One of the hardest things to do is to go back and review a classic movie that has stood the test of time - probably one of the main reasons I haven't started reviewing the AFI 100 as I had planned. The Exorcist definitely deserves to be in this category of hard movies to review. How do you take a classic horror movie that has scared audiences for decades and try and break it down, critique it, and find its flaws? I don't think you can.

When The Exorcist was originally released in 1973, the special effects were top notch and combined with a great script, scared the audience right out of their seats. Now in 2000, with the special effects sub-par when compared to today's, the script is as great as ever, and The Exorcist still has the ability to give a good scare to the audience. This is no small feat, and with the recent popularity of slasher flicks at the box office, it's a pleasant surprise to see a movie that can present horror the way it was meant to - without repetitive killings, without the killer being hidden until the end when all is revealed in a long diatribe, without unnecessary special effects to scare the audience, and with a good, coherent, and well-told story. All of these combined in this movie make it one of the scariest of all time, and not to be missed in this rare theatrical release.

The Exorcist contains all the elements of a scary movie, but it brings out these elements in a round-about way that enhances the suspense even further. William Friedkin takes his time before the scares begin. In a day and time where audiences attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, the brilliance of this movie is once again revealed. Rather than starting out with the possession, Friedkin sets up the plot, introduces the characters, and does so in a masterful way that enhances the movie and puts it multiple levels above any other horror film to have come out of late.

There's many, many accolades I could shower upon The Exorcist, but as I said earlier, it's extremely hard to review a movie like this. It's horror endures 27 years after its release, and if you miss it in theaters this time around with the digitally enhanced spine-tingling soundtrack, you're really missing out. A true treat for any movie-patron.

Genres: Horror, Suspense, Drama, Classic
Rated: R - http://www.outermost.net/mra/images/exorcist.gif
Runtime: 131 minutes
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