Alan Ford, Andrew French, Antonie Kamerling, Ben Cross, David Bradley ...( see more  see more... ) , Eddie Osei , Ilario Bisi-Pedro , Israel Aduramo , Izabella Scorupco , James D'Arcy , Julian Wadham , Patrick O'Kane , Ralph Brown , Remy Sweeney , Stellan Skarsgård

Father Lankester Merrin thinks that he has glimpsed the face of Evil. In the years following World War II, Merrin is relentlessly haunted by memories of the unspeakable brutality perpetrated against t...( read more  read more... )he innocent people of his parish. In the wake of all he has seen, both his faith in his fellow man and his faith in the Almighty have deserted him. He can no longer honestly call himself a man of God. Merrin has traveled far from his native Holland in a desperate attempt to escape the horrors that he witnessed there. While drifting through Cairo, he is approached by a collector of rare antiquities to join a British archeological excavation in the remote Turkana region of Kenya. They have unearthed a Christian Byzantine church in inexplicably pristine condition--as if it had been buried on the day it was completed. The collector wants Merrin, an Oxford-educated archeologist, to find an ancient relic hidden within the church before the British discover it. But beneath the church, something much older sleeps, waiting to be awoken. Madness descends upon the local villagers and the contingent of British soldiers who've been sent to guard the excavation. Merrin watches helplessly as the atrocities of war are repeated against another innocent village--atrocities he had prayed never to see again. The blood of innocents flows freely on the East African plain, and the horror has only just begun. In the place where Evil was born, Merrin will finally see its true face.

Flixster Users

44% liked it

74,424 ratings

Critics

11% liked it

126 critics

R, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Renny Harlin

Release Date: August 20, 2004

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: October 25, 2005

Stats: 2,241 reviews

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (2,241)


  • December 14, 2009
    Renny Harlin directs the second prequel to the brilliant "The Exorcist", after Paul Schrader's initial attempt was deemed not scary (or gory) enough by producers. Concerning the abandonment of his faith before the events of "The Exorcist", "Exorcist: The Beginning" is at most lar...( read more)gely different in tone to its chronological follow up. At a glance, the film would seem more suited to the "Omen" saga, with the director using legitimate biblical events to establish Lancaster Merrin's relationship with the demon Pazuzu. The weaker points of the movie include the casting of Alan Ford as Jeffries. His character seems unusually vacant from the plot and insignificant to the story whilst Ford makes no attempt of playing Jeffries as anything other than Brick Top from "Snatch", a performance that stands out uncomfortably in a bleak horror film set in the late forties. Meanwhile, whilst Stellan Skarsgard's performance as Lancaster Merrin is convincing and well acted, he is not playing the same Merrin as Max Von Sydow, an advantage to Skarsgard's ability, but it weakens the sense of continuity within the character. It does not feel like the viewer is watching the same person, whereas, in a similar case, Ewan McGregor's portrayal of Obi Wan Kenobi in the "Star Wars" prequels compliments Alec Guiness' in the earlier films. These weaknesses are very much outweighed by the positive elements in the film. Whilst the tone is different, the shock value is still there and there are many shocking "Exorcist" elements that reinforce the fact that this is the same evil the viewer endured in the 1973 film. Much like "The Exorcist," "Exorcist: The beginning" introduces the viewer to a wealth of uneasy psychological tension (aswell as the most shocking child - related accident ever put on film) before unleashing unrestrained shock and vulgarity, at some points even more unsettling than the original film.... lets just say Reagan was strapped safely to a bed. Although there are numerous flaws that prevent this from holding the torch to the original, "Exorcist: The beginning" is a worthy foundation for the demonic saga and casts a triumphant shadow over previous sequels and the climactic encounter is a nostalgic treat, whilst Merrin's rediscovery of his faith can not fail to raise a smile in an otherwise bleak situation.
  • September 18, 2009
    Not as bad as I'd heard. The story is ok, it?s got it's scary moments and it?s got Alan Ford playing a right orrible cunt as a bonus. The only problem with this film is Renny Harlin. Anyone else would have done, why Renny Harlin?
  • February 2, 2009
    In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the power of crap compels it!

    This must be one of the most inane films I've seen. Whoever allowed this to be brought unto the world needs a sanity check, it's like they have walked up to Friedkin and slapped him across the ...( read more)face.

    Skarsgård was the little glimmer of hope that just kept me watching to the end, that's right....I watched all of it. But for a movie that's supposed to be terrifying, there were few scares, and when the sound has to be blasted out at 100 decibels to achieve them, you know you're in trouble. The CGI (hint hyenas) is borderline laughable, looking better suited to a video game, and the background looks like it has been painted on. It felt like they didn't even try here....may God have mercy on their souls.
  • August 20, 2007
    Makes a fine addition to my collection.
  • July 17, 2007
    I watched this by myself in a nearly empty theater and it freaked my world out. Once it starts scaring you, it never stops. Its nothing that will make you jump out of your seat, but this movie is really creepy.
  • November 17, 2009
    Why bother fucking around with this?
  • November 12, 2009
    This is supposed to be a good series, however i don't get the order that the movies go in!
  • October 30, 2009
    Scary enough but it can come nowhere near the original "exorcist" movie. Still I found it decent.
  • October 4, 2009
    The movie could have been put together better.
  • October 3, 2009
    great horror movie, a must see, will give you chills!

Critic Reviews


August 22, 2004
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Ignoring the essentially inward story of The Exorcist, [Harlin] has created a sprawling anything-for-a-jolt movie, more in the spirit of a midnight teen-scream flick than a portrayal of a dark night o... full review

May 25, 2004
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

It never approaches the stratospheric badness of Exorcist II: The Heretic, but this lemon does its damndest to heap more dirt on the franchise's grave. full review

View more Exorcist - The Beginning reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • tapsmaps
    June 9, 2007
    i like these typa films which portrays the spiritual and demonic powers which affect our lives.thes things do happen in real life and we should be aware of them.i enjoyed the movie..

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Final Destination 3
    Final Destination 3 (57%)
  • Constantine
    Constantine (59%)
  • The Omen
    The Omen (67%)
  • Final Destination
    Final Destination (0%)

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

Exorcist - The Be... : Watch Free on TV


Exorcist - The Beginning Trivia


  • Which actor links the movies, King Arthur, The Exorcist: The Beginning,Deep Blue Sea, Ronin?  Answer »
  • Which scary movie takes the mick out of the exorcist at the beginning?  Answer »
  • Who played Father Merrin in Exorcist: The Beginning from 2004?  Answer »
  • What actor plays in the following films: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Breaking the Waves Good Will Hunting Exorcist: The Beginning  Answer »

Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for Exorcist - The Beginning. Want to create one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?