David Gordon Green brings another horror franchise from the 70s to squeeze any money he can out of the fandom. Halloween (2018) started off so strong, but then Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends shattered that illusion. The Exorcist: Believer continues that destructive path, as it fails to capture an ounce of any of the original’s greatness. Instead, there is a ton of set-up with little payoff, tons of exposition with little motivation, and all of the attempts at anything with substance feel completely superficial. By the film’s end, I certainly was not a believer.
The film opens in Haiti, with Leslie Odom Jr.’s character and his pregnant wife enjoying themselves until a large earthquake occurs. Cut to thirteen years later, and Odom is a single father with his daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett), and they seem happy enough. However, Angela longs to know the mother she never had – so of course, she and her friend, Katherine (Olivia O’Neill), attempt to perform a ritual. The girls go missing, and when they return it appears that they’ve brought something with them.
Much like every movie featuring sharks will be compared to Jaws, movies about demonic possession and the subsequent removal of the demon will warrant comparison to The Exorcist. This movie took it one more step by erasing the mixed sequels and taking on the trend of legacy sequels, making its failures all the more devastating. The movie fails to establish the terrifying atmosphere of the original, leaning heavily on weak jump scares instead. It goes through the checklist of the various demonic traits from the original, but in ways that lack impact. The direct references to the original – like the iconic music and the return of Ellen Burstyn – feel like cheap cash grabs rather than homage. Ultimately, nothing in this works.
Odom gives a really good performance, but his character is poorly written. He is the film’s primary protagonist, but none of the pieces of the early set-up go anywhere. He lost his wife. He raised his daughter by himself and is clearly an overprotective father. While in Haiti, his wife receives a blessing to protect their unborn child, and he scoffs a little about it. His lack of faith is established early on, and with the title of this film including the word “believer” one may assume that’ll be pivotal in the arc of the character. Only, it really isn’t. It’s not totally abandoned, but it also doesn’t really mean a whole lot. That alone is emblematic of the bigger issues with this film, and its attempt at storytelling.
Another interesting piece that is introduced (and subsequently empty) is the exploration of other religions and their relationships with possession/exorcisms. Traditionally, exorcism films are centered around the Catholic church. Several other cultures and their relationship with this phenomenon are mentioned, and a few others are shown without much clarity as to exactly what denomination they are. However, there is a moment where a priest is welcomed, like Lebron James stepping onto the court, and the other religions just kind of get out of the way. The exploration of faith, the power of togetherness, and other themes are presented – and quickly abandoned. Instead, viewers may walk out of this film remembering “the body and the blood”, much like we’ve not forgotten “Evil Dies Tonight” from Halloween Kills. If you’ve got to hit a page count, having one or more characters chanting the same phrases sure fills up space.
For fans of the original film, The Exorcist: Believer is sure to disappoint. There are moments so painstakingly bad that you’re sure to be much more upset than nostalgic. The Blumhouse formula is often hit or miss, but the films directed by Green have now consistently slid into outright terrible. Maybe it’s just me, and you’ll stand tall as a believer. If Ann Dowd can’t win me over, then that is definitely a sign that something is wrong.
The Exorcist Believer is in theaters on October 6.
Rating: Avoid Like The Plague
Berkreviews.com 