Review of The Exorcist III (1990) by Eric A — 12 May 2010
"The Exorcist III" is notable for one actor (Brad Dourif) and one set (that ominously-lit padded room) and for not having much to do with demons or exorcism until about 2/3 of the way through the film.
This allows writer-director William Peter Blatty to maximize slow burning tension for a couple of scary/funny jump-from-your-seat moments; otherwise it's just a bunch of loose threads that more or less come together at end, and I'm not completely sure how.
This is Blatty using his novelist's sense of pace to the detriment of the film. Nothing seems particularly important until it isn't, because Dourif is crazy, the demon is still on the loose, and yes, you'll get the visceral thrills of the occult violence that you paid to see.
..eventually. "The Exorcist III" is obsessed with dropping breadcrumbs everywhere and fails to bring us into the moment convincingly. It's a good reminder why nobody ever uses the phrase "curl up with a good movie.
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This review of The Exorcist III (1990) was written by Eric A on 12 May 2010.
The Exorcist III has generally received mixed reviews.
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