Movie Review: “Exorcist: The Beginning”
For those who have strong feelings and sentiments for “The Exorcist” as a dramatic and gothic working of art, you may end up needing an exorcism yourself.
The original “Exorcist” is such a phenomenon that many would consider it to be the best horror film of all time. The film realistically told of the demonic possession of an innocent little girl, and did so in truly terrifying and shocking fashion. But, since its original release, “The Exorcist” has become a victim of its own fame, prompting clone after clone in an effort to cash in.
The latest bludgeon to its credit is a prequel subtitled “The Beginning,” and entails Father Merrin’s first encounter with the demon in the 1940s. After being sent to Egypt to find an artifact hidden in a buried church, Merrin discovers evidence of demonic spirits among the African tribe he encounters, particularly a small boy who shows signs of demonic possession.
Like the original film, “The Beginning” seeks to shock you with gory visuals and Biblical encounters. The problem is that the visuals are often computer generated and take away the sense of realism so effectively established in its predecessor.
“The Beginning” also goes too far with its shocking moments, alienating the audience by overemphasizing its point. The original “Exorcist” featured these valuable points only at carefully planned intervals. “The Beginning” makes sure to include them every five minutes, as anyone with a working watch can readily tell.
These points prove that “The Beginning” is a terrible movie when compared to the film it was meant to emulate, but what about as a picture on its own?
The movie does suggest a somewhat unique storyline and produces a few genuine scares. The performance of its lead actor, Stellan Skarsgard, is one of the few areas where the movie excels. Given the demand for the role and the expectations of what he should bring to it, Skarsgard delivers in spades. His look, gestures, and dialect were all conducive of a Father Merrin in the 1940s.
Those who can bring themselves to look past the sanctity of its namesake may be apt to see “The Beginning” as a semi-decent film. Perhaps for those who have never seen or heard of the original, this movie might serve as a decent primer before venturing into the truly bizarre occurrences that befell that poor little girl in Georgetown so long ago.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Sep 3 2004. Filed under Other.
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