God vs. Satan, Good vs. Evil and The Old vs. The New

Rating: 10/10 (14 November 2008)

The Exorcist is deserving of its title as "the scariest movie of all time". Unlike its many imitators, it doesn't have a party atmosphere, and takes its subject seriously: the ultimate in good vs. evil.
Chris MacNeil is a fairly successful actress, separated from her husband and living with her daughter, Regan, in Georgetown, Washington D.C. She is horrified at Regan's abrupt change in behavior and consults teams of doctors and psychiatrists, to no avail. One night, Burke Dennings, the director of the film she is starring in, is killed in a fall from Regan's window, bringing in Inspector Kinderman, perhaps the most likable character in the film. One doctor suggests the Catholic practice of exorcism as therapy (even though the Church regards it as a sacred rite, not therapy). Mrs. MacNeil, an agnostic, is incredulous at the suggestion, until another outburst by Regan, one that nearly kills Mrs. MacNeil, convinces her to consult a priest. She is also convinced that it was Regan, by way of Satan himself, who killed Dennings.
Father Karras is a liberal, modernist priest, who is more at home in the field of psychiatry than Holy Orders. His aged mother is dying, and he is struggling with his faith. When Chris asks him about exorcism, he seems to think she's nuts, and tells her it isn't done anymore, even though he's aware that the practice has never been abandoned. Chris has had enough of psychiatrists, and so Father Karras agrees to see Regan as a priest. After a few visits, he sees that, even though he himself doesn't believe in demonic possession, Regan's case meets the criteria set forth in the rite of exorcism. He obtains permission for the exorcism, but he will only be an assistant. The Bishop prefers someone with experience (and faith, with which Father Karras is struggling). That priest is Father Lancaster Merrin.
We first meet Father Merrin at the film's beginning. He is in Iraq as part of an archaeological expedition, his way of escape after an earlier exorcism that nearly killed him. While in Iraq, he tells a friend, "there is something I must do". We see him seeing two dogs fight, and looking at two eerie looking statues, symbolizing the fight between good and evil, a battle which he must go back to the U.S. to rejoin, even though he has yet to receive an assignment. The assignment is delivered via a monk, and he knows it's time to get back to work.
After he arrives at the MacNeil residence, where Father Karras is waiting for him, we see the contrast between the old and the new in the Church. Karras still thinks of the assignment as more psychiatric therapy than a battle against Satan, but Merrin is under no such illusions. As they prepare for the exorcism, Karras tries to bring Merrin up to date about Regan's psychiatric history. Merrin's terse one-word reply is, "why?" That isn't so much a question as a statement to Karras that this is the real thing. A bit later, Karras attempts to inform Merrin of Regan's three distinct personalities (he still thinks it's a case of schizophrenia) that he has detected, provoking another terse response from Merrin: "There is only one!" We know who that one is, even though Karras, who apparently fancies himself as too sophisticated to believe in Satan and demons as real beings, still hasn't gotten with the program. Karras is clearly out of his league in the exorcism, and wouldn't know what to without Merrin. Merrin, in spite of a bad heart condition, which requires constant medication, appears confident, while Karras seems in awe at Regan's levitation and such. It appears to dawn on him at last that this is indeed the real thing. Neither man survives the exorcism, but there is a satisfying ending.
At the epilogue, as the MacNeils prepare to leave Georgetown (Sharon, Chris's assistant, stays behind), we see Karras's close friend, Father Dyer (played by a real priest) seeing them off. Regan stares at his collar, and gives him a big hug. She sees goodness and hope in his collar. After they leave, we see Dyer walking away after looking at the deadly steps where Burke Dennings and Father Karras met their demise. In the restored version, Inspector Kinderman joins him for lunch, setting the stage for The Exorcist III.