Exorcist II: The Heretic

1977 Warner Bros.
Directed by: John Boorman; Written by: William Goodhart
Starring: Linda Blair, Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Paul Henreid, and James Earl Jones
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 102 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 4/10

Four years after young Regan MacNeil was possessed by and exorcised of the demon, Pazuzu, she's living in New York City with a guardian, and spending plenty of time at a psychiatric facility, being evaluated. Meanwhile, the Vatican is unsure of how to handle the event of Regan's possession, which left two of their priests dead. It seems the church wants to move away from the supernatural, particularly if it involves demons or Satan. Passionate priest, Phillip Lamont, an acolyte of Father Merrin, one of the priests who died fighting Pazuzu, isn't having it. He refuses to sit by while the church levies heresy charges at Merrin. He also determines to help do something with Regan, which isn't always entirely clear because Exorcist II: The Heretic is an absolute mess.
At the time of its release, Exorcist II: The Heretic was pegged as one of the worst movies ever made. I've seen far worse films, but I can say unequivocally, Exorcist II is a bad movie. The screenplay, tampered beyond recognition away from its original intention, is a jumbled, misshapen mess. Even worse than "what is even going on in this movie" is "why would anyone make this the story for the sequel to 1973's The Exorcist?"After all, the 1973 original is often regarded as one of the greatest horror films of all time. Wouldn't more respect be shown to the creation of the sequel? 

Though they're as guilty of tampering with the script as anyone, at least the studio took care in picking The Heretic's director. John Boorman has directed some very good films (Deliverance, Excalibur), and is a stunning visualist. I can say two good things about Exorcist II. One is that some of Boorman's visuals are absolutely phenomenal. Boorman and his team created some truly beyond belief sets here, with a cliffside church and several enormous swarms off locusts standing out in particular. William A Fraker's lush, gauzy cinematography only enhances the visual splendor. The other positive element is Ennio Morricone's truly bizarre score, which is really the only horrific element here, as Boorman seem's little interesting in scares.

Yes, Exorcist II, sequel to what many consider the most terrifying film ever made, is not a horror movie. I don't know what genre this movie is...melodrama? The acting would certainly fit. And boy, is it weird! Whatever the case, Heretic is not recommendable on any merits other than its visuals, bizarreness, and the shocking way it so brazenly spits on its pristine heritage.