The Exorcist: Believer

What’s it about?

When two girls go missing and return possessed, their parents and friends try everything – including several exorcism rituals from different cultures – to save them.

The facts

• Directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express; Halloween)
• English language
• Runtime: 111 minutes
• Sequel to the iconic horror film The Exorcist (1973).

Why did it get this rating?

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about classification process and ratings here.

Violence

Violence occurs occasionally, often in frenzied sequences or at high-stakes moments, which intensifies the impact.

Stronger examples include:

• A woman’s eyes are gouged out with a crucifix, blinding her. Lots of blood and details of her wounds are seen.
• A man’s neck is supernaturally twisted 180 degrees and broken, killing him.

Horror & content that may disturb

Demonic possession is a key theme explored throughout the film. Children and adults are victimised by supernatural beings. This could be impactful or upsetting for viewers.

The girls’ appearances and behaviours change as their possession progresses – their feet are burnt, cuts appear over their bodies, their voices deepen, their eyes change colour, their skin deteriorates, and they writhe and scream. This may shock younger viewers.

Bodily fluids – including blood and vomit – appear unexpectedly or shoot out violently.

Lights flicker, characters suddenly appear, and doors slam shut on their own.

People are buried under debris and rubble following a major earthquake.

Sex

A girl, possessed, appears to masturbate during a church service.

The girls are medically examined at a hospital for any evidence of sexual violence or abuse. No graphic detail is shown.

Cruelty

A girl possessed, taunts a woman on several occasions about her having had an abortion years earlier. Bloody sheets illustrate this point.

A group of adults are told they must choose to save either one girl or the other from possession.

Offensive language

Words like “f**k”, “c**t”, “wh*re”, “b**ch” are said (by both young and older characters).

Youth Advisory Panel

Three members of our Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) attended the screening for this film. They found some scenes confronting and thought one of the scenes involving a wound was realistic. They thought the horror elements were “quite disturbing” but not overly intense. The YAP found that the religious-focused narrative tempered the scary elements of the film. They thought that the content was appropriate for older teenagers.

Helplines

Some of the topics explored in this film, like abortion, sexual violence, and abuse, might be triggering for viewers. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen, please reach out for help. If you, or someone you know, needs to talk:

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• Are Scary Films Good for Anything?
• The Conjuring changed me: When sleepovers go bad, a first person experience
• Horror films, scary sounds and pesky sleepovers