5/5 This Sequel More Than Lives Up To The First Film!!!!!
  by
The Exorcist is a masterpiece of horror and a winner of two academy awards (for best director and best adapted screenplay). This sequel won an award too. It was voted as the second worst film of all time at the Golden Turkey Conventions. Why is this? I love this movie! It wisely keeps the storyline of the first going (unlike William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist 3, which completely departed from the original story). It also has three returning cast members from the first. It has Kitty Winn returning as Sharon Spencer, Max Von Sydow as Father Lancester Merrin, and, of course, Linda Blair as Reagan MacNiel.
The plot takes place in many different areas around the globe, including Africa, India, Georgetown, and New York. The beggining scene involves a young woman who is being possesed and needs an exorcist. Father Phillip Lamont (Richard Burton), a good friend of the late Father Merrin, attempts to exorcise the woman, but she commits suicide using a bunch of candles. We then get to see how Reagan MacNiel (Linda Blair) is getting on with her life. She is now doing dance compititions nearly every day, and sees a psychiatrist (Louise Fletcher) as well. Reagan remembers her possesion, but refuses to talk about it with anyone, and they all assume that she doesn't remember (even at the end of the first one, Chris MacNiel, her mother, said she didn't remember, but I think she was faking). Father Lamont is instructed by the Cardinal (Paul Henried) to investigate the death of Father Merrin (Max Von Sydow). Lamont goes to the hospital where Reagan stays, and questions her doctor, asking if she remembers anything. The doctor dosen't want to ask Reagan, because she's afraid that it will trigger a shock, and Reagan will attempt suicide. However, they use a special mind machine to dive into her head and see. What they do see is a man (James Earl Jones) fighting a tiger. Lamont finds out that that man is Cacooma, who was once possesed by Pazuzu, and exercised by Father Merrin. Desperately, Lamont attempts to track down the man and question him.....
Exorcist 2 The Heretic is a brilliant movie. Why it is so hated by review criticts is beyon me. It has an interesting style, brilliant camera movements, and gorgeous music (Reagan's theme is beautiful). The movie seems to have a bit more of a plot than the first (although the first is terrific), and a better story going for it. Linda Blair is great as 18 year old Reagan, and Fletcher is good as the no-nonsense doctor, but Richard Burton's performance is a little bit cheesey ("I saw it- it was horrible, utterly horrible") but he's still fun to watch. Although Von Sydow dyed in the first film, he's here in flashbacks, and footage of the exorcism in Africa. This one isn't really scary, although I don't think the intention was to be scary. Also, the 118 minute version is MUCH better than the 110 minute version. The 118 minute one goes deeper into the charecter's developement, and includes a different ending. I do not know why this movie hasn't gone onto DVD yet, but this VHS is bad. The color is drained, and the picture is mudgy. But, it's the only version available, so LIVE WITH IT!!!!
If you enjoyed Exorcist 2 The Heretic, I would also recommend The Exorcist, Damien Omen 2, Jaws 2, and Halloween 2.
Exorcist 2 The Heretic is Rated R For Some Violence, Brief Language, Brief Gore, and Small Nudity.
PS If you found my review helpfull, please vote for me!!!!!
Brett Michael Roberts

1/5 disaster
  by B. E Jackson (Pennsylvania)
I nearly fell asleep watching the second Exorcist movie. It's not really a bad movie, but compared to the original, it falls short in many areas, such as truly featuring a scary atmosphere. In the first movie you were terrified to walk upstairs after the film was over for fear something truly evil and frightening was lurking around the corner of your upstairs hallway. In this movie, I felt almost nothing at all.

It's a shame really- in the first movie, so much effort was involved in throwing in an unbelievable amount of devastating fears that the second one just feels really inferior in comparison. Perhaps the ultimate example of a sequel not living up to the original. The only scene that shocked me was when the preacher walked into the bedroom where all the evil activity happened in the original, and the only thing in the room was a giant horsefly buzzing on the ceiling. That's pretty creepy right there. That's about it though.

Yes it's true some of the horror segments border towards hilarious. That's a bad sign. If the Exorcist was a rock band, it'd be Iron Butterfly.

1/5 One of the Worst Sequels Of All Time!!
  by RDU (Knoxville, TN United States)
I was completely mesmerized after watching the original Exorcist film- -so much so that I went out and got the novel, written by William Peter Blatty. The original exorcist was like a supernatural detective story. Oftentimes, the viewer was caught between the belief that the main character (Reagan) was truly possessed, or that she was just a severely disturbed little girl.

However, despite the fact that most people don't expect a sequel to ever surpass the original film, this movie does much, much worse. The movie starts off with a grown-up Reagan, the main character from the first movie. Tormented by memories of her past experiences, Reagan seeks psychological help through the use of a device that helps people to see each other's thoughts and/or mental and physical experiences. Along with the "magical mind device," Reagan is assisted by a not-so-helpful, equally troubled priest named Father Lamont, played by Richard Burton.

Of course, at this point I need to go further into the plot-line, but to be honest...that's kind of difficult. Other than saying that the same demon (Pazuzu, god of sickness and pestilence)who possessed Reagan in the first movie returns with a vengeance and that Reagan and Father Lamont try desperately to oppose him, nothing else in this movie makes much, if any sense.

The director tries to diverge from the first film by using occultism rather than Christianity to combat the demon, but the actual methodology used is ambiguous. Not to mention, the magical, psychological device that Reagan and Father Lamont use to mentally contact one another is just plain stupid.

I also must agree with past critics by saying that the majority of acting in this film is overdone. What's more, as an African-American, I was a little annoyed with how the few blacks portrayed in the film were mostly shot in Africa, where even the westernized, supposedly Christian Africans acted like a bunch of wild, overzealous shamans. Even in America, the nameless black cab driver who, along with some of Reagan's friends is attacked and injured by the demon is never remembered when the police ask, "Ma'am, was there anyone else with you guys when the car turned over and set on fire?"

Overall, I recommend avoiding this film at all costs. You will waste your time sitting around for almost two hours, waiting for a plot that never really comes together. In my opinion, watching the first, unedited version of the Exorcist, along with reading the novel are the best entertainment you're ever going to get.

1/5 Five/four star reviewers need a therapist!
  by Stone Coldest Justice (Anywhere but a red state)
No pun intended, but this movie is so bad, it'll make your head spin! "Exorcist II: the Heretic" is dated, forgotten, and, most of all, atrocious! To say this is a great movie defies common sense, and all of the five/four star reviewers lack common sense. For good cinema, see "Brokeback Mountain!"

4/5 Not like the first, but still gets the job done.
  by David Tyson (Goldfield, Nevada USA)
This movie continues the story of Regan McNeil and her troubles with the evil spirit Pazuzu. Regan (Linda Blair) is older now (and looks very pretty) and is seeing a therapist to deal with her horrible experience that took place in the first movie. A priest (Richard Burton) is sent to investigate the death of Father Merrin (the exorcist in the original movie) which he must question Regan. James Earl Jones even makes an appearance in this movie as an African who was also possessed by Pazuzu. This movie has great visuals, decent special effects, a great soundtrack, and an interesting continuation of the Exorcist saga. The ending will suprise you because you will never even imagine what happens. The only glitch in this movie is it may run a little slow for this era and the acting isn't up to par, but if you enjoyed the first one you must see this one to see what happens to poor little Regan.