William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist III

Picking up 15 years after the original film, William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist III follows George C. Scott’s Detective Kinderman as he makes a series of horrifying discovers while investigating several murders in a hospital. Filmmaker Blatty, working from his own screenplay, does a fantastic job of instantly capturing the viewer’s interest and attention, as William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist III kicks off with an opening half hour that boasts a myriad of compelling, promising attributes – with the better-than-expected atmosphere perpetuated by Blatty’s cinematic directorial choices and Scott’s typically intense performance. It’s clear, however, that the picture progresses into a deliberately-paced midsection that admittedly proves a test to one’s patience, and there’s little doubt, as well, that the less-than-captivating vibe is exacerbated by the narrative’s growing focus on Kinderman’s procedural-heavy exploits – with Blatty allaying one’s growing disinterest by peppering the proceedings with a handful of electrifying interludes. (This is particularly true of the justifiably iconic hallway set-piece, which has lost absolutely none of its power and impact.) By the time the oddball and almost abstract finale rolls around, William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist III has confirmed its place as a pervasively hit-and-miss sequel that certainly stands as an obvious improvement over the mostly unwatchable second installment.

**1/2 out of ****