That Exorcist trailer… Hulu-quality is right. Certain films succeed because of the unique genius of writers, stars, cinematographer, and/or director, not because the subject matter is particularly unique or compelling. The abject failure of every Exorcist sequel is a pretty good indication that Exorcist is one of them. And while Burstyn was excellent in the original, centering your film on her return is MUCH more of a stretch then doing the same for Jamie Lee Curtis, both in the logic of the franchise and because Curtis’s role was genuinely iconic, defining an entire filmic trope, the “final girl,” that still endures.
For our purposes, it just looks like utterly awful maze material, with uninteresting settings, production design, costumes, etc. - not to mention an opening date when the event is almost over.
Not a big deal. Every year has a stinker or two, which is fine. Who knows, it might even surprise. And the rest of the lineup, particularly originals, looks very strong.
