The Devil Inside (Movie Review)

*Updated November 2025

It has been over a decade since The Devil Inside hit theaters, and it still holds the title for one of the most controversial endings in cinema history. What started as a low-budget found-footage film exploded into a $100 million box office phenomenon, only to leave audiences booing at the screen.

But beyond the hate, what actually happened in those final seconds? And how did a movie with a 6% Rotten Tomatoes score become one of Paramount’s most profitable horror ventures?

The Devil Inside Ending Explained: What Actually Happened?

The confusion stems from how abrupt it cut to black. Here is the definitive breakdown of the film’s ending:

In the final moments, Ben (the documentary filmmaker) is driving Isabella and Michael to Rome to see an exorcist. But, the demonic entity that has been “jumping” bodies throughout the film, first inhabiting Maria, then Isabella, has now transferred into Michael.

• Maria Rossi: The original host. During her exorcism, she reveals she knows about Ben’s past.
• Isabella & David: The demons transfer into them. David commits suicide in the church, and Isabella becomes fully possessed.
• Michael: In the final car ride, the demon jumps from Isabella to Michael (the driver).

Michael, now possessed, unbuckles his seatbelt and accelerates into oncoming traffic. The car flips, presumably killing everyone. The demon wins. The sudden cut to black means the destruction of the camera… right?

Business Case: How a $1 Million Movie Made $101 Million

Despite the critical lashing (CinemaScore gave it an “F”), The Devil Inside gave us a masterclass in horror marketing. Produced for a micro-budget of just $1 million, the film grossed over $101 million worldwide.

FAQ: Quick Facts

Does the dog die in The Devil Inside?
Yes. In a disturbing scene early in the film, a dog barks at the possessed character and is killed off-screen.

What is the website at the end?
The website was www.TheRossiFiles.com. It was a marketing site created by Paramount. It is now defunct.

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Click to Read Our Original 2012 Review

 

Original Review: Published Jan 6, 2012

The Devil Inside, the first movie of 2012, is a big disappointment, not only in my opinion but also in the opinion of everyone else that was in the movie theater with me. When the movie finished there was endless booing and cursing from the public; they all wished to have a tomato to throw at the screen.

The biggest flaws of the movie: the ending is a cut-off scene that manages to upset everyone and the “scary” film mainly manages to make the whole audience crack up throughout most of it because of how ridiculous it is. There are only about 3 scenes that make you anxious for the safety of the main characters but everything is so predictable that it takes away from the few good scenes.

The film is done in documentary form. The main character Isabella Rossi (Brazilian actress Fernanda Andrade) has decided to make a documentary to help her mother Maria (Suzan Crowley) who allegedly killed 3 people from her church group who were performing an exorcism on her when Isabella was 8 years old.

You are supposed to go home traumatized and scared after a horror movie, but with this one, you will just go home disappointed and upset. There are better ways to close off the first week of 2012 than watching something that will leave you shaking your head out of dissatisfaction and frustration.