4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review: THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER

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Dec 21, 2023 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) was once a religious man, but he lost his faith after his pregnant wife was killed in an earthquake during their honeymoon in Haiti. For the past 13 years, he’s been raising their newborn daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett), all on his own in Georgia. Angela’s best friend Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) comes from a devout Baptist family, but she has a rebellious side. One day after school, Angela and Katherine sneak off into the woods after school to perform a séance, in hopes of communicating with Angela’s mother. However, the girls end up contacting something far more sinister, and go missing. Three days later the girls are found in a barn nearly 30 miles away, with no memories of what happened. However, it soon becomes apparent that something is off, and in their attempts to contact the dead, they travelled to Hell and back, bringing a demon back with them. The possessed girls start to do and say horrific things, putting themselves and others in danger. While Victor seeks medical help for his daughter, reluctantly locking Angela away in a sanitarium, Katherine’s parents hope to pray the demon away at home. But as things worsen, Victor turns to someone who has experienced this kind of thing 50 years earlier with her own daughter, Reagan, exorcism expert/author Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), who agrees to help.

The Exorcist: Believer does an excellent job of evoking the look and feel of the original The Exorcist movie. It slowly builds the tension, and makes you jump at times. I found myself constantly wanting to yell at these parents to step away from the dangerous, possessed creatures that are no longer their sweet innocent girls. However, some of these characters are either fearless or clueless, putting themselves right in the path of the devil. The film opens with a very similar fast-paced prologue to the original film, set in a foreign locale. However the story takes things in a new and unexpected direction, especially since this time we are dealing with two synchronized possessions. At first the parents go a similar route, reaching out to the Catholic church for help, but local priest Father Maddox (E.J. Bonilla) is forbidden to perform the exorcism rites. So Victor and Katherine’s parents—Tony
(Norbert Leo Butz) & Miranda (Jennifer Nettles)—are forced to take matters into their own hands and broaden their efforts to include rituals and ceremonies from several different beliefs, religions & cultures. Joining Chris MacNeil in the effort to try to rid the girls of this demon are Victor’s neighbor/nurse/former prospective nun Ann Brooks (Ann Dowd), Katherine’s family’s Pentecostal preacher/pastor Stuart (Danny McCarthy), and Hoodoo healer Dr. Beehibe (Okwui Okpokwasili). However, the group has severely underestimated just how strong and powerful of a force they are up against, and this demon has some devastating tricks up its sleeve.

I think fans of the original movie will really enjoy this sequel. It has a very similar feel and tone, and some excellent performances. The two actresses playing the possessed girls are amazing, really selling their decent and transformation into evil. I wouldn’t want to be in the same room with either of them! The film also does a nice job of exploring the backstories and dramatic arcs of the other characters, who are each forced to reassess their faith, with Victor and Ann both being lapsed believers, and Katherine’s devout parents now questioning why this is happening to them. But what fans should really enjoy is getting to revisit the character of Chris MacNeil fifty years later, to see what has happened to her and how the events of the original film affected her relationship with Regan.

Universal’s 4K release of The Exorcist: Believer looks and sounds great. Right from the opening prologue, with the rumble of the earthquake, it is evident that this is going to be an immersive, aural experience, which is especially true whenever the devil gets up to its tricks. During the film’s exciting final act, things really come to life as this ragtag group faces off against the demon. The video presentation is also well done, with a clean, detailed picture that looks great even in the darker sequences (and in a film like this, there are plenty). The muted color palette does an excellent job of setting the creepy tone, whether it’s during the candle-lit exorcism ceremony, or the the paler colors of the hospital/sanitarium.

The 4K release includes both a 4K and a Blu-ray disc, which are packed on either side of a standard 4K keepcase, along with a carboard slipcover, and an insert containing a code to redeem for a 4K MA digital copy of the film. Both discs contain the same bonus material—a filmmaker commentary, and about 35 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:51:07)

2160p / Widescreen 1.85:1
HDR10
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital, French 7.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Blu-ray:

1080p / Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital, French 7.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 1/31/2025):

4K Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
The same bonus material can be found on both discs. Play All, or select from:

Making a Believer (8:45)
The cast and filmmakers talk about reimagining the iconic movie, using elements from the original film but going in new directions, bringing back Ellen Burstyn, casting the young possessed girls, the filming process, and more. Incudes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Jason Blum, director/co-writer/executive producer David Gordon Green, producer David Robinson, special makeup FX designer Christopher Nelson, and stars Leslie Odom Jr. (“Victor Fielding”), Ellen Burstyn (“Chris MacNeil”), Ann Dowd (“Ann”), Jennifer Nettles (“Miranda”), Olivia O’Neill (“Katherine”) & Lidya Jewett (“Angela Fielding”).
Ellen and Linda: Reunited (4:32)
The cast and filmmakers discuss making a continuation rather than a remake, and what it was like exploring these characters again, and the emotional real-life reunion between the actresses. Incudes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer/executive producer David Gordon Green, and stars Linda Blair (“Regan MacNeil”) & Ellen Burstyn.
Stages of Possession (6:03)
The cast and filmmakers discuss the three different demon makeup stages of each of the two girls as they transition between “naughty”, “nasty” and “gnarly”, and the extensive makeup process involved. Incudes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Jason Blum, director/co-writer/executive producer David Gordon Green, special makeup FX designer Christopher Nelson, and stars Lidya Jewett & Olivia O’Neill.
The Opening (6:18)
The cast and filmmakers discuss the film’s opening sequence in Haiti, which was inspired by the opening of the original movie in it’s foreign setting, editing and sound design. Incudes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer/executive producer David Gordon Green, producer Jason Blum, executive producer Stephanie Allain, editor Tim Alverson, stunt coordinator Ashley Rae Riddick, and star Leslie Odom Jr.
Editing an Exorcism (4:34)
The cast and filmmakers talk about filming the exorcism scene, and the process of cutting it together into the climax of the movie. Incudes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer/executive producer David Gordon Green, editor Tim Alverson, and stars Jennifer Nettles, Ann Dowd, Lidya Jewett & Olivia O’Neill.
Matters of Faith (4:24)
The cast, filmmakers and other theological experts discuss how they tried to make the religious rites and ceremonies depicted in the film as accurate as possible. Incudes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with actress Ellen Burstyn, director/co-writer/executive producer David Gordon Green, and theological experts Dr. David M. Bell, Father Morris (“Meachum”), Rev. Bec Cranford.
Feature Commentary (1:51:07)
Director/co-writer David Gordon Green, co-writer Peter Sattler, executive producer Ryan Turek, and special makeup FX designer Christopher Nelson sit down together to discuss the film. It is an entertaining and informative conversation, with the participants sharing a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about the production, the inspirations for the story and characters, their research, the effects, the performances, and more.

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Recommended

The Exorcist: Believer is an entertaining sequel to the original film, providing a similar look and feel, but also taking things in an exciting and interesting new direction, doubling up the possessions, and exploring how other cultures deal with exorcising a demon. At the same time, the film revisits the character of Chris MacNeil, exploring another chapter in her life. It also gives the other characters their own well-developed backstories and “demons” to battle. The two young actresses playing the possessed girls are great, and even rival Linda Blair’s performance from the original movie. I think fans of the genre—and the original The Exorcist movie particularly—should really enjoy this. Universal’s 4K release looks and sounds great, and includes some nice bonus material. For those on the fence about a blind buy, the film is also currently streaming on Peacock.