a review of 驱魔人III

𝖍𝖔𝖔𝖕𝖙𝖔𝖇𝖊𝖗 𝖝 𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞-𝖋𝖔𝖚𝖗: Just as esoterically bonkers in its own way as EXORCIST II, but both a much more satisfying sequel to the original and arguably a much more compelling piece of cinema. Packed with moments that I'm not certain actually happened onscreen (or on the soundtrack) instead of being hallucinated by my own brain, working in direct collaboration with Mr. Blatty 33 years in the past. I'm on record here as not having been a fan of Blatty's only other directorial work, THE NINTH CONFIGURATION. In some ways this movie also contains some of the things I found bothersome in that one, like the tendency to treat mentally ill people like quizzical imps with riddles instead of well, mentally ill people. But I think the performances in this picture, particularly George C. Scott, Brad Dourif, and the great Jason Miller, manage to elevate that material above cliche and into something more poetic.