William Freiedkin’s 1973 classic “The Exorcist” had set a precedent for the horror film genre. Famous for making audiences faint in theaters, it was hard to imagine that this film needed a sequel at all.
After several lackluster reboots that discredited any prospects that another installment to this series could be as gut-wrenching as the original, David Gordon Green’s direct sequel to the 5 decade film seemed to hold promising potential – until it didn’t.
The Exorcist: Believer is about two adolescent girls, Angela and Katherine, who venture out into the woods to make contact with the former’s deceased mother. Their ritual goes awry, and the duo go missing for several days. Once found, they appear normal upon first inspection but their return brings along signs of demonic activity.
The typical possession movie shtick. This incites a group of diverse religious authorities to convene with the goal of freeing the girls from their afflictions, a strong testament of community.
Despite this, I didn’t appreciate the plot all too much. Some scenes are prolonged to the point of boredom, and there is a criminal lack of terror in the film. Cheap jumpscares are opted for instead of rich horror, like the original perfectly utilizes.
For what the film does right, there is great character development in Act I, and the cast seems enthusiastic and compelling.
However, I felt lost after Act II. The “testament of community” loses its charm as the religious debates sound all too much like gibberish.
The horrific underuse of Ellen Burstyn, who reprised her role as Cris MacNeil, is the only thing that actually left me cringing at the conclusion of the film. Her role in the Exorcist sequel serves her character no justice and could have been left out completely.
The priest should have went back to the drawing room too, because the actor is such a bore, and his character was written awfully. Somehow he’s able to recite Roman Catholic rites from memory.
Past that, the film has a decent utilization of cinematography and special effects. There were moments in the film where I felt uncomfortable watching, and for its credit it gets the job done at enhancing the story. The sets are well made, which is to be expected out of a $30 million dollar sequel.
Still, it doesn’t rank anywhere near the 1973 predecessor, with its famous Crucifix scene and the skull turning, projectile vomiting.
What I really loved about the movie is the score; it’s subtle, chilling, and ominous. Fitting for the movie, despite all of the other categories where it fails to meet expectations. The cover of Tubular Bells, the famous theme of Friedkin’s brain-child was a warm welcome too.
Overall, The Exorcist: Believer has its merits. The score, cinematography, set design, and enthusiastic actors make up for the disappointing plot. 5/10/
