QFC - The Exorcist

Rating: 8/10 (25 August 2006)

The exorcist is good, no doubt about it. What makes it particularly good and all the scarier is the drama attached to the horror. If this movie didn't scare anyone, which is pretty hard to believe, it would at least strike them as a drama. The background of every character is scary on a human level. The Priest conflicted, losing his faith and shook by such a horrible death of the mother. A mother whose husband is somewhere in Europe and won't even call for her daughter's birthday. A Priest in his old age, very ill and lonely. This is all stuff that would make a perfectly good drama. A human drama. What happens when a drama meets a paranormal movie? A total disaster. But not in this case. Here, it's movie history.
After the exorcist, many have tried to make a film like it, see all the sequels including 'the Exorcism of Emily Rose'. Well, they all failed because they were nothing more than films made to scare the crap out of people, not to really strike people with fear and compassion.
Directed beautifully, maybe a little slow starter, but scary, and hard hitting. This film is history!
WATCH FOR THE MOMENT - When the exorcism begins, beds shake, furniture move, complete chaos invades the room but the two Priests have to keep praying, can't leave, can't move, and are forced to witness the power of the devil.