Exorcist II: The Heretic

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Exorcist II: The Heretic

R

Released Jun 17, 1977

1h 57m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

10%

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69 Reviews

13%

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25,000+ Ratings

Owing to his experience with exorcisms, Father Lamont (Richard Burton) is chosen by his superiors to investigate the death of Father Merrin (Max von Sydow), who died during the exorcism of young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair). Lamont finds Regan under the psychiatric care of Dr. Tuskin (Louise Fletcher). By hypnotizing the girl, he is able to learn that Merrin previously exorcised the same demon from a boy in Africa. Hoping for answers, Lamont travels to Africa in search of the youth.

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Critics Consensus

Hokey mystical effects, lousy plotting, and worse acting directly tarnishes the first's chilling legacy.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

There’s enough visual magic in it for a dozen good movies; what the picture lacks is judgment -- the first casualty of the moviemaking obsession.

Sep 18, 2023

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David Robinson

Financial Times

A rather costly load of old nonsense, distinguished mainly by fine colour photography.

Oct 27, 2021

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David Pirie

Time Out

The theme is attacked with engaging intensity, and Boorman brings off more than one visual coup (notably the ingenious locust photography in the African sequences). Dennis Wheatley fans, at least, will love it.

Oct 27, 2021

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

In short, a bunch of people that should have known better than to absolutely abandon everything that made the original good.

Rated: 3/10

Sep 23, 2025

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…it takes real talent to make a truly awful movie; viewing Exorcist II is like viewing the ruins of a temple to an unknown god, a brain-boggling, dreamlike, profoundly mystifying experience…

Rated: 2/5

May 15, 2025

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Here’s an interesting question: when it comes to sequels, which would you prefer? A boring success, or an interesting failure?

Rated: 4/10

Jan 23, 2025

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Audience Member

It is an alright movie, but not on the level of the first one. They should have casted Mrs. MacNeil. And the story and direction could have been much better...

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/21/25

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Alec B

Exorcist II: The Heretic is a baffling, disjointed sequel that squanders the chilling power of the original. I struggled to stay focused throughout the entire movie, and the plot was so mishapen, it drowns viewers in incoherent mysticism and stilted dialogue. The film’s special effects feel dated and awkward, even compared to the first film. The returning cast is talented, but they still couldn't salvage the clunky pacing or bizarre tonal shifts.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/06/25

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Matheus P

Exorcist II: The Heretic is, without a doubt, a major disappointment. The film bears little to no meaningful connection with the original classic The Exorcist. Its narrative is disorganized, confusing, and lacks coherence, resulting in a storyline that fails to engage or captivate the audience. The screenplay is exceedingly weak, the special effects are ill-conceived, and in many instances only worsen the viewing experience. The lack of consistency is evident in virtually every aspect of the production, rendering it a chaotic and poorly executed film. In short, Exorcist II: The Heretic fails on all fronts: it does not entertain, it does not frighten, and it certainly does not honor the legacy of its predecessor. It is a work of such poor quality that it arguably should never have been made.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/16/25

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Kid R.

Wow this is why sequels shouldn’t exist

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/04/25

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Nick O

A truly bizarre piece of WTF cinema! Seriously, this flick is out to lunch. Especially when you put it next to the first film…but hey, who doesn’t love a spectacle!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/09/25

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babarizam D

I think this movie is highly misunderstood because it doesn't fit in horror genre. A great investigative work of The Exorcism performed in previous movie .

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/25

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John Boorman

Director

Linda Blair

Regan MacNeil

Richard Burton

Father Philip Lamont

Louise Fletcher

Dr. Gene Tuskin

Max von Sydow

Father Merrin

Kitty Winn

Sharon Spencer

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Exorcist II: The Heretic: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Owing to his experience with exorcisms, Father Lamont (Richard Burton) is chosen by his superiors to investigate the death of Father Merrin (Max von Sydow), who died during the exorcism of young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair). Lamont finds Regan under the psychiatric care of Dr. Tuskin (Louise Fletcher). By hypnotizing the girl, he is able to learn that Merrin previously exorcised the same demon from a boy in Africa. Hoping for answers, Lamont travels to Africa in search of the youth.

Director: John Boorman
Producer: John Boorman, Richard Lederer
Screenwriter: William Goodhart
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 17, 1977, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Runtime: 1h 57m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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