EXORCIST: BELIEVER, THE

US, 2023, 120 minutes, Colour.

Leslie Odom Jr, Ellen Burstyn, Olivia O'Neill, Lydia Jewett, Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, Raphael Sbarge, E.J. Bonilla, Celeste Oliva.

Directed by David Gordon Green.

It is 50 years since the original The Exorcist surprised, sometimes shocked, audiences and introduced the cinema treatment of exorcisms and further explorations of diabolical possession. The Exorcist itself led to two sequels as well as two prequels. On the occasion of this significant anniversary, the first of three planned Exorcist films has been released. (And it comes a month after the release of another exorcism film, The Nun II, and its box office success.)

Unlike the original, this is not a Catholic film, though there are some emerging Catholic themes. For the first 40 minutes, audiences may be wondering whether they are watching right film. This part is a family drama with a forceful earthquake in a Haiti setting. Victor Leslie Odom Jr, holidaying with his pregnant wife, who receives a number of the blessings from sympathetic motherly women with local powers and traditions, has to make a crucial life-decision after the massive earthquake destruction.

Then, 13 years later, the setting, a rural town in Georgia. Victor is living there with his 13-year-old daughter, Angie, quite a lively girl, and good friends with Katherine, the daughter of devout Christians, quoting scripture, attending services at the local evangelical church, listening to the pastor’s sermons, a very scripture-text spirituality. And audiences may still be waiting for the diabolical possessions!

The two girls go for a walk in the countryside after school, Katherine attempting a kind of hypnotism of Angie so that she can be in contact with her mother. The girls then disappear, frantic searches, eventual discovery three days later, 30 miles away. They have no memory of what has happened. They are taken to hospital.

So, there have been religious suggestions, the visit to a Catholic church in Haiti, the local religious blessings, the Georgia evangelical church, and a woman in the town reaching out with prayers and traditions from Africa and the slave tradition. And, eventually, a Catholic connection, with Ann Dowd as a former nun, with her own secret, working in the hospital.

And the position begins – with a rather evangelical theological analogy: after his death, Jesus descended into hell for three days then rose again; the girls were missing three days and experienced hell. And for resurrection – exorcism.

Actually, it takes quite a lot of running time in the film for the manifestations to begin. They do, and they increase, anticipated horror and, of course, memories of Linda Blair’s Regan in the original film (and the information given that Linda Blair worked with the two actresses for their performances here).

And, speaking of Regan, the nurse gives Victor a book written by Chris MacNeil about her experience with her daughter, the loss of her daughter, disappeared, her being questioned about the experience so often, that she did not actually witness the exorcisms which the priests effected, but she has spent many years investigating possession and exorcism in a wide range of cultures. She agrees to come to the town – and, quite vigorously confronts the demons in the girls, her attempt to exorcise, with some devastating consequences. (Ellen Burstyn had refused offers to reprise her role as Chris MacNeil for decades but finally accepted the invitation of the director, was paid well and gave away all her salary to an acting school foundation.) At 90 while filming, Ellen Burstyn is still a force to be reckoned with.

Which brings in the Catholic themes.

The nurse approaches a sympathetic priest, discussions about exorcisms, possessions, the priest going to the Bishop and his advisory board of clergy, their sympathy, but because it was not a strictly Catholic situation, the priest is asked not to participate.

Which means that this is very much an ecumenical/interfaith look at possession and exorcism. With the priest absent, but having given her the text of the ritual, the nurse leads in the exorcism attempt, the local Minister, the parents, present and praying. The non-believing Victor, because of the sadness of his wife’s death, is desperate, has sought out Chris MacNeill, but is rather overwhelmed by the exorcism experiences.

The priest’s sympathy gets the better of his orders from the Bishop and goes in to participate as well. Not a good outcome.

Again, it is Ann Dowd as the nurse who does the verbal summing up of the themes. While the issue is one of belief in God and evil, in its diabolical forms, she states that, experiencing the group coming together, the important thing is collaboration in belief, shared belief.

Audiences interested in exorcism themes have been given plenty to think about. Audiences for whom exorcisms are exotic and/or irrelevant, may well dismiss it out of hand, as was done with the original. And there are mixed feelings as we leave the cinema, some joy, some sadness – and, for Exorcist cinema buffs, a moment of pleasure with the final credit.

1. The significance of The Exorcist in 1973? 50 years of Exorcism cinema? The decision for a sequel, a trilogy?
2. Audience response to the original film, as a drama, as religious drama, Catholic drama, horror film? Attitudes towards Exorcism films over 50 years? Expectations for this film?
3. The links with the original film, Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil, memories of her story, the aftermath, Regan’s disappearance, her research, the range of exorcisms in cultures and religions, her book, her coming to the possessed children, her attempt at exorcism, her being blinded?
4. The first part of the film, family drama? No suggestions of horror? The holiday in Haiti, Victor, his camera, his pregnant wife, their love, her being blessed by the locals because of her pregnancy? The drama of the earthquake, the spectacle, the wife, her injury, hospital, the doctors, the dilemma for Victor, wanting his wife to live, his daughter’s surviving?
5. 13 years later, Georgia? Victor and Angie, their life together, the bond, her longing for contact with her mother? His memories? The haunting of the choice he was asked to make?
6. Angie, her age, precocious, with her father, friendship with Katherine, at school, going for the walk, Katherine and the touch of hypnosis rangy to contact her mother, the disappearance? Anxiety of the families, the search parties, Victor and the cave, locating the girls, 30 miles away, three days, no memories?
7. Katherine’s family, devout, churchgoing, the church ceremonies, the pastor, his quoting the Scriptures, prayer, the congregation? The family and their concern about their daughter, the father and his outbursts, the police and their searching, the detective?
8. The children, in hospital, the treatment, the growing symptoms, the gradual experience of possession? The evangelical interpretation, Jesus dying, three days in Hell, then rising, the girls missing for three days, the devil in them, rising through exorcism?
9. Victor, his grief, presents with Angie, his loss of faith because of the death of his wife? Not able to share prayer with the other family?
10. And, at the hospital, concerned, the revelation of her story, the nun, the sexual encounter, infidelity, the abortion, the consequences? The motivations for helping? The Catholic dimension? Going to the priest, the discussions, his willingness, going to the Bishop and his counsel, the discussions, not a Catholic exorcism, his being forbidden to go, his talking with the group, leaving the exorcism, in his car, coming back in, having given the ritual to An, his beginning the prayers, the demon’s attacking him, killing him?
11. The offers of help, the psychological dimension and treating the children, the woman with the African and slave traditions and rituals offering to help, the building up to an ecumenical, interfaith exorcism?
12. The children, their behaviour, the possession, the distortions, the memories of The Exorcist?
13. Victor, the discussions with Chris MacNeil, her coming, discussions, confrontation with the children, her being blinded, in hospital, yet her continued support, and her grief at Reagan’s disappearance?
14. The rituals of the exorcism, and in the Catholic ritual, the contribution of the other members, the effect on them, Catherine’s parents?
15. The symbols of the healing, the two girls later, the significance of one only surviving, which one? Angie restored to Victor? The grief of the other parents, the visit to the cemetery?
16. The aftermath, Chris MacNeil in hospital, Victor’s visit – and the moment of joy with Regan reappearing and be united with her mother?