50 Most Hated Movies of all Time - #46 - The Exorcist II: The Heretic

The idiotic A-hole who made this list in the first place decided to break the streak of naming movies that had been released after the turn to the 21st century as "the most hated films of all time" and decided to name a movie that was actually made around or before the time he was born.  I know, I was shocked too.  Anyhow, this will mark a new review for me, because I never actually saw this movie.  However, unlike the drooling halfwit staff at Total Film, I'm actually going to do something they would never do...and actually research something before talking about it.  


So, for those of you not in the know, The Exorcist is probably one of the most popular films of all time.  Released in 1973, it was the talk of the movie world, what with reports of strange occurrences on set, people fainting in the movie theatre during screenings and even hysterical insistence from some people with a few bricks shy of a full load that a demon inhabited the actual film.  Now, all ridiculous mishmash aside, people wouldn't talk this much about a film unless it was really, really good, really, really bad or really, really weird.  The Exorcist is really, really good.  So, I can understand if the sequel came out and it wasn't up to par with the original, that people wouldn't be impressed.  However, one of the worst of all time?


Well, maybe not so much.  I read an article on Wikipedia that some people say that the film has been misjudged and mistreated, that it's not the honking big pile of donkey crap that Total Film would have you believe.  They don't ultimately believe it's that great, but it does not deserve the derision that the film has received from multiple sources.  I find it interesting too to note that there have been 3 sequels after this film and I remember that 4 and 5 weren't received that well either...so, why does get all the blame?  Just because it's the direct sequel to the film?  See, this is the reason why I don't like Total Film or their stupid list: they have no perspective.  They don't question why they feel a film is hated or if there is another reason or if there is something else that causes the hatred.  They just knee-jerk "oh...bad movie...must...destroy...in...list."  My question is this: if none of the films will ever live up to the original, should they not be hated as well?  In fact, every sequel that does not live up to the original should be hated!  The list would be five miles long!


So, what's my point?  My point is, this movie probably isn't as hated as some believe and probably should not be on the list.  There have been other movies that have not only been worse than the original, but insulting by either recycling the original without adding to it (The Hangover Part II) or by crapping on everything that was good about the original (Superman Returns).  Ultimately, there are probably worse movies out there and more damaging ones than the Exorcist II.  However, for some strange reason, it made it on this list. 


Rating: Worth the hate?  Only if you're prepared to put every disappointing sequel on the list as well...


- Stephenstein