The Exorcist 3 (1990), directed by William Peter Blatty, stars Goerge C. Scott, Brad Dourif, Ed Flanders, Jason Miller, Nicol Williamson, Scott Wilson, Nancy Fish, George DiCenzo, and Don Gordon. The film follows police lieutenant Kinderman (Scott) as he investigates brutal killings around Washington D.C. that hold striking similarities to the murders of The Gemini Killer (Dourif) who was executed 17 years prior. As the killings begin to take on an almost supernatural edge, Kinderman’s investigation leads him to a psychiatric ward that holds who appears to be Father Karras (Miller), the priest who was killed at the end of The Exorcist (1973). 

Although the supporting cast is mostly serviceable, George C. Scott is inexplicably awkward in his delivery. His character is constantly given odd lines of dialogue, resulting in certain moments of emotion feeling forced/awkward. By this point in his storied career, it feels as if Scott had lost his edge. As for Brad Dourif as The Gemini Killer, he achieves of level of unhinged mania that’s a joy to watch. Unfortunately, the script forces his character to give long monologues that often overstay their welcome. His performance is great, I just wished he was used more effectively. 

What’s a bit uncomfortable about the film is that it features multiple lines of dialogue that come across as intentionally anti-Semitic. Director William Peter Blatty (who is also the author of the source material) famously clashed with producers during the film’s production and I can’t help but see the anti-Semitic digs as a direct result of it. Further evidence for this is the fact that this is the first and only film he directed. Not that these digs wouldn’t feel wrong either way, but they feel extra juvenile in the sense that they’re probably just petty personal shots at the producers. This also fosters the feeling that this isn’t as smart or ponderous about its religious themes when compared to the first film. Instead, it feels like the creation of a devout Christian who’s taking the opportunity to fire shots at those with clashing beliefs. Thankfully, the film drops this attitude in the second half and becomes a more straightforward (in a good way) religious-horror experience.

Where the movie succeeds is creating some truly chilling scares that are given the proper time to develop/build tension. If you’ve seen the film, you should know exactly which scene I’m talking about when I say it features one of the most effective jump scares of all time. As for the serial killer elements, they’re a bit tame by today’s standards, but still a welcome addition to The Exorcist formula. Especially when watching these movies today, the exorcism elements often come across as something we’ve seen countless times before. Merging this with the serial killer subgenre causes it to feel unique within the franchise as well as the subgenre as a whole.  

Overall, this is a flawed but welcome entry in the Exorcist franchise that by default is the best sequel. George C. Scott is a bit disappointing, but he’s not quite awful either – it’s just uncharacteristic. In the years since its release, it’s gained a lot of cult appeal within the horror community due to its jump scares and Brad Dourif’s performance, but other than that, it’s essentially what you’d expect from an Exorcist sequel. Check it out if you’re a fan of the original, but tame your expectations accordingly. C+