Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist

(2005)**1/2

This is the Exorcist film that was never released theatrically because the studio heads deemed it too slow for audiences expecting to see projectile vomiting and heads spinning around. After shelving this effort, it was remade into “Exorcist: The Beginning” (reviewed below).

In this initial effort, Father Merrin experiences a crisis of faith at the hands of the Nazis. After giving up the collar, he heads to East Africa where he joins an archeological dig that has discovered a Byzantine church buried and completely preserved. Learning too late that the church was built on top of ancient crypt where satanic rituals were practiced, Merrin unleashes a demon that immediately takes possession of a local peasant.

Brimming with theological discussions and ultimately lacking much in the way of gore or even true scares, the studio heads were on to something when they prevented Dominion’s release. If you’ve seen “Exorcist: The Beginning” already, than you’ll have a sense of déjà vu as you work through Dominion. Many of the actors are the same and some of the sequences, particularly a brutal scene involving Nazis, are almost note for note. There’s nothing wrong with creating a cerebral film, however, by inserting the word “Exorcist” in your title, you’re inviting trouble if you don’t deliver on the frights. Dominion was merely okay and probably would’ve been more interesting if it hadn’t been marketed as an “Exorcist” film. By asking timeless and provocative questions (e.g., why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?), this story might have fared better if it had been released as a stand-alone film without the pressure of shouldering the Exorcist name.