3 stars out of 5
Twenty years ago, David Gordon Green co-wrote and directed a terrific, thoughtful film called All the Real Girls. Since then, he’s formed a productive comedic HBO partnership with Danny McBride. And their recent big-screen, “you know what would be fun?” venture — rebooting horror franchises — got off to a decent start with 2018’s Halloween. But after that one, the law of diminishing returns has definitely applied.
I had seen the 2000 theatrical re-release of the original Exorcist, and it is a stone-cold classic. (I was 4 when the original came out, and 7 when The Omen was released, so had to play catch-up as an adult with these scary flicks that had been continually mentioned throughout my childhood.) I went into Exorcist: Believer with high hopes. I wanted to believe.
Early on, I was indeed impressed. Green wasn’t resorting to cheap jump scares; he starts off building a nice, low-key tension. Leslie Odom Jr., who I enjoyed in The Many Saints of Newark even if I couldn’t remember his name, is solid as a single dad trying to keep things together. Young Lidya Jewett (who I had previously seen in another “meh it’s OK” fright flick, Annabelle Comes Home) is very good as the daughter who we have to imagine will soon be projectile vomiting from her spinning head. As a twist this time, we get two possessed girls for the price of one! Lidya’s buddy Olivia O’Neill is particularly skilled at the demon-within thing. Her parents are played by Norbert Leo “Beverly Hills” Butz and Jennifer “Say What You Will About David Gordon Green, But He’s Loyal: I Play John Goodman’s Late Wife on The Righteous Gemstones, and Co-Screenwriter Scott Teems Was the Freaking On-Set Dresser for All the Real Girls” Nettles. But they basically just get to look worried and/or upset.
Shamefully wasted: the great Ellen Burstyn, who was the mom in the original, and is still going strong at age 90. Give her more to do!! Her involvement was one of the main reasons I paid full price to see this!
When the movie shifts to the exorcism section, it really goes downhill. Instead of capturing and building on the genuinely terrifying essence of the true Exorcist, this really feels by-the-book and, also stupid, with a tacked-on, “if we work together, we can win” message that is just as quickly abandoned.
Unfortunately this film had a better box-office opening weekend than it deserved, so it likely won’t be streaming by Halloween, as that would be a less disappointing way to watch this. As for Green and McBride (co-screen story credit here), stick with comedy, fellas. The Exorcist: Bieber — you can have that idea on the house!
Jack Silbert, curator