Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist

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Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist

R,

2005,

1h 51m,

Horror

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Watchlist

Watchlist

29%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

25%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

29%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

25%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Haunted by terrible acts the Nazis forced him to participate in, the disenchanted Father Lankester Merrin focuses his energies on helping with an archaeological dig in the northern part of Kenya. There, the crew uncovers a church that predates Christian missions into the area, but the discovery also causes strange events to start occurring -- including physical changes to a young, disabled boy, whom Merrin grows to suspect has been possessed by a demon.

Critics Consensus

While director Schrader's attempt at a literate, internal exposition on evil temptations and human sin is admirable, this prequel suffers from hit-and-miss psychological tension, poor visual effects, and weak writing -- an overambitious failure of a horror movie.

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Leslie Felperin

Variety

May 26, 2005

Schrader's intelligent, quietly subversive pic emphasizes spiritual agony over horror ecstasy, while paying occasional lip-service to the need for scares.

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Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

May 24, 2005

The frights, the scares, they just weren't there.

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David Edelstein

Slate

May 20, 2005

It's a good, thoughtful horror picture -- and thiiis close to being a very good one.

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Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

Jun 24, 2024

5/10

Schrader’s version still has its issues, but it’s at least more interesting than the DTV-level schlock that was The Beginning.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Aug 25, 2012

C

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

Jun 7, 2011

6/10

I can't call it a success, but it is certainly an outstanding failure, an attempt to broaden the horizons of a stale genre with real discussion of the matters that consume its maker.

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Han M

Nov 14, 2018

The alternate version of the prequel to "The Exorcist." Having lived through traumatizing events in WWII, Father Merrin takes a break from the Church to conduct archaeological excavations in British-administered East Africa. Exorcism aside, Dominion is well-acted, handsomely photographed and hauntingly scored. But misses the mark with substandard make-up , poorly executed special effects. However DOMINION is an Intelligent supernatural prequel to one of the most famous horror movies of all time and worth watching just not as good as the film could have been

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Kylo W

Sep 14, 2018

Dominion is a film that I think is unnecessary, stupid, and dull with it being 30% a clone to Exorcist: The Beginning, and another 40% being new but awful development and story. To me, this is the weaker Exorcist prequel.

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Ron R

Dec 18, 2017

un melodrama malo, con pésimos efectos especiales.

Hermione S

Nov 5, 2017

Another Bad dumb excorcist movie.

Draco M

Jul 24, 2017

A tragic attempt at creating a prequel of which has absolutely no soul or heart in any form of production. Behind the scenes issues forcing Schrader limitations in special effects and post-production are not the biggest issue here. The script for one is horrible, totally inadequate and redundant. The film has no tone whatsoever, not a horror or psychological thriller is felt in any stage of the film. The cast aside from Starsgaard is terrible with a production that feels and looks straight from direct to DVD.

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Finn R

Mar 19, 2017

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Pazuzu is a grounded take on the exorcism theme, focusing more on internal conflict and crisis of faith. It's intermittently compelling and Skarsgard gives a committed performance, but it's never scary and the special effects are laughable. Still, it's ultimately a harmless watch, unlike The Beginning which is flat out unwatchable.

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Paul Schrader

Director

Stellan Skarsgård

Father Merrin

Gabriel Mann

Father Francis

Clara Bellar

Rachel Lesno

Ralph Brown

Sergeant Major

Andrew French

Chuma

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Synopsis

Haunted by terrible acts the Nazis forced him to participate in, the disenchanted Father Lankester Merrin focuses his energies on helping with an archaeological dig in the northern part of Kenya. There, the crew uncovers a church that predates Christian missions into the area, but the discovery also causes strange events to start occurring -- including physical changes to a young, disabled boy, whom Merrin grows to suspect has been possessed by a demon.

Director: Paul Schrader
Producer: James G. Robinson
Screenwriter: Caleb Carr, William Wisher Jr.
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Bros., Morgan Creek Productions
Rating: R (Strong Violence|Disturbing Images)
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 20, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $41.8M
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround

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