I was interested to read in someone else's comments that the movie everyone knows and despises is a hacked-to-bits version of a three-hour original, and that the three-hour original is much better. Yes, that's more or less what it feels like. There are some good things here nevertheless. I have a feeling critics would have been much kinder to Exorcist II if it had been released today: would-be blockbusters, and horror movies, have gotten so much worse as to reveal virtues that few would have noticed in 1977.

Such as...? Sheer, dark stylishness, for one thing. No horror film would be so well shot, or visually convey such seriousness of purpose, today. Richard Burton (and he's not the only one) delivers some laughable lines, to be sure; yet he and his surroundings are filmed with such sobriety that we don't laugh as much as we might - if at all. A common complaint made of a ridiculous film is that it takes itself too seriously. This charge is usually misguided. What's wrong with (say) "Battlefield Earth" is that it tries AND FAILS to take itself seriously. Much in Exorcist II, mostly the dialogue, is downright ludicrous, yet the film is redeemed by how seriously it succeeds in taking itself.

Other good things... Those shots of Africa, shot within a studio and all the better for it, are both beautiful and seriously creepy. The musical score is a fine one (one of Morricone's best). Then there's Linda Blair. It was a marvellous stroke of good luck that the 13-year-old actress they chose to play the part of an even younger girl in "The Exorcist" would grow up to be so gorgeous.

Wow, this movie is so bad, it must be one of the best comedies of all time. Really, you've got to see it to believe it. The icing on the cake is Richard Burton, who reaches desperately for dignified seriousness in every single scene. His gravitas inevitably collides with the sheer stupidity of the script in a big hysterical mess. Man, I don't know who wrote this, but… what were they thinking? Did the scriptwriter hit his head prior to this? How could a well-respected actor like Richard Burton, a Shakespearean heavyweight, participate in this? Nothing can prepare you for the incredibly dumb dialogues, those "edgy" special effects and fake African sets, the wrath of Pazuzu and - oh, my God - Linda Blair's acting.

"Exorcist 2" is a hilarious epic fail and I can't recommend it enough to all those who enjoy campy, unintentionally funny flicks. The others probably won't have the patience or the sense of humor to appreciate it. Burton's performance makes this an exquisite example of "so bad it's good".

Here's a tip: watch it with the completely insane "Zardoz" (Sean Connery walking around in red diapers!) for a Boorman double feature with Extra Cheese.

Exorcist II:The Heretic is the sequel to worlds famous film The Exorcist which takes place four years after The Exorcist and explores Regan who know goes to Doctor Tuskin who is curious about what she remembers after the disturbing exorcism performed four years earlier and soon,she finds out Pazzuzu is back from Hell ready to get in to Regan again and with the help of a priest and Regan's guardian for now,they must all drive the demon back to Hell forever one more time! John Boorman is a director I don't know much about except that he made the brilliant Deliverance and according to him,he didn't actually like the first film(I hate him in a way for that)and he decided to make this(probably cause of all the money it made)and here I am..forty years after reviewing it. I think Exorcist 2 is good because it's a very creative film and it has a bunch of new Hollywood actors and actresses such as James Earl Jones(Star Wars:TFA) and Richard Burton. One thing I loved about this,is the music,the music is some of the most peaceful and beautiful I've ever heard and Linda Blair also did a splendid return who even grew up to star in more movies such as Savage Streets,Repossessed and even,Scream! Exorcist 2 is very good!!