Film

The Exorcist: Believer

Name: The Exorcist: Believer
Genre: Horror
Released: 2023
Cast: Leslie Odom Jr., Lidya Jewett, Olivia O'Neill, Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles

A possessed-child horror film from 2023 that leans hard on visceral scares and family trauma. It inherits the Exorcist's DNA but pursues raw shock over theological dread. For viewers who want contemporary horror craft applied to demonic possession, and who don't mind a film that costs more than it earns.

TMDb rating

2.9

If you liked this

The Conjuring2013

A masterclass in modern supernatural horror that knows exactly when to pull back and when to explode. James Wan builds dread through suggestion before unleashing genuine scares that land because he's earned them.

But If you've seen it, you've seen it—it's a cultural artifact now. If atmospheric slow-burn bothers you, the first half will feel like watching paint dry.

Insidious2011

A genuinely creepy film about a child caught between worlds, with a twisted logic to its mythology. Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne ground the supernatural in real parental panic and grief.

But The third act shifts into action-horror territory, and the demon design (when finally revealed) is more silly than scary. Some dated 2010 CGI work.

Hereditary2018

A horror film that treats possession and family curse as a genuine psychological and spiritual catastrophe. Ari Aster makes the mundane grotesque. Toni Collette gives one of the most raw performances in modern horror.

But Bleak, slow, and deeply unsettling in ways that linger after the credits. Not a popcorn scare, and the final act asks a lot of patience. Some find it pretentious.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Exorcist: Believer

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Omen1976

Both films center on a child's possession/corruption and a parent's dawning horror at what their child has become. The Omen is the blueprint that Believer inherits but fails to respect.

The granddaddy of demonic child horror, made with devastating seriousness. Gregory Peck as a father slowly realizing his son is the Antichrist. Jerry Goldsmith's score is weaponized terror. This is what Believer is trying to be.

But Slow, methodical, and made for adults who can sit with dread. No jump scares, no action. Requires patience and faith in ambiguity.

The Ring2002

American horror that understands how to structure terror. A mysterious videotape, a seven-day countdown, and the slow realization that the threat is unstoppable. Builds dread through logic rather than jump scares.

But The CGI has aged badly. If you know the twist, the film loses its engine. It's also become a cultural reference point that makes it hard to watch fresh.

A Dark Song2016

A quiet, devastating film about grief disguised as a supernatural thriller. Two people in a house, attempting an occult ritual to contact the dead. It's about faith, loss, and whether any miracle is worth the cost.

But Almost nothing happens for long stretches. No jump scares, no action, no clear antagonist. Requires you to sit with sadness and ambiguity.

The Sixth Sense1999

A perfect construction of a thriller that respects its audience. Bruce Willis as a child psychologist helping a boy who sees ghosts. Every frame has information; every scene works twice.

But The twist is completely known now. Watching it means knowing what's coming, which costs a third of the film's power. It also feels mannered and '90s in ways that don't age invisibly.

Sinister2012

A horror film about a man investigating a series of family murders tied to a dark folklore entity. It builds a mythology while terrifying you. Ethan Hawke in a rare horror role, fully committed and terrified.

But Relies heavily on jump scares and loud sound design. The twist is relatively predictable. The film is nastier than some want from their horror.

Insidious: Chapter 22013

The sequel deepens the mythology and adds genuine character depth. More of what worked the first time, with better understanding of what makes these scares land. Patrick Wilson remains excellent.

But Diminishing returns if the first film didn't grab you. Gets messier and more convoluted as it expands the lore. Some of the scares feel recycled.

Saint Maud2020

Both films ask whether the horror is supernatural or psychological—whether the afflicted child/woman is truly possessed or whether the people watching them are losing their minds. Saint Maud commits to moral and spiritual ambiguity in ways Believer abandons.

A psychological horror film about a nurse caring for a dying woman, and her descent into obsession and supernatural delusion. Ambiguously real. Rose Glass gives a performance of quiet unraveling. It's agonizing in the best way.

But Slow, deliberately unpleasant, and the ending will infuriate people who want clarity. It's more art-horror than mainstream scare. Some find it more uncomfortable than entertaining.

Come True2020

Like Believer, it concerns a vulnerable teenager experiencing supernatural terror. Unlike Believer, it never loses sight of the real horror underneath—poverty, neglect, exploitation. The possession is secondary to what broke them first.

A sci-fi horror film about a homeless teenager in a sleep study who begins experiencing terrifying visions. Deeply unsettling, visually stunning, and it treats the horror as a symptom of real human suffering rather than spectacle.

But It's deliberately weird and doesn't explain itself. The scares are more existential than visceral. If you need plot clarity or conventional resolution, this will frustrate you.