On paper, it probably made sense. If “legacy” horror sequels (a film that brings back fan favourite original characters while passing the franchise baton to fresh blood) worked for the Scream and Halloween series, why shouldn’t The Exorcist get the reboot treatment? In the safe hands of David Gordon Green (various Halloween movies), the go-to guy for horror franchise revamps, what could go wrong? Rather a lot as it turns out. The Exorcist: Believer is inert, awkwardly structured and a criminal waste of Ellen Burstyn (who reprises the role she played in the original Exorcist a full 50 years later). It requires a rare ineptitude to take what is famously one of the most terrifying movies ever made, recycle pretty much everything (including Tubular Bells on the score) but neglect to include the scares.
