Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
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A priest struggling with his faith is tasked with investigating the posthumous heresy of a priest who died while exorcising a demon.
The story
Set four years after the events of the first film, the story follows Philip Lamont, a priest struggling with his faith, who is tasked by the Cardinal to investigate the death of Father Lankester Merrin. Merrin was killed while exorcising the demon Pazuzu from Regan MacNeil. Meanwhile, Regan, now sixteen, is recovering in New York City under the care of her guardian Sharon Spencer and a psychiatrist, Dr. Gene Tuskin. As Lamont investigates the heresy charges against Merrin, he must navigate a complex spiritual landscape involving psychic healing abilities and the lingering influence of the demon Pazuzu.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Philip Lamont, a priest struggling with his faith, attempts to exorcise a possessed woman in Latin America who dies in a fire. He is then assigned by the Cardinal to investigate the death of Father Lankester Merrin, who died four years earlier exorcising the demon Pazuzu from Regan MacNeil. The Cardinal notes that Merrin faces heresy charges as the Church seeks to modernize. Regan is in New York City, monitored by Dr. Gene Tuskin at a psychiatric institute. To probe Regan's repressed memories of the exorcism, Tuskin uses a 'synchronizer' to link brainwaves with Lamont. During this process, Lamont is spirited to the past by Pazuzu to Africa, where he meets Kokumo, a man who developed psychic powers to fight the demon. Lamont learns that Pazuzu targets those with psychic healing abilities. Regan uses her telepathy to help an autistic girl speak. In a vision, the deceased Merrin asks Lamont to watch over Regan. Lamont and Regan return to the Georgetown house where the original exorcism occurred. They are followed by Tuskin and Sharon. Pazuzu tempts Lamont as a doppelgänger of Regan. After a taxi crash and Sharon setting herself on fire, Lamont attacks the doppelgänger, killing it. Regan then banishes Pazuzu by enacting a bullroarer ritual. Sharon dies of her injuries, and Lamont is told to watch over Regan.
- First release year
- 1977
- Runtime (minutes)
- 102
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Boorman
- Writers
- William Goodhart · writer
- Cast and characters
- Linda Blair · Regan MacNeil; Richard Burton · Father Philip Lamont; Louise Fletcher · Dr. Gene Tuskin; Max von Sydow · Father Lankester Merrin; Kitty Winn · Sharon Spencer; Paul Henreid · Cardinal Jaros; James Earl Jones · Kokumo
- Genres
- supernatural science fiction horror
- Themes
- Good vs. Evil; Human Consciousness; Religious Faith; Modernization vs. Tradition
- Tone and mood
- Metaphysical; Bizarre; Unintentionally Comic; Pretentious
- Premise and plot tags
- Sequel; Demonic Possession; Religious Horror; Psychic Powers
- Source material / true-story basis
- Theories of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
- Franchise connections
- The Exorcist
- Content notes
- Demonic Possession
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews and is often considered to be one of the worst films ever made, characterized by critics as 'atrocious,' 'ludicrous,' and 'unintentionally comic.'
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 10% · review count: 69; Metacritic · score: 39 · scale: 100 · review count: 11
- Production trivia
- The film was the last to feature veteran actor Paul Henreid before his death.; The MacNeil house in Georgetown had to be replicated in the studio because the filmmakers were refused permission to film at the original house.; The film was the second-lowest ranked film on a list of the 50 Worst Movies Ever Made.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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