Yeah I also had an issue with that. I was convinced from early on that Irene would be connected to Elizabeth. Like the years would have just about added up had Irene ended up being Elizabeth's mother which would have made the visions and Valak link very plausible.
For me it’s about being happy that I got through/survived a scary film rather than actually enjoying being scared ****less.
Yes prayer is pointless especially in this film because they're praying to the wrong person. It doesn't matter what goes you've taken or what language you speak, consistently praying to Mary, something the Catholics are guilty of (I was raised catholic) is spiritually wrong and will get you nowhere. Christians are supposed to be praying to one person only and that's God/Jesus. When the nuns were repeatedly speaking Ave Maria gratzi a plena dominus benedictactu I was sat there laughing and knew they were all f#$%ed and true to form they all get merked.
It's not more believable. Believe it or not many Christians and people of faith don't know how to pray nor understand the power of prayer or who they should be praying to. The devil and demons know scripture inside out and know it better than most people, which is why communication with God and its conviction is critical; and why people who are overcome with the presence of the holy spirit speak in tongues, a language demons don't understand. Furthermore, demons are beyond weak and have done a great job in convincing people and their victims they're to he feared. Angels have superior authority over demons and humans have authority over angels but so many people don't know this. A crucifix is just A symbol it has no actual supernatural power unless it's been blessed and anointed. The one thing these films get right to some degree is getting A demon to reveal their name (names are very powerful which is why one shouldn't just name their child anyhow) in any case, once a demon reveals it's identity it's kind of shot itself in the foot.
