One of filmdom's most engaging actors, Eric Bana (“Star Trek,” “Lone Survivor”) stars in Columbia Pictures' supernatural thriller “Deliver Us from Evil” as real-life New York police officer Ralph Sarchie who joins forces with an unconventional priest schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the frightening and demonic possessions that are terrorizing their city.

Bana was drawn to the role of Ralph Sarchie in because he saw something in director Scott Derrickson’s previous work which transcended the horror genre. “Scott’s movies, like `The Exorcism of Emily Rose' and `Sinister,' are really incredibly written and performed character films that are set in genres. And when I met with him, I felt that I just had to do the film. He has total respect for the genre, knows more about it than anyone I’ve ever met, but understands the importance of character and story.

“I was also attracted to the character of Ralph Sarchie,” continues the actor. “I was very much intrigued by the genre and subject matter that was wrapped around the story, but when I read the script, what jumped out to me the most was a brilliantly written, intense and fascinating character who I thought would be a really great challenge to play, and the kind of character that I like to go to the movies to see.

“I liked the fact that Sarchie was this really tough, experienced street cop in the Bronx, who ends up being exposed to a world that’s so far removed from the practicalities of police work. At the beginning, we have a character whose belief system is founded purely on facts and physical things. Ralph’s journey is what makes it so intriguing. This is the one time in his career where procedure is blocked because of inner demons and his past doings, and he has to deal with that. In this case, Ralph has to deal with something very dark from his past, and deal with it in a very dramatic way in order to move forward as a person. It’s a very relatable theme for people who are carrying secrets and things they’ve done in the past that they’d like to shake off. I like to believe that we don’t. We pay for it eventually, somehow, some way.”

Bana spent considerable time with the real Ralph Sarchie, but rather than talk about the film, “We would just sit around and chat. It was very helpful for me to meet Ralph prior to production because there was a certain physicality to him that was very important. Ralph would be very important to us throughout production as an adviser regarding the police work, but outside those parameters it was two guys chatting. He’s a really great guy.”

The subject matter of “Deliver Us From Evil” raised questions to be pondered not only by audiences, but also by the cast members. “During pre-production,” says Bana, “I was exposed to some materials and tapes about exorcism which, on the one hand, were beyond fascinating, beyond interesting and beyond scary. They are materials not for public consumption, so I had mixed feelings about seeing some of them…one in particular did have an effect on me, and I found it extremely difficult sleeping and being in a room by myself for a week after seeing it.

“My thoughts are that there is definitely something that exists which, unfortunately, leads to a very large amount of human suffering,”concludes Bana. “However that’s described or diagnosed is actually completely irrelevant. At the center of it is a massive amount of suffering and pain. Ralph Sarchie, in doing what he calls ‘The Work,’ goes and helps people deal with these things. I have no doubts that there will be moments when audiences will be truly scared, but it’s really something truly different, which is always exciting. I think that a lot of Sarchie’s journey in the film, whilst sometimes brutal, is fascinating, entertaining and thought-provoking.”

Opening across the Philippines on July 02, “Deliver Us From Evil” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Australian actor Eric Bana, who made his American film debut in Ridley Scott’s brilliant war film “Black Hawk Down,” returns to the war front in “Lone Survivor” to portray Lt. Cmdr. Erik Kristensen.

Based on The New York Times bestselling true story of heroism, courage and resilience, “Lone Survivor” tells the incredible tale of four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level al-Qaeda operative who are ambushed by the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan. Faced with an impossible moral decision, the small band is isolated from help and surrounded by a much larger force of Taliban ready for war. As they confront unthinkable odds together, the four men find reserves of strength and bravery as they stay in the fight to the finish.

As this story opens, SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Team 1 members Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch) and Matthew Axelson (Ben Foster) and SDV Team 2 member Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsh) are stationed at SEAL Team 10 Camp Ouellette at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. It’s also where their commander, Kristensen, briefs the men, sends them out on the mission and monitors their communications. As the events unfold in the mountains, the crew back at base has no intel, except for a brief radio report of an attack. A rescue team is assembled, and the U.S. military is on the move.

Discussing his decision to join the team, Bana says: “There are two factors that make this story special, and they are the reasons why I jumped on board. One is the story itself, and two is who chooses to direct a project like this. I knew how involved Peter Berg would be and that he would know how to portray Navy SEALs. That was what I wanted to be a part of. The greatest way to honor these guys is to make a great film and have it stand the test of time.”

The more he researched the life of Kristensen, the more he was drawn to the story. Shares Bana: “He becomes the backdrop for the audience as we progress through the story. We’re back at the command center and watching the tension of the mission unfold, slowly go awry and then become very tense. For an actor, this is an exciting character, because you’re on the same path as the audience in terms of the flow of information.”

Bana had been a big fan of the book Lone Survivor which he'd read some years ago. “And when I heard that they were adapting it, they called me and asked if I’d consider playing Commander Christiansen. And I said yes right away, because I’m not only a fan of Marcus’s book, I also have a bit of a fascination with the Special Forces community. They are all amazing people. They perform an amazing function. And not every film has this experience. We all make different kinds of movies all the time. And I knew going into this that this is one that would feel very different to make and feel very different ten years from now from the other films we make. That doesn’t come along every day. I think we all felt that there was that sense in this one.”

Already well-known to audiences in his native Australia, Eric Bana was first introduced to the worldwide film community with his portrayal of the real-life (and larger-than-life) crime figure Mark “Chopper” Read in Andrew Dominik’s “Chopper,” which had its U.S. premiere at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. His performance in the title role earned him awards for Best Actor from the Film Critics Circle of Australia and Australian Film Institute.

Bana subsequently starred in Ridley Scott’s “Black Hawk Down” and Ang Lee’s “Hulk,” Wolfgang Petersen’s “Troy,” and Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed “Munich.”

Bana also starred in Curtis Hanson’s “Lucky You,” Justin Chadwick’s “The Other Boleyn Girl,” Robert Schwentke’s “The Time Traveler’s Wife” and J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek.”

Opening across the Philippines on Jan. 8, 2014, “Lone Survivor” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.