Movie Review: ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is an intense sequel
“The Exorcist: Believer” had my hands sweating from start to finish, but the biggest surprise was how much heart the film had.
After Angela (Lidya Jewett) and her friend Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) go missing, they begin to show signs of demonic possession, unleashing a chain of events that forces Angela’s father Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) to confront evil face to face.
“The Exorcist: Believer” wasn’t necessarily at the top of my anticipation list for this year, and I only recently watched the original 1973 film, so I found myself shocked that I enjoyed it as much as I did. Don’t get me wrong, “The Exorcist: Believer” has plenty of problems, and I felt there might’ve been a little too much plot crammed into the 110-minute runtime, making the ending feel a bit rushed. It also seemed like they had no idea how to end it. I know a lot of writers like to write themselves into a wall so they can find a creative way to get around it, but “The Exorcist: Believer” didn’t get around that wall, and when the credits rolled, I felt like there was still food on the plate.
However, other than the weird conclusion, I quite enjoyed this film. “The Exorcist: Believer” might market itself as a story of two little girls that get possessed, but the film really hones in on the relationship between one of the girls and her father, portrayed by Leslie Odom Jr. I really enjoyed the fact they fleshed out that relationship making way for some added emotion in the final act. My enjoyment of this relationship hinges on the performance by Odom Jr. Don’t get me wrong, everyone in this film gets their time to shine, especially the two girls, but Odom Jr. shines the brightest, once again proving that he is an acting force both on stage and on screen.
Speaking of added emotion, “The Exorcist: Believer,” was one of the most intense movies I have seen all year. There were moments when I had to wipe my hands because they were sweating. A large part of the intensity came from how the film was shot. “The Exorcist: Believer” is beautifully shot, and no angle felt cheesy or overly put together. Horror filmmakers have gotten to a point where they understand audiences are much smarter than they used to be and craft shots that lead the audience to expect something to happen when nothing does.
With this being a “legacy sequel,” “The Exorcist: Believer” tries to squeeze in a little bit of nostalgia with Ellen Burstyn reprising her role as Chris MacNeil. These moments with Burstyn feel forced, especially since the story is so far removed from the original film, but it was nice to see the faces of old characters, even though they didn’t add anything to the film besides fan service.
“The Exorcist: Believer” was a good time, but I wish the ending had been more fulfilling.
Score: 3/5
“The Exorcist: Believer” is rated R and hits theaters on Oct. 6, 2023. There is no post-credit scene.
“The Exorcist: Believer” In The Parks
This year at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, both Orlando and Hollywood are featuring “The Exorcist: Believer” as one of the many mazes.
Universal’s tagline for the house is, “Two missing girls have been found with no memory of what happened to them. But wherever they went, the ultimate evil has returned with them.”
Having now seen the movie and been through the “The Exorcist: Believer” house in Orlando, I can say that the Universal team did a fantastic job adapting this film into a Horror Nights maze. I noticed immediately that some moments in the house are not in the final cut of the film, but other than that, the house is nearly 1:1 with the movie. I wouldn’t say it “spoils” the movie, but all of the major moments in the film are in the house.
Check out our walkthroughs of both Orlando and Hollywood’s “The Exorcist: Believer” houses:
