|
A quick rehash of the film’s history: Paul Schrader
was hired to do the prequel to Billy Friedkin’s classic,
then, upon completion, the studio decided that it sucked,
and showed him the door.
A few weeks later, Renny Harlin (not everyone’s idea
of a grand fix-it man, I assure you) enters, takes over the
picture, and essentially starts from scratch. Instead of a
leisurely psychological thriller, which Schrader had been
shooting, Harlin’s told – by the studio – to
beef up the scares, and essentially fill each scene with a
make-up adorned seat jumper.
The story? "Nah, don’t worry about it – can’t
afford one now that we’re shooting the movie again".
Harlin’s film is as unsightly as a wart on one’s
rear, and it’s about as sufferable as the slowest ride
at the fair. Maybe it wouldn’t have hurt so much if the
original “exorcist” hadn’t of been one of the
finest films ever made, but it was, and there’s no band-aid
big enough to heal the wound you’ll feel after the run-in
with it’s sickly cousin.
Stellan Skargard (replaced Liam Neeson – the film’s
dilemmas just keep on keepin’ on) plays the young Father
Merrin, the demon-dumping priest from the original. It’s
1949, he’s in Egypt, has given up the church for a spell,
and now, aided by young priest, Father Francis (James D’Arcy,
replacing Gabriel Mann, who starred in the first cut of the
film), is hired to investigate a Christian church buried in
the Sands.
Slower than a gas-less Honda, Merrin discovers the church
actually stands at the spot where Lucifer fell to Earth after
the war in heaven. Needless to say, the red-guy’s still
lurking about.
There’s nothing to recommend about this Z-grade horror
effort, but maybe a series of good thumping sounds and a reasonably
effective CGI-created opening sequence. As good as Skarsgard
is, he’s drowning in debris. And having endured two shoots,
you feel nothing but sorry for the chap.
Having said that the sound is one of the only okay elements
of the film, it’ll be no surprise to hear that the DVD
sounds a treat. Very effective. In addition, the video is
as sparkling as epoch bubbly.
DVD Extras
Harlins’s commentary is the main extra feature. It’s
a straightforward, but excessively ‘back slapping’
track – and why he feels the need to do that is anyone’s
guess? – that makes the Finnish director look like nothing
but the hack-for-hire he may well have been.
Next, there’s an eight-minute behind-the-scenes featurette
(yawn) and a couple of trailers, including one for the soon-to-be-released
Schrader version of the film.
Bury it.
Conclusion: Movie 20% Extras 35%
|
