The Exorcist: Believer Movie Review

William Friedkin and William Peter Blatty’s 1973 horror classic, ‘The Exorcist’ is still regarded as not just the best horror film of all time, but one of the best movies ever made. It’s the perfect blend of the supernatural, horror and character drama that I have seen put to film. The characters are compelling, the situation is dire and quite frightening, and the horror sequences are memorable. In recent years, the franchise has taken a backseat, with there only being minimal output. The popular franchise hasn’t been seen on the big screen since 2005’s ‘The Exorcist: Dominion’ from director Paul Shader. The franchise also saw a brief stint on television with the critical success of the 2016 series simply titled ‘The Exorcist’. But since then

After the monumental success of David Gordon-Green and Danny McBride’s re-imagining of the Halloween franchise, in collaboration with horror producer, extraordinaire Jason Blum, the trio seemed like the perfect candidates to take on a reboot of ‘The Exorcist’ and in 2023, we received the first entry in a proposed trilogy from the team. ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ hit cinemas in October 2023, grossing an impressive $65 million in the USA and $137 million at the worldwide box office. The film follows the disappearance of two girls, when they return, strange occurrences begin happening, including strange behaviours in both girls. The two families are forced to turn to an exorcism to free their daughters from the grasp of the demon, enlisting the help of Chris MacNeil, played again by Ellen Burstyn, mother Ragen from the 1973 original film. As a massive fan of ‘The Exorcist’ and the rebooted Halloween trilogy, I was really looking forward to seeing what the team would do with this new trilogy.

‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is a welcomed entry in ‘The Exorcist’ franchise. The film manages to capture the tone of the original film, without feeling like a direct copycat. It changes enough from the story, without losing the licence or identity of the franchise. The modern updates to the film are all in service of its plot and David Gordon-Green’s signature style. The exorcism scenes are different to anything we’ve seen before, incorporating elements from other religions and not just Christianity. This change modernises the idea of an exorcism and provides an entirely new spin.

The performances here are also really solid as well. Leslie Odom Jr.(Hamilton, Glass Onion) really shines as concerned father Victor Fielding. He brings the appropriate amount of concern and worry to the role, without ever losing side of reality, which I really appreciate. The supporting cast are all really strong here as well, Ann Dowd plays nurse and neighbour Ann Brooks, who escalates the concerns of the two families as the demon brings forth secrets from her past. The two girls at the centre of the story also both do a wonderful job Olivia O’Neil and Lidya Jewett are both incredible here, selling the terror and also their own innocence. They are both truly great here.

The Exorcist: Believer is a fantastic return to form for the beloved horror franchise. The film is able to stand on its own feet, whilst paying respects to the masterpiece that came before it. The cast are wonderful, and the platform is laid for the two planned sequels. If you’re a horror fan this is a must watch. Be sure to pick-up your copy from Sanity today on DVD, Blu-Ray or 4K UHD, link below!

2024 promises to be stacked full of great releases, so make sure you sign up to Sanity’s newsletter so you don’t miss another major release and for all things movies, music, merchandise, shop Sanity!

Long live physical media!

Buy The Exorcist Movies on 4K UHD, DVD & Blu-ray here - including The Exorcist: Believer

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here