but what roots this chiller beyond a creepily effective farmhouse locale and admirably claustrophobic camerawork are two oft-ignored keys to good horror: humor and performance.

Early laughs from Fabian's lapsed-believer cynicism are like nervous icebreakers for the second half's grim turn of events, when Bell takes over with an eerie physicality that elicits a potent mixture of fear and sympathy.

As with many well-intentioned scare flicks, the wrapping-up feels dissipated and obvious, but for a good while "The Last Exorcism" makes for an atmospheric, character-rich stab at movie fright night.

The Last Exorcism

PG-13; Horror; 1 hour, 28 min.

Cast: Patrick Fabian (Cotton Marcus); Ashley Bell (Nell Sweetzer); Iris Bahr (Iris Reisen); Louis Herthum (Louis Sweetzer); Caleb Landry Jones (Caleb Sweetzer).

Director: Daniel Stamm

Rating: 2 and a half out of 4 stars