... Knowing how much I had enjoyed watching the original Exorcist film, when he saw this one on sale for about £14.99 (it was in the new release section when he bought it) he decided to buy it for me. Certainly if you shop around online you are sure to get this one much cheaper.
The Plot
~~~~~~~
Well, ... Read review
The Very First Encounter With The Ultimate Terror.The prequel to the exorcist, the ... more
scariest movie of all time: Having abandoned his faith in God, Father Merrin (Stellan Skarsglard) joins a British excavation in Kenya where a Christian church has been u...
Father Lankester Merrin thinks that he has glimpsed the face of Evil. In the years ... more
following World War II Merrin (Skarsgard) is relentlessly haunted by memories of the unspeakable brutality perpetrated against the innocent people of his parish. In the...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Production Year: 2000 - Horror - Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Carmen Electra, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, James Van Der Beek, Keenen Ivory Wayans
Advantages: Strangely compelling to watch Disadvantages: Not as scary as i had thought it would be
...had enjoyed watching the original Exorcist film, when he saw this one on sale for about £14.99 (it was in the new release section when he bought it) he decided to buy it for me. Certainly if you shop around online you are sure to get this one much cheaper.
The Plot
~~~~~~~
Well, in the original Exorcist movie we meet Father Merrin for the first time. As you may or may not know, he is the priest who performs the ... ...all 3 of the other Exorcist films. This is the background on how Father Merrin became that priest.
Father Merrin (played by Stellan Skarsgaard) has completely abandoned the Catholic faith and seemingly turned to alcohol after events during the Second World War. There are flashbacks and references made to this time at points throughout the film. He is approached by the British military and asked about a relic that has been found, and ... more
My husband bought this DVD for me for Christmas last year as he knows I like a good horror movie or one that at least makes me jump a bit. Knowing how much I had enjoyed watching the original Exorcist film, when he saw this one on sale for about £14.99 (it was in the new release section when he bought it) he decided to buy it for me. Certainly if you shop around online you are sure to get this one much cheaper.
The Plot ~~~~~~~
Well, in the original Exorcist movie we meet Father Merrin for the first time. As you may or may not know, he is the priest who performs the exorcism on the young girl. But how does he come to be the Exorcist? This film was made in 2004 and is the prequel to all 3 of the other Exorcist films. This is the background on how Father Merrin became that priest.
Father Merrin (played by Stellan Skarsgaard) has completely abandoned the Catholic faith and seemingly turned to alcohol after events during the Second World War. There are flashbacks and references made to this time at points throughout the film. He is approached by the British military and asked about a relic that has been found, and soon finds himself off to an archeological dig in deepest darkest Kenya.
Along with Father Merrin (who is still denying his faith) is another young priest who seems to know more than he is letting on. It transpires that an ancient Christian church has been discovered buried deep under the earth. It would seem that this church was buried shortly after it was built but why would that happen?
When they arrive at the dig they meet the female doctor who is also keeping a secret. It turns out her husband is in a mental institution following his descent into the church. What happened to him down there? It is up to Father Merrin to find the answers to all of these questions.
What will he find? Well I know the answer and I'm sorry but I am not giving the whole plot away, that would just spoil the fun of watching the film. Needless to say that yes it did make me jump in quite a few places and some of the answers were not what you would expect them to be.
Extras ~~~~~There are only 3 special features on this DVD and they are pretty self explanatory:
Commentary by Director Renny Harlin
Behind the Scenes Featurette
Trailer
DVD Info ~~~~~~~Region - 2 Audio - 5.1 Dolby Digital Aspect Ratio - 2.35 Widescreen/Colour Run Time - 109 minutes approx Languages - English/German Hearing Impaired - English/German Subtitles - English/German/Arabic Rating - 15 (strong violence & some references to sex)
My Opinion ~~~~~~~~~
When I unwrapped the present I was over the moon with the DVD as I had watched the other films years ago and when this one came out I had told my husband I really wanted to see it. We sat down and switched it on, ready for a film that would scare the living daylights out of us.
