Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Father Merrin takes a sabbatical from the Church to devote himself to history and archaeology as he struggles with his shattered faith.
Dominion is Paul Schrader's more cerebral, character-driven take on the Exorcist prequel, focusing on Merrin's crisis of faith against an East African colonial backdrop. The plot has genuine thematic ambition — exploring faith, evil, and human complicity through a WWII trauma framework — but the execution is uneven and the pacing sluggish. Acting is serviceable, with Stellan Skarsgård giving a thoughtful, restrained performance, though supporting roles are thin. Cinematography is competent but unremarkable for the African setting, failing to fully exploit the landscape's potential. Novelty is low — this is a prequel to a beloved franchise that largely retreads familiar possession-film territory despite its philosophical pretensions, and its very existence is overshadowed by the competing Harlin version. The ending dissolves into generic exorcism spectacle, undermining the quieter, more intellectual tone that preceded it.