Unleashing a Master of Horror: John Carpenter's Explosive Reaction to Exorcist: Believer Reviews

Summary

The Exorcist: Believer serves as a direct sequel to William Friedkin's 1973 original movie, but has been met with lackluster reviews from critics and audiences.

John Carpenter, renowned for directing iconic films such as Halloween and The Thing, expresses his bewilderment at how the movie missed its mark and failed to live up to its potential.

The Exorcist: Believer has faced significant backlash due to its lack of originality and inability to deliver genuine scares, ultimately leading to underwhelming box office numbers.

The Exorcist: Believer received predominantly negative reviews overall, prompting iconic horror director John Carpenter to weigh in on the film's reception. David Gordon Green, known for helming the recent Halloween reboot trilogy, directed this direct sequel to the renowned 1973 original by John Friedkin. Despite its release just last week, the movie failed to impress both viewers and critics alike, resulting in a disappointing box office performance.

Carpenter, known for directing iconic films like Halloween (1978) and The Thing (1982), recently shared his thoughts on The Exorcist: Believer's negative reception in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. Although it seems that he hasn't watched the movie yet, Carpenter believes that the sequel missed an opportunity. Read his complete comment below:

"I appreciate David's work on the three 'Halloweens.' I particularly enjoyed No. 2, Halloween Kills. However, I've heard that 'The Exorcist' didn't quite live up to expectations. It had the potential to be an incredible film. I'm baffled as to how they could mess that up."

The Exorcist: Believer's Poor Reception Explained

Friedkin's original Exorcist is widely considered a horror classic, but the sequels that followed have not achieved the same level of acclaim. Similar to the reboot/sequel of Halloween in 2018, Green's aim was to introduce the franchise to a new audience while also engaging fans of the original films. However, it appears that the latest sequel has failed to meet expectations, as it struggles to find its own identity and strike a delicate balance.

There is a clear intent to pay homage to Friedkin's original concepts and distinctive style in The Exorcist: Believer, which includes the return of Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil. Despite this, many reviews express the sentiment that Green's attempt to revisit the franchise's roots comes at the expense of offering anything new or innovative. Consequently, the movie feels like a rehashing of familiar themes and ideas that have been explored more effectively in the past.

The Exorcist: Believer does have one truly shocking scare involving Chris, but the overall consensus is that the movie lacks enough terror. It's difficult to emphasize just how ground-breaking and truly terrifying the original Exorcist was in 1973, and the new film fails to capture that rawness and unique feeling of dread. Consequently, the movie has received a rather disappointing response commercially, which is worsened by Universal's staggering $400 million investment in the franchise rights.