Exorcist II: The Heretic was intended to capitalize on the success of history's most notorious, controversial, and frightening horror movie. As such, it had big shoes to fill, but, when the final credits rolled, audiences felt cheated out of their expectations. The film is now regarded as one of the worst sequels ever made and is viewed with ridicule among horror movie buffs.
In truth, Exorcist II wasn't a total throw-away despite its many failings. In some ways, it actually succeeded as a worthy follow-up to the first film. The movie will never win over the majority of Exorcist fans, but there's more to it than an initial first viewing might suggest. Here's how the film succeeded and failed on the back of its presentation.
10 Succeeded: A Worthy Follow-Up
Exorcist II was intended to continue the story set forth by the original film, which, in turn, was based on author William Peter Blatty's novel. It ended with Father Damien Karris hurling himself out of Regan MacNeil's bedroom window to save her from a brutal death at the hands of a demonic presence. The sequel picks up a few years later after MacNeil has fully recovered.
The movie serves a twin purpose; to detail the battle still raging for Regan's soul, and to act as a backstory of sorts to the character of Father Merrin, who is once again played by the late Max Von Sydow. On that note, it's an inventive take on the original formula that attempts to spice things up a bit.
9 Failed: The Story
Unfortunately, the story didn't pan out quite as well as director John Boorman hoped it would. Exorcist II was apparently blessed by an excellent initial script according to cast members like Linda Blair, but constant rewrites and creative clashes soon mutated it into a creature far beyond its initial scope.
There were too many plot lines going on at one time, several of which didn't really make any sense. This contributed to a slow and confusing plot that audiences often failed to follow. Some of the creative decisions were way out there, as well, even as far as 1970s standards went.
8 Succeeded: The Actors
The film was blessed with some excellent actors, to be sure. Linda Blair reprised her role as Regan MacNeil after reading the script and learning that accomplished actor Richard Burton would be joining the cast as one of the primary leads. Max Von Sydow returned with actors like James Earl Jones in tow.
Surely this was a testament to the talent involved in the making of the film, but the ventilated script made a mess out of the entire ordeal. In the end, the actors did the best they could with the source material at hand, but it wasn't enough.
7 Failed: The Tempo
The original Exorcist was designed from the ground-up to unsettle audiences with a constant state of never-ending dread and discomfort. As the movie progressed, the visuals, tone, and subject matter became increasingly more violent and disturbing before the final act ratcheted up the mood to unbearable levels.
By contrast, Exorcist II abandoned much of the tension that made the original what it was and opted instead for a slightly more jovial and relaxed feel, especially near the end. At no point in the film do things reach the level of frightening horror and discomfort of the original.
6 Succeeded: The References
Exorcist II did what it could with references to the original film, including Regan as a recurring character, the original house where the exorcism took place, and Father Merrin's past. If the visuals were slightly more realistic and less staged in appearance, it might have sold the premise better.
Nevertheless, the movie did succeed when it came to bridging the gap between the events of the first film and this new entry. It wasn't perfect, especially in terms of tone and feel, but it's hard to argue that the two films do feel connected.
5 Failed: The Symbolism
Director John Boorman eschewed the spine-tingling tension and ugly scares of the original Exorcist in favor of far more artistic and expressionist themes. Everything from POV locusts to far-out dreams and hallucinatory visions was on the table, though most failed to hit the mark.
Part of the blame can be placed on the design of some of the sets—especially those taking place in Africa—which are overly cartoonish, eccentric, and exaggerated. Plus, the effects look downright silly when compared to the visceral practical effects of the original.
4 Succeeded: More About Regan
Exorcist II did expand on Regan's character a bit more by showing her as the girl she was before the initial exorcism took place. Audiences only caught a glimpse of this character in the original film before the demon Pazuzu started to ensnare her.
This time 'round, normal Regan is a central character who never reverts back fully to her grotesque demonic form. In many ways, this was a good thing, as it gave audiences a central hero character to root for that wasn't being actively exploited for the sake of shock value.
3 Failed: The Lack of Horror
Of all the complaints hurled at Exorcist II, the lack of horror elements is by far the loudest and most obvious. In comparison to the horrific, disturbing imagery and content from the original, Exorcist II is absolutely tame by comparison.
The strong focus on symbolic elements and a more upbeat tone completely weakens the impact of the film. There's little in the movie that wouldn't warrant a PG-13 rating, at least by today's standards. For fans who wanted a recreation of the original horror experience, this sin was unforgivable.
2 Succeeded: A Bold Vision
No one can deny that Exorcist II was an ambitious project that attempted to differentiate itself from its predecessor. John Boorman had the best of intentions when it came to crafting a worthy foll0w-up that didn't simply retread old ground, but expanded the narrative.
While the end result was a critical disaster, snippets of Exorcist II deserve respect for being brave enough to take bold strides into very risky territory. Playing it safe might have satisfied more fans, but it would have come at the cost of artistic integrity.
1 Failed: A Terrible Ending
Exorcist II lost out in the final act when Regan battles the spirit of Pazuzu under the roof of her old house. The entire scene is rather preposterous, ending with Regan whirling an imaginary lasso over her head to banish evil which was previously represented as a horde of locusts.
In comparison to the bone-chilling final act of the original Exorcist, this one was almost comical by comparison. It lacked any sort of tension, terror, or intensity, opting instead for a more upbeat ending in place of a disturbing one.