Not that scary ...

Rating: Null/10 (14 June 2003)

I'm sure that when THE EXORCIST came out in 1973, it was a pretty scary movie. But, in my opinion, it does not stand the test of time.
As everyone knows, THE EXORCIST is about a little girl named Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) who becomes possessed by the devil, and how it affects her and her mother Chris (Ellen Burstyn). Now, as frightening as that thought is, the movie is still not very scary. Things such as thick pea soup standing as vomit seem almost laughable by today's standards. There are those few classic scenes though--the head-turning, the exorcism, and the death of Father Merrin (Max von Sydow)--that remain timeless and brilliant. And, in the newer version, the spider-walk sequence, which certainly stands out in my mind. But other than that, there's not much to say as far as scare factor goes.
However, that's not to say that it isn't a good movie. A movie doesn't have to be scary to be good (however, it being a horror movie, that's kind of the expectation). The acting, plotline, and characters are remarkable, and the makeup used on Linda Blair when Regan is possessed is exceptional. Those things make the movie pretty believable, and when you think about it, if this were to happen, you'd be scared s***less.
This is the classic horror movie that will always hold a high place in the world of movies, even though to some (like me), it might have lost its scariness. Still, though, a very good movie. 9 out of 10.