A masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (6 May 2018)

Every little thing about this movie seems to have had a purpose, creating the perfect mood. Even just the first scene with the boy running is perfectly crafted. The way that the camera follows him and switches angles gives the audience a nervous feeling to dive into the movie with. The beginning of the movie is incredibly well-done in terms of sound as well. The diegetic commotion surrounding Father Merrin followed by almost complete silence until the non-diegetic, intense music is played when he faces the demon statue works very well to create an uneasy feel. The play with sound to create a mood is apparent throughout the film, especially with Regan's different, haunted voices and noises.
It is not just sound that makes this movie extraordinary. The cinematography and editing are incredible. As the audience, we experience everything from excellent moving close up shots like in the subway with Father Damien walking to incredible, very quick editing to create a creepy feel to Father Damien's dream. The lighting throughout the film is also impressive and gets progressively darker following Regan's psychological state. Of course, the exorcism scenes themselves are also very well-done, combining all of the aspects previously discussed to create a terribly intense, horrific feel.
I appreciated how this film actually followed a story unlike many horror movies today that really just feature jump scares. We are immersed in Regan's life as she battles what is inside her, and we become invested in the well-being of the characters we see. As a horror movie lover, this movie leaves me wanting to watch it again and again, appreciating the incredible artwork that made it the haunted film it is.