The Exorcist, released in 1973, is often hailed as the pinnacle of horror cinema. With several sequels in its wake, fans naturally had high hopes for something groundbreaking when news of the latest sequel or reboot surfaced.
If you're expecting The Exorcist: Believer to match the impact of the original Exorcist movie, it may not deliver the same level of excitement. The first film established such a high bar in the horror genre that surpassing it is a challenging task. When we reflect on the 1973 Exorcist movie today, it may not appear as terrifying; in fact, some might find it disgusting.
However, during its release, The Exorcist was so terrifying that it even led to reports of people fainting after watching it. The film lacked the chilling and disturbing scenes that made the original so memorable; it falls short in terms of creating fear or unease and is more of a straightforward watch.
It began with promising potential, raising hopes among the audience, but those expectations were short-lived. Directed by David Gordon Green, the movie commences with a couple facing a sudden tragedy, leaving the man to raise his newborn baby. The child grows up into a cheerful preteen, and their life appears quite ordinary. However, everything takes an unusual turn when the daughter, Angela, and her friend Catherine venture into the woods to perform a peculiar ritual in an attempt to communicate with Angela's deceased mother. Certainly, while the story isn't a recreation or a direct sequel to the original, it does have one connecting element that feels quite refreshing. That element is none other than Ellen Burstyn, who portrayed Regan's mother, Chris, in the 1973 Exorcist film.
Turning to the movie's disappointing aspects, while it builds its narrative effectively, it fails to deliver any genuinely frightening or memorable scares. The girls do become possessed, but the audience is left in the dark about why or which demon possesses them. It might even be interpreted as the girls experiencing traumatic breakdowns after their sneaking-off episode but the creators never truly clarify the cause. You'll rarely catch a glimpse of any demonic presence; all the scares are confined to the two girls, with Catherine resembling Regan when she's under possession.
Indeed, in a film centred around demons and possession, one would expect a contrasting force of faith, a benevolent or divine faith to protect those afflicted and their families. However, in this movie, it seems that David Gordon Green incorporated a significant amount of his personal beliefs or religious perspective, emphasizing the unwavering presence of the church for the greater good, regardless of the circumstances. When an abundance of personal religious beliefs is woven into a horror movie, it can detract from the overall enjoyment. The film feels more like a crime thriller than a true horror experience. It includes at most two or three expected jump scares. In possession movies, it's reasonable not to anticipate many jump scares because the primary goal is to expel the evil force from the possessed, so the bulk of the scary moments involve the possessed individual. Unfortunately, even those scenes fall short here. The movie leans more toward non-scary scenes than scary ones.
Right up to the climax, the audience is left with very little insight into what's truly happening with the girls. It's unclear whether something was amiss from the beginning or if everything took a dark turn only after their woods excursion; these questions remain unanswered. The presence of Chris MacNeil seems to serve mainly as a nod to the aesthetics of the original Exorcist movie, with her having very little impact on the plot.
The film appears to be a lacklustre rendition that falls short of The Exorcist's standard. Despite its name, The Exorcist: Believer strives to convince you it could become a noteworthy horror movie but ultimately falls short. It's decent, but far from extraordinary.
