Review – ‘Exorcist III: Legion’
- Tom Powers
- Jun 25, 2020
- 2 min read
So this was directed by William Peter Blatty, the author of ‘The Exorcist’, and was originally intended to be a sequel to the film of ‘The Exorcist’. This film skips over the second part of the franchise, and involves a series of killings being investigated by a detective, played by George C. Scott. This brings him to a mental hospital where Brad Douriff lies in wait.
It’s strange, you’d never expect, especially with horror sequels, that the later films would be equally as adored by fans as the first film. ‘Exorcist II’ was hated by critics and audiences alike, and yet the third film is frequently praised by fans of horror, due to its slow, burning and deliberate pace, creating a atmosphere which rivals the first film.
George C. Scott is great as the detective, and provides a presence on screen that has us believe that he is a officer plagued by the murders of those around him. The shining star in this is almost certainly Brad Douriff, by this point, he had already started in several films, including the voice of Chucky the killer doll in ‘Child’s Play’. His speech halfway is haunting, and incredibly well performed. It’s worth watching this one just for that.
Something which is also mentioned a lot about this film is the famous jumpscare. The scene starts with a nurse going about her daily duties, when she starts to hear a noise coming from one of the rooms. The whole scene is shot with a wide angle, and a forced perspective corridor which enhances the surreal nature of the hospital and the scene. The nurse goes to check it out, when a patient startles her. The audience relaxes, this was the jumpscare they were waiting for. Or is it? I won’t spoil the scene too much, but just know that it is beautifully crafted, and superbly set up.
As I’ve come this far through the franchise, I might as well watch the two prequels as well. If they are half as good as this film, then I’ll be happy, but I’ve got a funny feeling they won’t be.
Comentarios