When it comes to horror franchises, few carry the cultural weight and disturbing legacy of “The Exorcist.” The 1973 original remains one of the most terrifying films ever made, with its visceral imagery and profound exploration of faith still haunting viewers five decades later. So when “The Exorcist: Believer” was announced as a direct sequel (ignoring the various other entries in the franchise), hopes were high that director David Gordon Green might deliver the same magic he brought to the “Halloween” reboot.
Unfortunately, “The Exorcist: Believer” never quite reaches the heights of unholy terror that made its predecessor a landmark in cinema history.
The Story
The film centers on Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.), a photographer and single father still grieving the loss of his wife during childbirth in Haiti thirteen years earlier. His teenage daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett) and her friend Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) decide to conduct a séance in the woods to contact Angela’s deceased mother. When the girls go missing for three days and return with no memory of where they’ve been, they begin exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior that suggests demonic possession.
As the girls’ conditions worsen, Victor reluctantly turns to Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn, reprising her role from the original film), whose daughter Regan survived a similar ordeal. Together with representatives from different faiths, they attempt to save the girls from the malevolent entity that has taken hold of them.
What Works
Leslie Odom Jr. delivers a committed performance as a father desperate to save his daughter. His character’s crisis of faith provides some of the film’s most compelling moments, particularly as he grapples with his abandonment of God after his wife’s death. The film smartly positions him as an atheist forced to consider supernatural explanations, echoing the original’s themes about faith in crisis.
The possession sequences, while never reaching the shocking heights of the original, contain some effectively disturbing imagery. The decision to feature two possessed girls creates some visually interesting moments, particularly when the demons appear to work in tandem.
Ellen Burstyn’s return as Chris MacNeil adds gravitas to the proceedings, though her screen time feels limited. When she recounts her daughter’s ordeal and the toll it took on her life, we catch glimpses of the emotional depth that made the original so powerful.
Where It Falters
“Believer” struggles most in its attempt to balance homage to the original with establishing its own identity. The scares feel calculated rather than genuinely disturbing, often relying on jump scares over psychological terror.
The screenplay introduces interesting ideas about religious diversity (featuring Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim approaches to exorcism) but never fully explores these themes. Instead, it rushes toward a climactic exorcism sequence that, while technically well-executed, lacks the raw, transgressive power that made the original’s finale so unforgettable.
The film also suffers from pacing issues. The first act effectively builds tension, but the middle section meanders before rushing toward the finale. Characters introduced as potential allies in the spiritual battle are underdeveloped, making it difficult to invest in their fate.
Final Thoughts
“The Exorcist: Believer” isn’t a bad horror film by any means, but it exists in the shadow of an untouchable classic. Green’s direction is competent, the performances solid, and there are moments of genuine unease. Yet it never captures the profound spiritual horror that made William Friedkin’s original transcend the genre.
For fans of the franchise, there’s enough here to warrant a viewing, especially to see Burstyn return to her iconic role. Newcomers to the series might find the possession elements effectively scary, but they’d be better served seeking out the 1973 original to understand why it continues to terrify audiences fifty years later.
Rating: 2/5 stars
The film explores interesting themes about faith and grief but ultimately fails to deliver the transcendent horror of its predecessor.
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