Name: The Exorcist: Believer
Genre: Horror
Released: 2023-10-04T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Leslie Odom Jr., Lidya Jewett, Olivia O'Neill, Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles

The opening scene of The Exorcist: Believer is a brutal one: a massive earthquake in Haiti, where photographer Victor Fielding must choose between saving his gravely injured wife or their unborn child. It’s a visceral, emotional gut-punch that sets the tone for David Gordon Green’s franchise sequel — but one that ultimately feels disconnected from the rest of the film’s narrative.

Green, who co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Sattler, attempts to honor the legacy of William Friedkin‘s 1973 classic while carving out a new path. The result is a film that struggles to find its footing, oscillating between heartfelt family drama and outright horror. Leslie Odom Jr. delivers a committed performance as Victor, a grieving widower who has lost his faith in God. His journey from skepticism to desperation is the emotional core of the story, but it’s often overshadowed by the film’s reliance on jump scares and grotesque imagery.

The film’s strongest moments come when it focuses on the interpersonal dynamics between Victor, Angela (Lidya Jewett), and Katherine (Olivia O’Neill). The slow descent into possession is chilling, particularly in a scene where Angela reveals intimate details about Nurse Ann Brooks’ past (Ann Dowd), leaving the audience to question whether she’s genuinely possessed or merely manipulative. However, these subtle, psychological horrors are frequently interrupted by more conventional, and less effective, horror set-pieces.

The ecumenical exorcism sequence, meant to be the film’s climax, is a mess of competing ideologies and underdeveloped characters. The inclusion of various religious figures — Father Maddox (E.J. Bonilla), Pastor Don Revans (Raphael Sbarge), Stuart (Ben O’Tol), and Dr. Beehibe (Okwui Okpokwasili) — feels forced, as if Green is trying to cram in every possible exorcism trope rather than letting the story breathe.

Ann Dowd’s return to the franchise is a highlight, albeit brief. Her character, Nurse Ann Brooks, provides a tangible link to the original film and adds a layer of depth to the proceedings. Similarly, Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair‘s cameo appearances are appreciated, but their roles are so minimal that they feel more like fan service than meaningful contributions.

The film’s production values are solid, with cinematographer Michael Simmonds crafting some striking compositions. However, Green’s direction often feels erratic, struggling to balance the film’s tonal shifts and pacing issues. The sound design is effective in building tension, but the score occasionally undermines the horror with overly intrusive cues.

The Exorcist: Believer ultimately falters due to its inability to reconcile its ambitions with its execution. It’s a film that wants to be both a spiritual successor to the original and a standalone horror spectacle, but it can’t quite manage either.

The film’s attempt to blend family drama with supernatural horror is admirable, but the seams show. The emotional beats between Victor and Angela are genuine and wrenching, particularly in a scene where Victor pleads with his daughter, begging her to “come back” from the brink of possession. However, these moments are undercut by the film’s reliance on shock value, such as Katherine stabbing Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) in the eyes with a cross—a moment that’s certainly shocking but lacks the psychological depth of similar scenes in the original.

The ecumenical exorcism sequence is a case in point. The idea of bringing together different faiths to combat evil is intriguing, but the execution feels rushed and convoluted. Each religious figure brings their own methods and beliefs to the table, but their interactions are more comical than compelling. Father Maddox’s rigid Catholicism clashes with Pastor Revans’ evangelical fervor, while Dr. Beehibe’s rootwork healing practices feel tacked on rather than integrated. The sequence devolves into chaos, with characters shouting over each other and performing rituals that seem more like a cobbled-together checklist of exorcism tropes than a coherent spiritual battle.

Leslie Odom Jr.’s performance is the film’s anchor, grounding the supernatural elements in emotional truth. His portrayal of Victor’s grief and desperation is nuanced and heartfelt, making his journey from skeptic to believer compelling. However, the supporting performances are uneven. Lidya Jewett and Olivia O’Neill both deliver strong turns as Angela and Katherine, but their characters often feel more like vessels for possession than fully realized individuals. Ann Dowd’s Nurse Brooks is a standout, bringing gravitas and depth to her role, but she’s criminally underused.

The film’s visuals are impressive, with Simmonds’s cinematography creating a sense of unease through careful composition and lighting. The sound design is equally effective, using silence and sudden bursts of noise to build tension. However, the score sometimes works against the film, with intrusive cues undermining the horror rather than enhancing it.

The Exorcist: Believer is a film that wants to be many things at once—a sequel, a standalone horror story, a family drama, a spiritual exploration—and in trying to be all of them, it fails to fully succeed at any. It’s a shame, because the core idea of exploring possession through a modern lens is a promising one. The film’s heart is in the right place, but its execution is muddled.

For fans of the original Exorcist, there are moments of genuine chills and frights, particularly in the early stages of Angela’s possession. But for those looking for a coherent, emotionally resonant horror experience, The Exorcist: Believer ultimately falls short.