L'Exorciste III

A surprisingly good film that certainly doesn't put the original to shame (unlike the second one). Story-wise, it's a bit of a combination of The Exorcist and The Medusa Touch, but who cares when George C. Scott is so great and the atmosphere is so cool! (13/06/2021)

Quite a superb sequel that doesn't dull the events of the first one and chaotically rape them like the second film, but cleverly develops them in a neo-detective framework. The only thing that doesn't work so well for Blatty as a writer and director, namely the pacing, is made up for by perhaps all the remaining horror attributes – the atmosphere of the setting (in this case mainly a mental hospital), the convincing actors and the inventive staging in the form of a series of often symbolic shots. Some scenes, like the one in the confessional booth, surprise even today with their creativity and even black-humour dimension, and when it comes to explicit horror moments, it's both period and timeless genre gold. I'm talking about the gore effects at the end, and then the film's biggest scare, which is probably truly the best 'jump-scare' in cinema history – if I hadn't heard about it beforehand and knew approximately when it was coming, I'd probably shit myself. A very nice surprise that isn't so much spoiled by the slower final act and a couple of overdone moments that want to compete with William Friedkin's symbolism somewhat awkwardly. An absolute must for horror fans just for the brilliant static sequence in the hospital corridor, when the director really prepares us like a pig for slaughter. 80 % (12/01/2022)

C’est chouette que William Peter Blatty ait pris une tout autre voie ; même s’il n’était pas lié au film initial, ce film aurait pu constituer une œuvre à part entière – ce qui était d’ailleurs l’intention d’origine. George C. Scott en mettant plein la vue comme acteur principal, L’Exorciste, la suite repose presque entièrement sur son charisme. Blatty a réussi à tourner quelques scènes d’horreur réellement impressionnantes, dont la séquence méticuleusement construite dans le couloir de l’hôpital – le moment fort du film. Malheureusement, par mauvaise habitude, le réalisateur n’a pas pu s’empêcher d’exprimer son côté littéraire, laissant les personnages réciter de longs monologues fastidieux et des opinions philosophiques, pendant lesquels l’intrigue a tendance à s’affaiblir et disparaître. Si on ajoute l’intervention du studio qui y colle toute la chronologie avec Nicol Williamson et l’exorcisme en question, le public a de quoi s’y perdre. Personnellement, je verrais volontiers ce film ne rien avoir en commun avec L’Exorciste et porter le titre Legion d’après le roman dont il est tiré. (24/05/2020)

Where Richard Burton fails, George C. Scott excels and shows how great of an actor he was. But it is also due to the fact that this film has a much more interesting script than the sequel. This is a story that will interest and scare you. That's very good. The series has gained a new shine that is not very dull. However, you must not expect something similar to the first movie. This is different and I am glad for it. (14/05/2015)