This is the first attempt to bring the prequel to the screen. This movie was scrapped and re-shot and directed by Renny Harlin as Exorcist The Beginning. This is basically the same movie as Harlins version, but the pace is allot slower. The main plot strands are the same, but there are different actores playing some of the characters. Again as with The Beginning it's Stellan Stasgard playing the young Merrin who is the only saving grace to this film. His performance is excellent, showing great power and also being a tortured soul him self, being racked with guilt over his experiances with the S.S in WW2. The tension is low, and some shoddy CGI recreation of cattle are pathetic. But the film is worth watching just to see what the original idea of the prequel was, before the studio had a panic attack over the slow pace and re-shot it. Not a bad movie, just very, very slow.
If your a fan of the series, this is a interesting addition, but a little on the dull side.

With the exception of Stellan Skarsgard, this is a master class in wooden acting. The plot is silly and the accents are dodgy, but despite all these faults, it is surprisingly watchable.