The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

78% Tomatometer 176 Reviews 87% Audience Score 250,000+ Ratings One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events. When young Regan (Linda Blair) starts acting odd -- levitating, speaking in tongues -- her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest (Jason Miller), however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow) to help with the difficult job. Read More Read Less Now in Theaters Now Playing Buy Tickets

Where to Watch

The Exorcist

In Theaters Fandango at Home Prime Video

Rent The Exorcist on Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

The Exorcist

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Exorcist rides its supernatural theme to magical effect, with remarkable special effects and an eerie atmosphere, resulting in one of the scariest films of all time.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (176) Critics Reviews
The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Adam Nayman The Ringer Perhaps the most influential American horror movie ever made, The Exorcist was a Rorschach test when it came out. Fifty years later, it still sticks with us. Oct 6, 2023 Full Review The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Richard Roeper Chicago Sun-Times The scariest movie ever made... Sep 30, 2023 Full Review The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Terry Lawson Detroit Free Press Friedkin performed a similar alchemy to that of Francis Ford Coppola [with The Godfather]: He took a good, pulpy novel and turned it into a great, enduring movie. Rated: 4/4 Sep 29, 2023 Full Review The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (4) James Baldwin The Devil Finds Work The mindless and hysterical banality of the evil presented in The Exorcist is the most terrifying thing about the film. The Americans should cer­tainly know more about evil than that; if they pre­tend otherwise, they are lying. May 1, 2024 Full Review The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Dennis Harvey 48 Hills The Exorcist more conspicuously pushed into the mainstream a hitherto disreputable genre. Jan 2, 2024 Full Review The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Don Shanahan Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast Seminal and important for good reasons. Oct 12, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews

Dione R Theatre didn't have the correct movie downloaded, never got to actually see the movie!! Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/23/23 Full Review Charles C By far the most overrated horror movie ever, with insufferable characters, a very slow and boring pace to it makes the only thing scary about the exorcist is how bad the film actually is. Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/31/24 Full Review Theode A The Exorcist is a good classic horror movie. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/19/24 Full Review K K A classic. This movie is art and transcends movies. The Exorcist movie raised issues and scared us while doing so with excellent acting, script, makeup, and all the other aspects of making a movie. The sound, in particular, the sound effect, was so realistic. BELIEVERThe Exorcist was created by the person(s) who understood the story. Blatty and Friedkin delivered. Blatty, in particular, wrote the book, wrote the screenplay, and produced The Exorcist.When subsequent "scary" movies try to ride on the coattails of this movie for financial, AKA money, let them: they are exposing the type of person(s) they are, and art like The Exorcist, including the book, will stand the test of time, but those whose success is based on money will be forgotten as it is not art. Subsequent movies following The Exorcist for pure commercialization of the name will continue as "money." is the most CORRUPT tangible item now and in history and is often for the MASS appeal. Whereas most in general movie goer market and critics understood The Exorcist impact on movies, not just scary.Yet we movie watchers can rejoice that The Exorcist is art and entertains! FYI, it wasn't pretty good at making some money either, which is not a bad thing in context. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/04/24 Full Review Marios C Admittedly I haven't seen The Exorcist until a couple of decades later on, after its release. Perhaps that's why I wasn't a big fan of it.But when the girl started to swear at the priest, I couldn't stop laughing.It's never a good sign when you are laughing while watching a horror movie.This for me is NOT the classic people make it out to be. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 04/29/24 Full Review Jorge C Lo único que envejeció completamente mal fue lo satanizado que tienen de la idea de ir con psiquiatra. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/12/24 Full Review Read all reviews

The Exorcist

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

William Friedkin Director Ellen Burstyn Chris MacNeil Linda Blair Regan Teresa MacNeil Max von Sydow Father Lankester Merrin Lee J. Cobb Lieutenant William Kinderman Kitty Winn Sharon Spencer
Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

More Like This

View All Movies in Theaters

11% 13% Exorcist II: The Heretic TRAILER for Exorcist II: The Heretic 40% 43% And Now the Screaming Starts 73% 58% The Blood on Satan's Claw 29% 29% The Dunwich Horror 80% 52% Horror Express Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All Related Movie News
Immaculate Director Michael Mohan’s Five Favorite Horror Films The 10 Scariest Horror Movies Ever New on Netflix in June 2022

Photos

View All The Exorcist photos

The Exorcist

Linda Blair. Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn. Jason Miller and Max Von Sydow. Max Von Sydow and Linda Blair. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events. When young Regan (Linda Blair) starts acting odd -- levitating, speaking in tongues -- her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest (Jason Miller), however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow) to help with the difficult job.

Director
William Friedkin

Producer
William Peter Blatty

Screenwriter
William Peter Blatty

Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Co
Warner Brothers, Hoya Productions

Rating
R

Genre
Horror

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 26, 1973, Original

Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 24, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA)
$441.4M

Runtime
2h 2m

Sound Mix
Surround

Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
Most Popular at Home Now
The Exorcist | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Edmund Hettinger DC

Last Updated:

Views: 6511

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edmund Hettinger DC

Birthday: 1994-08-17

Address: 2033 Gerhold Pine, Port Jocelyn, VA 12101-5654

Phone: +8524399971620

Job: Central Manufacturing Supervisor

Hobby: Jogging, Metalworking, Tai chi, Shopping, Puzzles, Rock climbing, Crocheting

Introduction: My name is Edmund Hettinger DC, I am a adventurous, colorful, gifted, determined, precious, open, colorful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.