Although a nonbeliever, I love this film

Rating: Null/10 (30 October 2000)

Demonic possession is, for me, a lot of hooey. So why did I enjoy re-seeing this film so much?
For one thing, the movie doesn't scrimp on showing the search to find a conventional explanation on why Regan is going from sweet to difficult to psychotic and beyond. In this it puts the viewer into the head of bewildered Chris McNeil (Ellen Burstyn), who like myself is irreligious. One might even say this dates the film, being that audiences don't have so much patience for lengthy revelation before the shock scenes.
But more so, I like this film because of Jason Miller's Father Damien Karras, easily my favorite movie priest. He doubts, he is burdened with palatable guilt for the lonely death of his mother, he's reluctant to help Chris...but when it's just down to him against Old Scratch, he knows the right thing to do and does it.
I am amused by the irony in the caution given to Karras by Fr. Merrin: "The Devil will mix lies with the truth to confuse us." So the Devil, it turns out, is a lot like a politician. Is this why he is showing up in Washington?