PahePremium.in – Ibarat iblis tak pernah mengenal ruang dan waktu, pun demikian dengan film horor ikonik, The Exorcist (1973) yang kini rilis sekuel langsungnya setelah 50 tahun berselang melalui The Exorcist: Believer. Film ini digarap oleh Seth Gordon Green yang juga belum lama lalu me-reboot kembali seri Halloween yang juga diproduseri Jason Blum. Film ini dibintangi Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, Lidya Jewett, Olivia Marcum, serta kejutan kasting versi lawasnya. Akankan sekuelnya ini mampu mampu mendekati versi orininalnya yang berstatus horror masterpiece?
Did the power of Christ compels you?
Dua gadis muda yang bersahabat, Angela (Jewett) dan Katherine (Marcum) menghilang tanpa jejak selepas pulang sekolah. Orang tua Angela, Victor (Odom) dan orang tua Katherine, Miranda (Nettles) dan Tony (Butz) sontak panik, dan pencarian besar-besaran dilakukan di kota tersebut. Tiga hari berselang, Angela dan Katherine mendadak ditemukan 48 km dari kotanya, namun anehnya dua gadis muda tersebut merasa hanya pergi beberapa jam saja. Beberapa waktu berselang, kedua gadis muda tersebut berpolah aneh dan anarkis. Konsultasi medik menyarankan mereka untuk diperiksa secara kejiwaan, namun seorang perawat menganggap ini ada kaitan dengan kasus kesurupan yang pernah terjadi 50 tahun silam.
Nuansa versi aslinya memang terasa kental dan ini tidak semata lantas membuat penonton “baru” lepas dengan kisahnya. Plotnya tak sulit untuk diikuti tanpa harus menonton film klasiknya. Hanya saja, kamu bakal melewatkan banyak tribute yang membuat film aslinya begitu istimewa. Tidak hanya naskah, namun kemasan estetiknya pun mengadopsi penuh gaya versi lawasnya. Tak ada sekuel horor modern yang lebih baik dari ini.
Mirip tone kisah aslinya, Believer tidak lantas membabi buta dalam menuturkan kisahnya seperti horor masa kini. Dengan tempo yang relatif lambat dan sabar, secara perlahan plotnya terbangun dengan apik. Sisi kedokteran (Ilmiah) lebih ditonjolkan ketimbang sisi supernatural, persis versi aslinya. Butuh separuh durasi, hingga akhirnya sosok ibu Regan (protagonis versi aslinya), Chris MacNeil, muncul dan masuk dalam konfliknya. Kali ini tak ada sosok karismatik selevel pendeta Karras (Max Von Sydow), namun tergantikan sosok-sosok kolektif yang mewakili “komunitas”-nya. Bahkan pihak gereja pun terlihat minor dalam perannya. Waktu berubah, konteks sentuhan humanis pun tentu berbeda.
Satu catatan menarik adalah sentuhan estetiknya yang senada dengan versi orisinalnya di nyaris semua aspeknya. Jika saja, film sekuelnya ini dirilis beberapa tahun berselang sejak versi aslinya, tidak ada yang banyak berubah. Baik setting, sinematografi, editing, hingga musik pun, semua memiliki tone yang sama. Ini tentu tak lepas dari pengalaman sang sineas me-reboot seri Halloween. Saya terkesan dengan gaya editingnya yang “kontras” ketika memindah adegan yang mirip benar dengan film aslinya. Juga, teknik editing cepat dengan selipan sang iblis (mungkin hanya 3-5 frame) di sela-selanya (24 fps). Ketika score versi aslinya terdengar (Tubullar Bells), saya pun merinding karena versi aslinya (waktu rilis, saya belum lahir) belum pernah mendengarnya langsung di bioskop.
