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Exorcist 2 - The Heretic on DVD (1977)

Exorcist 2 - The Heretic cover art
Average rating: 46%
6133208166613
2.5
from 221 members
 
Starring: Richard Burton, Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Paul Henreid, James Earl Jones, Ned Beatty
Director: John Boorman
Studio: WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time: 113 mins
Certificate: 18
User collections: Biggest let downs
Genres: Horror
Languages: English
Released: 20/10/2003

Brief synopsis of Exorcist 2 - The Heretic

Four years after Regan (Linda Blair) has a demon exorcised by a Catholic priest, flying reveries and visions continue to pervade her dreams. Father Lamont (Richard Burton) is released from the Vatican to discover the truth behind Regan's problems, little knowing that the search will take him to Africa and back. Can Lamont's dedication and hypnotic research specialist Dr Gene Tuskin's (Louise Fletcher) know-how sort Regan out once and for all

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

An absolute fiasco or a brave visionary slice of surrealism from director John Boorman? The jury is still out on this critical and financial disaster, tampered with by the studio after audiences cracked up at the devilish finale. The focus here is on the quest of Father Richard Burton to quell the demon still present within Linda Blair, now in therapy to combat recurring nightmares. Yes, Burton overplays the doom-laden script. And, yes, all the African mumbo jumbo is bewildering. But Boorman deliberately accents the weighty mythological angles to create a film as complex and intelectual as it is visceral, and his daring approach is well overdue for reappraisal.

Halliwell's Film Guide

Highly unsatisfactory psychic melodrama which, far from the commercial route of the shocker followed by its predecessor, falls flat on its face along some wayward path of metaphysical and religious fancy. A commercial disaster, it was released in two vers

Time Out

Substantially recut by Boorman after his original version was derided in America, but it's still easy to see why New... Read more on www.timeout.com

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 1 starsa giant thanksgiving turkey of a film

ATfilmcritic from London , 22/05/2005

Although not quite as bad as it’s reputed to be, this notorious turkey of a sequel does hold a certain intrigue, like watching a horrendous car crash in slow motion. You want to stop, but there’s a grim fascination that keeps you going.

To see one of the world’s most accomplished directors lead an exceptional cast of Oscar-winners into a film of such stupendous idiocy isn’t exactly a sight you see every day.

And it is stupendously idiotic. Completely missing what made the original so successful, Boorman overloads with pseudo-religious, quasi-psychological, very-pretentious mumbo-jumbo.

It has its moments, and the African dream sequences are well done, but this really is one of those films you can call embarrassing.

And you can tell those who made it felt the same way: after a disastrous premiere, Boorman rushed home to edit it all over again. Didn’t make much of a difference.

  2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 1 starsSo bad, it's fun

A customer from Edinburgh, Scotland , 06/11/2005

I watched this film in astonishment. Could this badly-acted, badly-written, not-remotely-frightening mess really be the sequel to The Exorcist? Lovers of bad films should rent this and laugh themselves silly at Richard Burton's hammy acting, Linda Blair's dance routine and James Earl Jones dressed as a giant locust. And the best line in the film? It has to be the one delivered chirpily by Linda Blair 'I was possessed by a demon but it's ok - he's gone now!'

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 stars

POSTIE#1 from BLACKPOOL , 25/07/2004

not as good as the first one,but has a certain kick to it, my partner was able to watch this thou with out jumping to much.better with the lights turned out and watched on a stormy night.

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Rated - 2 stars

A customer from DUNDEE , 25/10/2004

This is quite crap, not a patch on the original, a bit of a waste of time, a pity because I like alot of John Boormans other work. Only watch this if you are a completist. The Exorcist 3 is much better, and incidentally was totally ripped off by Se7en.

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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 1 starsa giant thanksgiving turkey of a film

ATfilmcritic from London , 22/05/2005

Although not quite as bad as it’s reputed to be, this notorious turkey of a sequel does hold a certain intrigue, like watching a horrendous car crash in slow motion. You want to stop, but there’s a grim fascination that keeps you going.

To see one of the world’s most accomplished directors lead an exceptional cast of Oscar-winners into a film of such stupendous idiocy isn’t exactly a sight you see every day.

And it is stupendously idiotic. Completely missing what made the original so successful, Boorman overloads with pseudo-religious, quasi-psychological, very-pretentious mumbo-jumbo.

It has its moments, and the African dream sequences are well done, but this really is one of those films you can call embarrassing.

And you can tell those who made it felt the same way: after a disastrous premiere, Boorman rushed home to edit it all over again. Didn’t make much of a difference.

  2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsRight Up There With Plan 9 From Outer Space!

A customer from Scotland , 09/03/2007

Well well well..where do I begin? This is one of the holy of holies for really bad film fanatics--it came second in the Medved brothers 50 worst films of all time poll--right behind Plan 9. John Boorman--famous, highly regarded director--what happened? He recut this thing about 200 times, and still we have this as the finished product. Richard Burton--what can I say? He appears to be in a trance--sweaty and glassy eyed. The Kacumo tell me how to find Pazuzu line is legendary. I love it when Kacumo (James Earl Jones) spits what looks like a tomato out of his mouth--the camera tracks it in loving slow-mo as it impales itself on a bed of nails! Linda 'Roller Boogie' Blair is mesmerizing...she looks very much like a chipmunk...perfect acting partner for Burton. Dana Plato appears briefly as a disturbed child 'cured' by Blair. You really must see this movie--I can't convey the truly historic great badness of it in a short review!

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