Squandered potential

Rating: 4/10 (13 October 2000)

There's no polite way to say it, really. _The Exorcist_ simply isn't *that* good a movie. It really had too much buildup and not enough of a conclusion. What was really the point of the beginning scene in Iraq? The significance was never really explained. Early on Father Karras mentions a lack of faith. This was never resolved either. Later, there is also a scene involving his recently deceased mother. What about this? The first half of the movie is way too long and slow when you consider that the scenes bring up too many issues that are never really resolved. Although the possession scenes are well done, I don't think this movie is way more scarier than any other run-of-the-mill fright flick. The ending is way too brief and I was left wondering, "is that it?" I also wasn't very scared. Seeing the child possessed was scary at first, but I soon became used to it. I also didn't feel the so-called eternal struggle of good vs. evil was highlighted enough, especially in the conclusion. Although this is by no means the epic, frightening masterpiece many make it out to be, it has some entertainment value if you can handle it. The lack of a good conclusion really diminished my enjoyment of a film that had a great deal of potential.