Dengan tribute estetik serta naratif versi orisinalnya, The Exorcist: Believer adalah salah satu film sekuel horor terbaik yang pernah eksis. Penonton yang tahu dan pernah menonton versi aslinya bakal menikmati film ini lebih baik. Sementara fans horor yang mengharap jump scare dengan segala perniknya, bisa jadi kecewa. Film ini murni menggunakan sentuhan horor klasik yang mengandalkan naskah yang solid untuk membangun kengeriannya ketimbang atmosfir horor, jump scare, sosok seram, hingga score mengagetkan. Walau tak sempurna (berharap ada sosok macam Karras), film ini adalah sekuel yang sempurna. Kisahnya pun secara cerdas tidak terfokus pada satu kepercayaan atau agama, namun adalah keberagaman. Bahkan walau secuil, plotnya masih menampilkan resolusi yang manis dan menyentuh bagi dua kasting lawasnya. Genre horor tak akan pernah mati selama iblis masih muncul dengan gaya berkelas macam ini.
Like the devil never knows time and space, this is also the case with the iconic horror film The Exorcist (1973), which is now releasing a direct sequel 50 years later through The Exorcist: Believer. This film was directed by Seth Gordon Green, who recently rebooted the Halloween series, which Jason Blum also produced. This film stars Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, Lidya Jewett, and Olivia Marcum, as well as a surprise casting in the first version. Will this sequel be able to approach the original version, which has the status of a horror masterpiece?
Did the power of Christ compels you?
Two young girls who are friends, Angela (Jewett) and Katherine (Marcum), disappear without a trace after coming home from school. Angela’s father, Victor (Odom), and Katherine’s parents, Miranda (Nettles) and Tony (Butz), immediately panicked, and a massive search was carried out in the city. Three days later, Angela and Katherine were suddenly found 48 km from their city, but strangely, it felt like the two young girls had only been gone for a few hours. Sometime later, the two young girls acted strangely and anarchically. A medical consultation suggested they be given a psychiatric examination, but a nurse thought this was related to a case of possession that occurred 50 years ago.
The feel of the original version does feel strong, and this doesn’t necessarily mean that “new” viewers will be disengaged with the story. The plot is easy to follow without having to watch the classic film. However, you will miss many tributes that made the original movie a masterpiece. Not only the script but the aesthetic packaging also fully adopts the style of the old version. There’s no better modern horror sequel than this.
Similar to the tone of the original story, Believer is not mindlessly telling its story like today’s horror. With a relatively slow and patient tempo, the plot slowly develops nicely. The medical (scientific) side is more emphasized than the supernatural, just like the original version. It took half the duration until finally, Regan’s mother (the protagonist of the original version), Chris MacNeil, appeared and entered the conflict. This time, there is no charismatic figure on the level of Pastor Karras (Max Von Sydow), but he is replaced by collective figures who represent its “community.” Even the church seems to play a minor role. Times change, and the context of the humanist touch is undoubtedly different.
One interesting note is the aesthetic touch, which aligns with the original version in almost all aspects. If only this sequel film were released several years later than the original version, nothing much has changed. Everything has the same tone, be it the setting, cinematography, editing, or even the music. This cannot be separated from the filmmaker’s experience rebooting the Halloween series. I was impressed by the “contrast” editing style when moving scenes that were very similar to the original film. Also, fast editing techniques with inserts of the devil (maybe only 3-5 frames) in between (24 fps). When the original version of the score was heard (Tubular Bells), I got goosebumps because the original version (when it was released, I wasn’t born yet) had never been heard live in the cinema.
With its aesthetic and narrative tribute to the original version, The Exorcist: Believer is the best horror sequel film ever—viewers who know and have watched the original version will enjoy this film better. Meanwhile, horror fans who expect a jump scare with all the bells and whistles may be disappointed. This film uses classic horror touches that rely on a solid script to build its horror rather than a horror atmosphere, jump scares, scary figures, and a shocking score. Even though it’s not perfect (I hope there’s a character like Karras), this film is an excellent sequel. The story is cleverly not focused on one belief or religion but on diversity. Even if small, the plot still provides a sweet and touching resolution for the two old cast members. The horror genre will never die if the devil still appears in this classy style.
