THE EXORCIST (based on the novel by William Peter Blatty)
Rating: 4,5 out of 6 MPAA Classification: R Genre: Drama/horror Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, Linda Blair. Directed by William Friedkin
A 12-year-old girl, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) starts to behave rather strangely. She loses control of her body, and strange telekinetic phenomena occur in her bedroom. Her mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), believes her to have a mental illness. Regan is examined by medical personell, who at first seemed to think she had a somatic disease; she is then assumed to have an inexplicable mental disturbance. Seeing as how the doctors can't help, and beginning to believe that her daughter might be "possessed", Chris attempts to get in touch with an "exorcist", a person capable of dispelling evil spirits from a human's body by a religious ritual, and thus meets with Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a Catholic priest and psychiatrist. Meanwhile Regan's body has been seriously twisted by the assumed demon inside of her, and she speaks with a strange, devilish voice. Father Karras believes her to be possessed by a demon, and finally agrees to perform exorcism on her, if he can get permission by the Catholic Church. But the bishop decides to hire another priest, a more experienced exorcist, for the job. Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) arrives, and the painstacking act of exorcism can begin ...
I think THE EXORCIST truly is a powerful movie, even today. When it was released, it set a new standard for acceptable violence and gore on the screen. Although it's a bit slow in the beginning, and contains very few reminders of a "horror genre movie", it certainly builds up to the inevitable and breath-taking ending. The way be follow Regan's transformation from a beautiful young girl to a horrific half demon, half human, is very well pictured. The demon's behaviour and speeches are less realistic. Especially all the "bad language", which rather than impresses us, makes us believe that Satan is a street punk! The end of the movie is dramatic, and both von Sydow and Miller do a tremendous and breathtaking performance as exorcists. Maybe the final ending is a little cheap, and there are many unanswered questions. Perhaps, like several other movies that are based on novels, the audience feel that the story moves a little too fast forward, since the length has been shortened down, and all the subplots and continuity of a novel has to be thinned or cut.
Still, a very interesting and "afterthought-kind" of movie. Unlike the slasher movies of the 80's, which for the most had no intelligent plot at all, THE EXORCIST brings up a fascinating story and very talented actors.
Reviewed by Stian M. Landgaard, March 11th, 1998
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