The Exorcist III

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1:48

The Exorcist III

R

1990

1h 50m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

58%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

57%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Police Lt. Kinderman (George C. Scott) notices similarities between his current murder investigation and the methods used by the Gemini killer (Brad Dourif) who was executed 15 years before. He soon discovers a hospitalized mental patient (Jason Miller) claiming to be the dead serial killer, but who looks uncannily like a priest Kinderman knew who died during an exorcism. As more bodies are found, Kinderman looks for connections between the two supposedly dead men.

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Critics Consensus

The Exorcist III is a talky, literary sequel with some scary moments that rival anything from the original.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

Watching The Exorcist III is a frustrating experience, with both cuts of the film - one a victim of studio tampering, the other imperfectly restored - pointing to the better version of themselves that, like Karras, remains hidden within.

Dec 9, 2019

Full Review

A.A. Dowd

AV Club

Against his will, Blatty added the sound-and-fury finale, and it's easily the weakest aspect of his movie. But that's mainly because everything that comes before it is so hauntingly understated.

Oct 8, 2018

Full Review

Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Too much of the movie takes place in dark rooms where people describe horrors that might more profitably have been on the screen, and the plot is a house of cards that constantly collapses.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 8, 2018

Full Review

Cheryl Eddy

io9.com

The series' best sequel to date.

Sep 22, 2023

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The film is excessive in many spots -- did we really need a lavish dream sequence, or cameos by the likes of Larry King, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, and Fabio?

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 1, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Antiquated melodrama, almost sacrilegious. [Full review in Spanish]

Nov 11, 2022

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mark g

This was a great film. Well written and invested actors. I think some people prejudged because the second Exorcist was so bad. This film is a worthy companion to the original.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/24

Full Review

Junkyard H

Honestly this is one of my favorite horror movies and I actually prefer it over the original. It mixes this very slow paced detective story with the supernatural and it really works super well. The acting and dialogue are also amazing and each conversation felt captivating to me, you can definitely tell it was directed by an author. The movie isn't particularly gory but it does a really good job of describing the murders in visceral way and letting your imagination fill in the blanks which works really well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/27/24

Full Review

Anthony C

My all time fav horror movie!! Can't say enough great things about Legion! George C Scott gives the greatest performance ever! Great scares and possibly the best jump scare in movie history! Seen it since so many times since I saw at the theater in 1990.Just fantastic in every way.Very atmospheric scary and heavy on amazing dialogue.Get lost in it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/07/24

Full Review

James F

A riveting and flawed gem. It expands upon the small, emotional, gut wrenching elements of “The Exorcist” into a gripping thriller. More of a police procedural than an outright horror film, it calls into question the trust we have in our tattered institutions. Yes, it gets a bit scattered and abrupt, particularly with the tagged on ending, but there’s a relentless creepiness throughout. For the most part, it’s visually stunning and terrifically edited, with excellent performances throughout.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/28/24

Full Review

Shane C

The Exorcist III is a underrated movie in the Exorcist franchise. Sure it's slow at times but the plot makes up for it. The jump scare with the nurse and person with the scissors is the one of the best in horror history. Nothing beats the first one, but it's still good movie, worthy of rewatch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/22/24

Full Review

Alf D

Creepy and unsettling. The third entry in the series, and certainly an improvement over the sequel. Scott takes over Cobb’s detective role from the original. Offers some odd cameos and a dreaded tone throughout with its sound, music and camerawork. Notable for two extremely hair raising scenes, with one of them being unforgettable as an all time jump scare. The ending polarized viewers. Still, certainly worth a view.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/13/24

Full Review

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William Peter Blatty

Director

George C. Scott

Kinderman

Ed Flanders

Father Dyer

Brad Dourif

The Gemini Killer

Jason Miller

Patient X

Nicol Williamson

Father Morning

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Hear Us Out: The Exorcist III Is a Horror Classic In Its Own Right

The Exorcist III: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Police Lt. Kinderman (George C. Scott) notices similarities between his current murder investigation and the methods used by the Gemini killer (Brad Dourif) who was executed 15 years before. He soon discovers a hospitalized mental patient (Jason Miller) claiming to be the dead serial killer, but who looks uncannily like a priest Kinderman knew who died during an exorcism. As more bodies are found, Kinderman looks for connections between the two supposedly dead men.

Director: William Peter Blatty
Producer: Carter DeHaven, James G. Robinson
Screenwriter: William Peter Blatty
Production Co: Morgan Creek Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 25, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.0M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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