I don’t see what everyone else seems to find so wrong with Exorcist: The Beginning. You’d expect to hear this from me, of course, since I’m such a fan of The Exorcist series, even Heretic: but I didn’t expect to be saying it about Renny Harlin’s reshoot, the released version of the movie; I thought I’d be saying it when I finally saw Paul Schrader’s original cut.

I think what Harlin’s cut proves is that some people will never be satisfied when it comes to the Exorcist sequels/prequels. Because Exorcist: The Beginning (in this form, at least) has literally everything in it that people complained were so insanely absent from parts 2 and 3. This is more of an Exorcist movie than either of the sequels. And aside for some dodgy special effects and slightly grating child acting, it’s pretty surprisingly well made. You could tweak this movie lightly in a few places, and for me it’d be every bit the masterpiece that the original was – honestly. So needless-to-say, I’m even more excited to see Paul Schrader’s version now.

Stellan Skarsgård plays Father Merrin superbly: if it weren’t an Exorcist movie there’d be Oscar talk. I think it’s probably Skarsgård who made William Peter Blatty (author of the original novel) recently remark that he actually liked the Schrader version (despite reacting non-too-favourably to the news years ago that a prequel would be made). Skarsgård seems to completely understand what Merrin is all about, and you can simultaneously imagine him growing up to be both the Merrin of the original novel and (more importantly) Max Von Sydow in the original film. The final scene, too, must have brought a smile to Blatty’s face, I think (if it’s in the Schrader version) – it’s the most faithful scene in all the sequels, even setting up the most famous image of the original. And there’s even a reference early on in the movie to one of my favourite lines not in the original but in the “Version You’ve Never Seen” (which is my absolute favourite cut of the original): “You drink, father?” “I shouldn’t: but thank God, my will is weak.” Somebody involved here actually cared about what The Exorcist was really all about, I’m convinced, and after all the messing around that’s gone on with this movie, I have to say, even without the Schrader version, I’m pretty damn impressed.

I’m keeping it down on my 2004 movies list for now though till I see the Schrader version

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