The Exorcist: Believer fails to make your head spin

First things first, I’ma write all the words inside my head, I’m fired up and tired of this dreary old cash-in [ooh-ooh], a charmless litany of cliché [ooh-ooh]. Second things second, don’t you tell me that you think that it could be a legacy sequel, it’s got no such destiny [ooh-ooh], it’s as plain as can be [ooh-ooh]. It’s a horror from a past age, taking possession to the masses, making split pea soup fit to spew, that look at her, took to her, shooken her, seein’ her screaming at priests causing them pain, demonic blood running through the veins, speaking the curses most profane, a movie triumph borne of…pain! It’s not as good, The Exorcist: Believer. Believe me.

Aiming to revive the spine-tingling dread that made the 1973 classic a horror cornerstone, The Exorcist: Believer takes audiences back to the town where it all began where two young girls, Angela (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia Marcum), vanish into the woods, only to return altered, bearing the sinister marks of possession. Their parents, led by Angela’s widowed father, Victor (Leslie Odom Jr.), are thrust into a crisis of fear and desperation. As the chilling events unfold, Victor seeks out Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), hoping her past encounters with demonic forces can offer some semblance of salvation.

Leslie Odom Jr. delivers a performance imbued with a raw, compelling desperation. His portrayal of a father grappling with the incomprehensible is both poignant and gripping, capturing the terror and helplessness that underpin the narrative. The technical craftsmanship of the film is another highlight; the makeup, prosthetics, and cinematography weave an eerie tapestry that faithfully recalls the haunting aesthetic of the original. There are moments where the suspense builds masterfully, invoking a palpable sense of dread as the girls’ possession deepens. The scene where they first return from the woods, their innocence tainted by an unseen evil, is particularly effective, enveloping the audience in a chilling embrace.

However, as the story progresses, Exorcist: Believer stumbles in its execution. The dual possession, a plot device with significant potential, is underutilized, reducing Angela and Katherine to mere MacGuffins for horror rather than fully fleshed-out characters. Chris MacNeil’s return feels forced, a contrived nod to nostalgia that adds little substance to the plot. Her presence, intended to anchor the film in its storied past, instead highlights the movie’s struggle to stand on its own two feet.

And there’s the real head-spinner: The Exorcist: Believer tries so hard to mimic the look and feel of the 1973 classic that it forgets to update its scares for the modern audience. What sent shivers down the spines of viewers in the 70s just elicits chuckles from today’s multiplex crowd. The priest-baiting, pea-soup spewing antics that once symbolized pure terror now feel like relics of a bygone era. The contemporary audience, desensitized by decades of horror evolution – let alone horror elevation – find these once-frightening elements more quaint than terrifying.

Comparing The Exorcist: Believer to its illustrious (but dated) predecessor is probably unfair but it almost insists on it, even when the comparison invariably disadvantages it. Where the original film was a pioneering exploration of horror, blending psychological tension with supernatural terror, this new entry feels timid, afraid to stray too far from the beaten path. It borrows heavily from the original’s iconography without understanding its spirit, resulting in a film that feels much more like a milquetoast homage than a bold new chapter.

Despite its shortcomings, there are still commendable aspects. The performances, particularly by Odom Jr. and Jewett, shine through the dull script. There are glimpses of a compelling horror film, moments where the tension and atmosphere hint at what could have been. Yet, these moments are fleeting, overshadowed by a narrative that fails to fully commit to its own potential. Perhaps it’s a crisis of faith, but rather than kicking off an apparently planned trilogy, the noble thing to do would be for The Exorcist: Believer to hurl itself down a Georgetown staircase and dispossess us of this turbulent franchise.