The Excorcist Movie Review

Rating: 9/10 (30 January 2011)

A horror flick you can actually call scary. It entails both religious themes, as well natural psychological focus in order to evoke reaction from viewers, making it a truly horrific display of demonic forces. Linda Blair, only a 12 year old actress plays dual roles, playing the innocent and soon to be the vessel of the very demon who she becomes. He claims to be the devil, when all he proves in the eyes of the doubtful Father Karras (Miller) that he is in fact a demon. To shine over the light of confusion on viewers, the Demons name is Pazuzu. This all becomes clear in the very odd, but still silently suspenseful introduction, as Father Merrin's discovery of certain artifacts points into the direction of that very monsters arrival. The discovery of a few small little statues resembling the beast, thus leading him to the very statue resembling Pazuzu. He probably knew it, but could not act enough to find him. His only option seemed to be to rely on the patience of waiting, hoping that in time he'd once again face this demon. In the time it took for the Exorcist to prepare, the demon preyed well, poisoning the mind as well as the very actions of his latest victim, Regan MacNeil. Regan, a sweet 12 year old, with little possibility of any evil lurking with in, has astonished her mother Chris (Burstyn), time and time again in the wake of this new persona. The awkward silence, blasphemes towards others, and the powerfully vibrating bed all pointing to various medical explanations. Doctors call it a lesion, a Psychiatrist will call it a spilt personality, others will simply call it an overreaction to her depression towards her absent father. A very desperate mother seeks answer after answer, only to feel more doubt, and less hope as she finds failure in every option given to her. In desperation and own reluctance towards locking her child up, Chris turns to exorcism, begging for the help of Father Karras, a priest/shrink who's own faith has been going down the drain slowly in the wake of his own losses. At first the Father doubts this persona to be demonic, only to learn more of this monsters true clarification as he witnesses the supernatural aspects of Regan's tormentor. Green vomit, a chilling room brought on by the demon's very presence, and a talent of various languages. The film's title character the Exorcist arrives upon the wake of his presence, giving believers and non believers out there a showdown worth shouting, "Holy Mother of God". Father Merrin, having experience in this very ritual, as well as being personally known by the demon, lashes every religious weapon lethal to the creature. A combination of holy water and uninterrupted prayers drive the demon to feeling excruciating pain, giving the hope that the very power of Christ can compel this so called devil, and save this servant of God. Alas that is not our end, because everything in life comes with sacrifices surprising both the good and the bad. Regan's life is spared, but at the cost of a sickly old man, and priest who's faith is further restored as he takes her curse, only to end it all in his own suicide, dying with both dignity and with the hope of forgiveness for his own trespasses. "The Exorcist" can be called many things, inspiring, horrifying, disgusting, disrespectful, and even maybe contradicting, however what makes it genuine is the very authenticity of its characters. As well as the haunting tone of it's direction, particularly in it's lead character Chris, as the mother of a girl who has become all but a complete stranger in her eyes, as she witnesses the demonic possession of her young child. I have to say though, by the performance of Linda Blair, I was both shocked and impressed at how she could just revert from the very innocence and charm that defines Regan, and then reverting to the very impure persona that defines the Satan wannabe demon. What makes the movie itself different from most horror flicks is, that it focuses it's inspiration of horror on the religious elements of God and demonic possession. It isn't afraid to show viewers just how impure the demon towards challenging the idea of God and his eternal love for us all, thus having the conclusion serve as both an inspiration of Gods own mysteriously sacred will towards the forces of evil. This film can also be considered a test for it's viewers in the lessons of comparing the concepts of actual demonic possession, and medically explainable psychiatry, giving us the chance to not only tell them apart with our own instincts, but with also our own belief in the forces outside science.