Rating of
4/4
90%
CJP - wrote on 10/21/08
Action: 3/3 + Comedy: 1/2 + Good vs Evil: 1/1 + Love/Sex: 1/1 + Special Effects: 1/1 + Plot: 1/1 + Music: 1/1 = 9/10 or 90%.
The film is over a quarter of a century old and it's influence is still felt today. Modern horror films like the Possession of Emily Rose and the Amityville Horror tackle the same theme of demonic possession and it's effect on the innocent as well as the family unit. The Exorcist though also adds and relies more on eerie sounds and pointed scenes of expressionistic evil to build heightened tension and fear rather than gore out the viewer or use cheap and typical scare tactics. In a similar manner, Ju-On, Ringu, and the Ring are films that understood this terror of a creaking noise late at night. What is it? Thus, historically, the Exorcist is a very important and influential global piece, which is superior to the above films (though most of the latter is important as well...most... o.k., maybe half).
Outside of historical relevance, the Exorcist takes an everyday discussion and brings it to life. It is escapism in it's highest form. One does not see demons in reality. One does not typically watch a family member's head spin around. Yet that is the reality here. It is a battle of everyday human wits and spiritual belief against the present and actual culmination of evil. And, when attempting to make sense of spiritual rules, who hasn't felt their head spinning?
Even the twist ending offers little, if any, redemption for the characters or the viewers. The reality it offers is bleak and the simplicity of the story conveys this into everyday life. Burtyn and Blair turn in superior performances as mother and daughter and Friedkin goes above and beyond in the director's chair to keep the film a horror gem and not divulge into unrealistic, staged redemptive grace.
