The Studio didn't invest any more effort into properly completing the movie, they wanted to make some $$$$$ back, they made a movie then made it again, and their Official Version did not do very well, not enough to cover the cost of filming it twice.
It's a Miracle the Film was released at all, So I look past the FX Flaws, which there really is not a lot of CG anyway, and that's a good thing.
It is flawed in other ways, but it overcomes those flaws, Exorcist The beginning has the just Icing, Dominion is the actual cake underneath, I see it less as a Prequel to the Exorcist Film, and more a Prequel to the Character of Merrin himself, And Stellan Skarsgard does a remarkable Job as Merrin, it's one of those rare times that I watch a different actor play a character, and not thinking about the difference, Stellan has a resemblance to Max Von Sydow, and so much of the performance is in the eyes, and it is believable that Skargard's Merrin ages into Von Sydow's
About the Exorcism, yes the on in ETB was more energetic, But the one in Dominion had a bigger payoff on an emotional and thematic level, it's Stupid that in ETB, the British Soldiers and the African Natives wipe each other out, in Dominion Merrin is Able To save most of Them, it's a Redemption, to Me that is what the movie is really about, not demonic forces, but rising up out of your own ashes and doing what must be done even if you don't think you have the strength, letting go of your self pity, and thinking about everyone other than your self.
I also like the fact that Dominion does not have the typical downbeat ending that Exorcist Movies seem to have, it's not a happily ever after ending, their was some loss, But a Battle was one, Lives were saved, a Soul redeemed.
I like the fact that we actually see the presence of God at the End of the Exorcism, I think it was needed in this particular story, God's existence is pivotal to Merrin's Spiritual Journey, and it's something that just isn't expected from an Exorcist Film, Exorcist III did Show a bright light for a few seconds at the end, but it wasn't the same as Dominion, Exorcist III still had a depressing ending, that's not saying it was the wrong ending, that's just saying that it's of a different tone and nature.
reply
share