The highly anticipated horror film of the year, The Exorcist: Believer, was released in theatres on the 50th anniversary of the classic original film, The Exorcist, which came out in 1973. 

After completing his Halloween trilogy, David Gordon Green shifted his focus to The Exorcist, another masterpiece marred by a series of mostly lackluster sequels. 

Much like his Halloween films, this endeavor presents a mixed bag, brimming with intriguing ideas that don't always coalesce into cohesive and satisfying resolutions.

The film begins on a promising note. It delves into the tragic backstory of Victor (portrayed by Leslie Odom Jr.), who is raising his daughter Angela (played by Lidya Jewett) alone. Angela's sudden reappearance after going missing in the woods with her friend Olivia Marcum carries a sinister undertone. 

Just as in William Friedkin's original, the initial unease is generated not by explicit horrors but by a subtle sense of disquiet, like a car narrowly missing a cyclist or a child's manic outbursts. The foreboding atmosphere is palpable.

Surprisingly, and through no fault of the actor, the tension wanes when Ellen Burstyn reprises her role as Chris MacNeil, the mother of the original possessed child, Regan. 

Her character feels more like a gimmick than an essential part of the narrative, leading the film down a path filled with callbacks, winks, and attempts to outdo the original. It transforms into a tribute act, its unique identity fading in the shadow of the classic.

When the climactic exorcism sequence finally arrives, it starts with a genuinely intriguing exploration of belief and its myriad interpretations, only to disappointingly fall into the conventional tropes of roaring, Bible-thumping, and projectile black goo. 

While the two young actors portraying the possessed girls deliver impassioned performances, the script fails to provide them with ample opportunities to create truly terrifying moments. The film rarely transcends mere creepiness or revulsion.

Intended as the first installment of a trilogy, this Exorcist sequel hints at the potential for a more substantial narrative to develop. Taken on its own, it surpasses most entries in the Exorcist franchise, trailing only behind The Exorcist III.

 However, it never fully manages to get under your skin. As a serviceable horror movie, it succeeds in restoring the Exorcist franchise to a more respectable position. Yet, the potential for something much greater remains untapped.