Although I think we can all agree that the very idea of an attempt to continue “The Exorcist” storyline after so many failed starts is a bad one. However, I think the approach they are using takes “bad” to a whole new level. We don’t need any teens in our Exorcist, truly. The original film had a near perfect execution but we seem to forget that it was the shocking transformation of Regen (Linda Blair) that sold the idea of a parasitic, corruptible evil that was truly chilling. The idea of the theft of innocence is a concept that often infuriates and terrifies; the idea that the very innocence we seek to protect can be the object of our horror is also a scary thing. Now, how would the original film had played had Regen been a snarky, rebellious 16 year old? Yeah. That’s what we thought and unfortunately Fox might be up to pandering yet again to a demographic that is so often over-utlizied in horror. So, here’s to crossing our fingers that we haven’t decided to fall back on “Stick teen in room. Put evil in room. Bake at 350 until predictable and forgettable”. Yeah, you can put the Exorcist label on this, but remember we’ve seen the teen in peril formula go by many names…and Legion aint one of em…