I have to say that I was slightly disappointed at the start, as it is quite slow moving to get into the film. But once it was getting interesting I expected the frighteners to be put on me. I did jump quite a few times but not as much as I would have expected from . The front of the DVD cover proclaims "Go Back to Where The Horror Began". This is certainly true as you do learn the full story behind the other 3 films.
Purely for the fact that I wasn't as scared as I thought I would be, I'm giving this film a 3 star recommendation. I'm very happy with the film and have watched it quite a few times since Christmas and I'm sure I will watch it again and again. If you are a fan of the other Exorcist films then this is a great prequel. If you have never seen the other films then it is a great way to find out the basic facts before you decide whether to watch them or not.
But for me, I'm looking forward to getting the other 3 on DVD now! Thanks for reading this and happy watching!! xx
Advantages: Really makes you think, scary Disadvantages: disturbing scenes
I bought the Exorcist on DVD from my local video shop. As said in the beginning by the director, its a film about the mistery of faith. A 12 year old girls body is entered by a very evil demon. Regan uses a ouiga board and claims to speak to a "captain Howdy". Strange things start to happen, and turn worse. Regans mother Chris, speaks to A priest named Damien Karras who agrees to see Regan. He is convinced the case is for real. This film has some deisturbing scenes in it, and should not be viewed by young chrildren. It is a powerful film and has its own different effect on everyone. i reccomend this film for good entertainment and rate it 10 out of ten. I have watched it about 8 times since i bought it in January 2004. A great investment, for now and in years to come. ...
Advantages: It's good for constipated viewers!! Disadvantages: The audience may not be able to resist the call of nature and...!!
. John Boorman
The Exorcist III (1990), d. William Peter Blatty
Exorcist: The Beginning (2003), a prequel, d. Paul Schrader with script by William Wisher, Jr. and Caleb Carr; this film was shelved by production company Morgan Creek and Warner Bros; stars included Gabriel Mann, Clara Bellar, and Billy Crawford; to be released with 2004 version on DVDExorcist: The Beginning (2004), a prequel, d. Renny Harlin (originally to be directed by John Frankenheimer, who died before shooting), with entirely new script by Alexi Hawley; stars included Stellan Skarsgard, James D'Arcy, Izabella Scorupco, Ralph Brown, and Alan Ford
Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is a movie star working on her latest project with her daughter Regan (Linda Blair) in tow. One evening, we discover that Regan has been using a ouija board alone (which is ...
Director Commentary With Renny Harlin, Behind The Scenes Featurette, Theatrical Trailer
Aspect Ratio
2.35 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital Surround English German Dolby Digital 5.1 English German
DVD Description
When Father Lankester Merrin arrived to expunge a troublesome demon from Regan MacNeil in the original EXORCIST movie, many viewers were left cowering in fear. But questions remained as to the true identity of the mysterious Merrin, and how he rose to become such a potent force in the battle against demonic possession. For inquisitive fans still fervently pondering the unfathomable Merrin, help is at hand in the shape of this prequel film, EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING. In the post-World War II world, Merrin (Stellan Skarsgard) has seen his faith lapse due to some tumultuous firsthand experiences on the battlefield. Taking a lengthy sabbatical in an attempt to rekindle his belief, Merrin travels to East Africa. While there, he encounters an archaeological team who have uncovered a Byzantine-era church which, astonishingly, shows no visible signs of decay. Upon investigating the remarkable find, Merrin happens upon a crypt beneath the church, and inadvertently unleashes the same omnipotent demon that he duels with in the first EXORCIST movie. The local villagers unwittingly succumb to the powerful otherworldly force, and as chaos breaks out, Merrin experiences a cruel sense of irony when the very horrors he sought to escape engulf him once more. Overcoming a difficult production that saw original director Paul Schrader ousted from the crew, Renny Harlin (DIE HARD 2) pulls out all the stops to deliver a creepy complimentary piece to the other EXORCIST movies. The casting of Skarsgard as the younger Merrin was a wise move, and neatly augments the work of fellow Swede Max Von Sydow in the first film. Working in the shadow of such a legendary movie is never easy, but Harlin manages to create a disquieting air of uneasy menace as he allows the tale to unfurl.
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