Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: May 20, 2005

5.8	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Ratings

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User Reviews

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babygorgeousOct 14, 2018

I'm sorry but I hate this film. It didn't interest me or scare me. In fact, it just made me bored and honestly, I like the other prequel a bit more.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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robertoiglesiasOct 14, 2018

Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist. and Exorcist: The Beginning are 2 different prequels to the Exorcist. Both prequels are bad,
What's wrong with this film is that it is empty, slow, and has dumb moments. The other film was more complete,Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist. and Exorcist: The Beginning are 2 different prequels to the Exorcist. Both prequels are bad,
What's wrong with this film is that it is empty, slow, and has dumb moments. The other film was more complete, faster, but was a bit dumber and was a bit confusing.
In the end, I like Exorcist: The Beginning a little bit more. I like the a bit entertaining horror and the story more than the unwelcoming simple but tame, dull film.
Out of 100, I give Exorcist: The Beginning 41/100 and Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist 40/100.
However, I hate both prequels to be fair.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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MarcD.Oct 27, 2006

A year after the first prequel, we see the version which was originally made. Unfortunately, horror has never been so pretentious. Long, self indulgent and extremely dull...this movie is only notable for the peformance of Skarsgard (Merrin) A year after the first prequel, we see the version which was originally made. Unfortunately, horror has never been so pretentious. Long, self indulgent and extremely dull...this movie is only notable for the peformance of Skarsgard (Merrin) and a rather curious monologue by Satan himself. He spits. He grimaces. He snarls. He gesticulates. He talks...and talks...and talks. And we...get really bored.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

[Anonymous]Apr 30, 2006

Better than the other prequel, but very, very dull. Could the exorcism have been any more anti-climatic?

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MarshallM.Oct 19, 2005

A 10 of a horror movie!

0 of 0 users found this helpful

ILHMFeb 2, 2013

Set in the years following the Second World War, DOMINION tells the tale of Father Merrin, a wayward priest who has turned to archaeology after his faith is shaken by the war. When Merrin uncovers an ancient church buried beneath the sands ofSet in the years following the Second World War, DOMINION tells the tale of Father Merrin, a wayward priest who has turned to archaeology after his faith is shaken by the war. When Merrin uncovers an ancient church buried beneath the sands of East Africa, he will share his first encounter with the devil, who has possessed the body of a poor crippled boy. Despite being shelved immediately after production, Paul Schrader's prequel to THE EXORCIST was simply too good to be released to the general public. Instead of spinning heads and spewing soup, DOMINION takes a much more cerebral approach to evil. Interestingly, Schrader creates a complete reversal from the original film: the demon possesses the body of a sickly boy, it strengthens and repairs him rather than destroying him, and it uses its wicked tongue to rattle the nerve rather than shock the senses. Pazuzu taunts Merrin and attempts to destroy him both mentally and spiritually. Like the fallen angel Lucifer, it appears as the perfect being, an intellectual tempter with a sculpted body and androgynous beauty unlike the foul monster that Merrin would encounter years late. Pazuzu's evil spreads like a plague in the small African village, and turns man against man while the fallen priest works to regain his robes. The corruptive power of evil is felt in full force here, although Schrader takes slow but decisive steps to reach his final goal.

While DOMINION has often been criticized for its unfinished effects, it is rarely hailed for its superior setting. The ancient Byzantine tomb is finely decorated, and serves as an ominous stage for the spiritual warfare. Given the studio's complete lack of faith and resources, the garish computerization must be overlooked in place of the stronger story elements. Stellan Skarsgård is very good as the younger counterpart to Max von Sydow's character, with an introspective approach to the character that is reserved without being underplayed. He gives us cracks in his otherwise stern performance that humanize him and allow us to empathize with his internal struggle. Like Skarsgård, Schrader pulls back as well, refusing to rely on simple shocks in this psychological thriller. His unwillingness to compromise in creating a "studio" picture may have hurt the returns, but in the end, he delivers a much stronger film.

Renny Harlin would be brought on to re-write and re-shoot the entire picture after Morgan Creek decided to pull the project for its lack of marketability, but between the two versions, DOMINION is the preferrable prequel to THE EXORCIST.

-Carl Manes
I Like Horror Movies… Expand