The Greatest Horror Sequel Rivals The Iconic Original, Stream Now On Tubi
When The Exorcist first hit theaters in 1973, the idea of being able to replicate its greatness as a horror film was unthinkable. But Hollywood did just that, leading to the second film in the franchise several years later, a project that is considered one of the worst sequels ever made. But The Exorcist III showed audiences that the talent behind the first movie could be brought back into the fold and give fans a film that is just as riveting and horrifying as the original.
The Gemini Killer’s MO
The Exorcist III begins as Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (George C. Scott) is investigating the murder of a 12-year-old boy who was found decapitated, his head replaced by the head that was cut from a statue of Jesus. The subsequent murder of a priest followed a similar M.O., but Kinderman discovers that each crime scene has different sets of fingerprints.
After Kinderman’s friend Father Joseph Dyer (Ed Flanders) is murdered, the investigation leads the befuddled cop to the psychiatric ward of a hospital where he begins to see that the murders fit the methods of the Gemini Killer (Brad Dourif), deepening the mystery as the serial murderer was executed years before.
The Investigation Leads To An Unlikely Place
The Exorcist III reveals that a patient on the ward, whose identity isn’t known to hospital staff, is Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller). Karras helped the late Father Merrin perform the exorcism on young Reagan McNeal years earlier, but was presumed dead after inviting the demon to leave its hostess’s body and invade his. Karras jumped out the window to his “death,” but survived and was found wandering the streets as a vagrant that presented as an amnesiac.
Whatever is possessing Karras has the ability to jump from him to other hosts for short bursts, allowing it to kill. Kinderman finds his life in severe jeopardy as the Gemini Killer’s spirit and the demonic force that guides it target him as he fights for a way to stop them.
A Proper Exorcist Sequel
The Exorcist III combines the best elements of a murder thriller and wraps a terrifying story of supernatural possession around it. Brilliant acting brings to life a perfect storyline that holds viewer attention as tightly as the viewer will find themselves clutching the arms of their seat. This is true horror storytelling at its finest, full of equal amounts of suspense, shock, and terror.
But after the lukewarm box office reception of The Exorcist II: The Heretic, it’s a near miracle that The Exorcist III ever came to fruition. The 1977 sequel had the star power of Linda Blair, Richard Burton, and Louise Fletcher, but its weak script and boorish plot line worked hard to make it a critical flop. Even decades later, many fans of the franchise consider the 1990 installment the only one of the bunch that comes close to being as thrilling and captivating as what William Peter Blatty and director William Friedkin brought to life in 1973.
The Terror Effectively Takes Place Off-Screen
Blatty served in the dual role of The Exorcist III‘s director and screenwriter, using his 1983 novel Legion as the source material. The film ignored the events presented in The Heretic, instead taking the path laid out in Blatty’s novels.
The Exorcist III is a slow burn with powerful payoffs. There are several scenes that are cinematic goldmines, including one where a night nurse at the psychiatric hospital is executed by a possessed nun with a pair of shears. But rather than show a lot of the gore, Blatty uses creative last-second cutaways that heavily imply deaths and somehow manages to generate high levels of anxious fear in doing so.
Streaming The Exorcist III On Tubi
GFR SCORE
Much of Blatty’s direction involves intense and detailed buildups to terror. After the death of Father Dyer, investigators took note of the message “It’s a Wonderful Life” that was written on the wall in the cleric’s blood. The message was meant for Kinderman, who watched the movie only days before with the priest at a local theater.
The Exorcist III uses these types of setups throughout, making the murders personal and focused, thus elevating the terror for Kinderman.
You can catch The Exorcist III streaming for free with Tubi.
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