“Did you know that you are talking to an artist? I sometimes do special things to my victims: things that are creative. Of course, it takes knowledge, pride in your work… For example, a decapitated head can continue to see for approximately twenty seconds. So when I have one that’s gawking, I always hold it up so that it can see its body. It’s a little extra I throw in for no added charge.”- The Gemini Killer

“The Exorcist 3” was written and directed by William Peter Blatty, the author of the original Exorcist novel. With that being said, I have to accept this film as cannon to the original story.
It follows Lieutenant Kinderman from the first film, 15 years after the original events. In the moments of Karras’s sacrifice/suicide to kill the demon that possessed Regan (Pazuzu), the demon apparently redirected the soul of an executed serial killer (The Gemini Killer) into Karras’s body.

Because the host is battered and broken from falling down that large flight of steps, the spirit of the Gemini Killer spends 15 years rebuilding the cells in Karras’s body. In the mental hospital where Project X (Karras) is held, the killer’s soul leaves the body, possesses other patients, and continues his killing sprees. He’s one flexible little runt in this movie! But the purpose of Karras being the host for the Gemini Killer is to serve as revenge and punishment for Karras driving Pazuzu out of Regan.

Because this film was written and directed by the author himself, it didn’t surprise me to see this sequel taken care of better than
“The Exorcist 2: The Heretic”. That second movie was one of the worst movies I have ever seen and there are several top lists out there that would agree! If the goal was to redeem the first film’s legacy after that disgrace for a sequel, William accomplished just that!

There was a creepy ass ceiling crawling scene and a heart-stopping jump scare! The actual demon sequences were nothing compared to the original film’s. Regan was way scarier to me. The third film’s greatest accomplishment is the impressive dialogue and casting Brad Dourif as the Gemini Killer. Loved their intense talks and Brad’s acting was amazing! The back and forth between the two, reminded me of Karras and possessed Regan. The dialogue was intelligent, charismatic, chilling, and evil. Loveeeeeeittttttt!

Kinderman was the only character I hated in the original film and its novel. But he’s been somewhat redeemed in this film. I feel like he wrestled with believing in the existence of God and all things pertaining to faith. The universal question is raised… “If God is real or good, then why is there so much evil and injustice in the world?” It’s a great question to ask, I feel the best answers are sayings we often take for granted.

“Everything happens for a reason”

“Just because you don’t know the answers, doesn’t mean there isn’t one”

“God works in mysterious ways”

“Trust God, trust in his perfect and divine plan”

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”

Do you get the point? Or should I keep going?!

Why are these powerful and truthful sayings practically nothing to us when we are going through trials? Why do we roll our eyes when these sayings are given to us as advice? I feel it’s because these sayings are true; and when something is true… it’s repeated! When something is repeated, it’s often taken for granted, and regrettably dismissed.

Though I felt Blatty didn’t butcher the legacy of “The Exorcist” by giving us this sequel, I do think that bringing Karras back was unnecessary and somewhat of a desperate reach for something. Though I liked this sequel, I wish that “The Exorcist” never became a franchise. I feel we already had the symbolic ending, the defeat handed to Pazuzu, and a legacy forever set in stone! What are the chances of the most sinister serial killer dying at the same time as Karras, Pazuzu speaking to the killer’s soul, and sending that soul back to Karras in the exact moment he needed to survive?! As much as I love Karras, I think it would have been more impactful to keep him dead in his righteous sacrifice.

I liked this sequel! The conclusion of the film and how it brings Kinderman to finally believe in the spiritual, was similar to the redemption of the original film and novel. In the original, the demon used Regan’s possession and suffering as a tool to break the hope and faith of the people who loved her. But the existence of the Devil and his demons, immediately proves the existence of God and his angels! I believe there is hope at the end of both films, where Blatty is involved!

“This I believe in… I believe in death. I believe in disease. I believe in injustice and inhumanity, torture and anger and hate… I believe in murder. I believe in pain. I believe in cruelty and infidelity. I believe in slime and stink and every crawling, putrid thing… every possible ugliness and corruption, you son of a bitch. I believe… in you.”- Kinderman