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- 'The Exorcist' movies ranked according to critics — yes, even the prequels
'The Exorcist' movies ranked according to critics yes, even the prequels
Eammon Jacobs
!['The Exorcist' movies ranked according to critics — yes, even the prequels](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-106768341%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-204016%2Faposthe-exorcistapos-movies-ranked-according-to-critics-ampmdash-yes-even-the-prequels.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
- William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" is one of the most famous horror movies of all time.
- It spawned several sequels and prequels over the years, including 2023's "The Exorcist: Believer."
The worst rated film of the franchise is "The Exorcist II: Heretic," which follows Reagan Mcneil four years after the first film.
![The worst rated film of the franchise is "The Exorcist II: Heretic," which follows Reagan Mcneil four years after the first film.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106793270,width-700,height-525,imgsize-41444/the-worst-rated-film-of-the-franchise-is-quotthe-exorcist-ii-hereticquot-which-follows-reagan-mcneil-four-years-after-the-first-film-.jpg)
"The Exorcist" terrified audiences and broke box office records when it debuted in 1973. The religiously-tinged horror thriller had audiences fainting, crying, and throwing up — and shelling out for repeat viewings. So it wasn't surprising when a sequel, "The Exorcist II: Heretic" arrived four years later in 1977.
But Blair's return as Regan in the sequel didn't whip critics and audiences into a frenzy. The lackluster story focused on finding a way of fighting the demon, Pazuzu, who possessed the young girl in the first film.
Or as Russell Davies put it for the Observer: "From the start, the film is either unbearably silly or incomprehensible, and finally both at once."
The film's poor performance meant it would be 13 years before the studio would return to the franchise.
"Exorcist: The Beginning" didn't do much for the franchise in the early 2000s.
!["Exorcist: The Beginning" didn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106793265,width-700,height-525,imgsize-64940/quotexorcist-the-beginningquot-didnapost-do-much-for-the-franchise-in-the-early-2000s-.jpg)
When Morgan Creek Productions and Warner Bros. attempted to revive "The Exorcist" franchise in the early 2000s with director Paul Schrader at the helm, they were worried that it would be a flop. The project was retooled into "Exorcist: The Beginning," and was released in 2004.
The prequel expands the story of Max Von Sydow's Father Lankester Merrin and takes place in 1947. It features Stellan Skarsgård playing the younger version of the priest as he grapples with his faith in Kenya. He investigates the discovery of a church that had been buried in the ground, and it isn't long before Pazuzu starts possessing people and causing chaos for Merrin.
The film was panned by critics for its messy storyline and poor visual effects.
"A botch job of mistimed scare scenes, bland characters and computer-generated hyenas alieviated only by Skarsgård, who delivers a performance much better than the material deserves," wrote the BBC's Nev Pierce in his review.
David Gordon Green's 2023 "The Exorcist: Believer" also failed to revitalize the franchise for a new era.
![David Gordon Green](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106793262,width-700,height-525,imgsize-79224/david-gordon-greenaposs-2023-quotthe-exorcist-believerquot-also-failed-to-revitalize-the-franchise-for-a-new-era-.jpg)
"The Exorcist: Believer" is Blumhouse and Universal's attempt at continuing the franchise with a legacy sequel, following the trend of other franchises like "Halloween" and "Scream." It stars Leslie Odom Jr. as a father whose daughter and her friend are possessed by a demonic entity.
David Gordon Green, who also directed the 2018 "Halloween" sequel, takes a modern approach to the series, but has seemingly come up with an underwhelming result by relying on stereotypical horror tropes.
"Though Green tries all types of terror tactics from sudden jump cuts to graphic gore, there isn't a single scare in the entire 121-minute runtime," the Boston Globe's Odie Henderson said.
"Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist" was better received than the franchise's previous prequel, but only just.
!["Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist" was better received than the franchise](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106793261,width-700,height-525,imgsize-210624/quotdominion-prequel-to-the-exorcistquot-was-better-received-than-the-franchiseaposs-previous-prequel-but-only-just-.jpg)
Morgan Creek Productions and Warner Bros. Pictures released "Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist" in 2005, just a year after "Exorcist: The Beginning" flopped in theaters. Director Paul Schrader's original vision for the movie was given a smaller theatrical run, and also barely made any money.
Still, its critical reaction fared slightly better than "The Beginning," although not by much. It follows a similar plot to the 2004 movie, with Stellan Skarsgård's young Lankester Merrin struggling with his faith after Nazis force him to help execute prisoners during World War II.
While reviewers didn't like the film, some were surprised by Schrader's attempts to explore wider themes through the lens of Merrin's struggles.
"I can't call it a success, but it is certainly an outstanding failure, an attempt to broaden the horizons of a stale genre with real discussion of the matters that consume its maker," Alternate Ending's Tim Brayton wrote.
Critics praised "The Exorcist III" for taking a different stab at the demonic.
![Critics praised "The Exorcist III" for taking a different stab at the demonic.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106793260,width-700,height-525,imgsize-53020/critics-praised-quotthe-exorcist-iiiquot-for-taking-a-different-stab-at-the-demonic-.jpg)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%
The third chapter in the franchise, "The Exorcist III," was directed by William Peter Blatty, the author of the book that the original movie was based on. It mainly follows Lieutenant Kinderman (George C. Scott) who investigates a series of murders supposedly committed by a serial killer executed around the same time that Reagan was possessed in the first film.
It makes some surprising revelations about Father Karras (Jason Miller), the other priest who helped exorcise Reagan, and also features one of the best jump scares of the last few decades.
"'The Exorcist III' has one truly spectacular scare, a bravura long take that ratchets up tension across several agonizing minutes before delivering a nerve-jangling jolt," wrote the AV Club's A.A. Dowd. "Mostly, however, the film relies on the power of suggestion, smartly gambling that it can't compete with the horrors its audience can imagine."
In a surprise to no one, 1973's "The Exorcist" is still the best of the franchise according to critics.
![In a surprise to no one, 1973](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106793258,width-700,height-525,imgsize-19912/in-a-surprise-to-no-one-1973aposs-quotthe-exorcistquot-is-still-the-best-of-the-franchise-according-to-critics-.jpg)
Yes, "The Exorcist" is still the best of the franchise according to critics. It hinges on Linda Blair's brutal performance as Regan MacNeil, who is terrifying as the possessed young girl. But it's elevated by Max Von Sydow's work as the priest conducting the exorcism, Father Lankester Merrin.
The film made such an impact because a child committing acts of violence in such a visceral way hadn't really been shown on the big screen before. The risk paid off for the studio though, as the film was nominated for 10 Oscars, winning best sound and best adapted screenplay.
"The Exorcist' has dated little, and its essential premise makes it still one of the most modern of horror films," USA Today's Susan Wloszczyna wrote in 2000. "The monster isn't lurking out there. It resides in us, even in the most banal vessel imaginable, a sweet schoolgirl."
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