The Exorcist is one of the most iconic horror films of all time. When it came out back in 1973, it became very well regarded for its creepy story, haunting visuals, progressive practical effects, all of which became part of the films legacy. There have been a few attempted sequels over the years which have been largely forgotten but for some reason there was never any attempt to turn this into an iconic franchise like the Halloween film series. Talking of Halloween, the filmmaker in charge of the latest re-quel trilogy, David Gordon Green, is now taking a look at The Exorcist in the same way by creating a new trilogy of films that follow on from the original film. The result however, is not the best.
The Exorcist: Believer is one of those sequels where it feels like it was not needed. The original managed to spawn the “demonic possession” sub-genre of horror films, and we have had films such as The Conjuring films and The Pope’s Exorcist prove that it is a genre ripe with stories to tell. It is a shame then to say that this sequel doesn’t match or reach the potential from those other films. The story isn’t even related to the original, and any mention of characters of the original film just feel forced and needless. Instead the film looks and acts like a separate entity and could’ve been done with not having The Exorcist’s name in the title. It does feel a little misleading for fans of the original who want to see Chris MacNeil’s story further explored.
Despite the majority of the film being based around the demonic possession of two young girls, the main focus isn’t on these children at all. The film feels very imbalanced in terms of character arcs. Both girls are great in their roles, but we don’t spend enough time with Katherine, played by Olivia Marcum. Lidya Jewett, who plays the other young girl Angela, has more screen-time, and even though there is a story about her connecting to her late mother, that isn’t the main plot of the film. It is more about Victor Fielding, played by Leslie Odom Jr., who is Angela’s father. The opening of the film starts off really intriguing and with an interesting premise, but then it isn’t further expanded on in the film. The loss of Victor’s wife is felt throughout the film but he doesn’t bring it up at all despite his daughter’s interest to learn more about her.
Despite the disappointments, the film will attract a more modern audience as the horror elements feel very familiar to films such as The Nun and Halloween Ends. With Blumhouse as the studio in charge of producing the film it isn’t too much of a surprise as they’ve kind of perfected a particular style and niche over the years. There’s not a lot of surprises, and there is nothing new that this film adds to the genre. The original film is more iconic, more atmospheric and almost gothic in tone, whereas all that is lost in this sequel. The story is fun, but it does lose its way and the focus is constantly shifting from the death of a mother, to religious outcrying, to the history of demonic possession and more. The Exorcist: Believer is very inconsistent and it will be interesting where this series goes with the two further sequels in development.
★★☆☆☆
2/5
Final Verdict:
The Exorcist: Believer doesn’t succeed the original or even honour its legacy in any faithful way. Yes, Ellen Burstyn is back as Chris MacNeil, but she is relegated to a very neglectful role that doesn’t respect her character. The film is basically led by Leslie Odom Jr. who does a great job of conveying parental fear and anxiety as Victor Fielding, the father to one of the possessed children. The horror elements do feel down-played and do not match the original. The Exorcist: Believer does feel very modern and a new generation may find this a worthy watch, but fans of the original may just end up being slightly more disappointed.
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Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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