Metacritic reviews

Dread this thick stays with you, long after the shock of projectile vomit and masturbation by crucifix has worn off.

Few people love William Friedkin, John Boorman, and Paul Schrader as much as I do, but in my book, of the six or so films that have tried to turn that tortured title into a continuing franchise, Blatty’s The Exorcist III is the best, hands down.

Exorcist III may not have the visceral impact of the first film, but it gives viewers far more than they had any reason to expect.

With the exception of an unnecessary spectacular climax, this is a restrained, haunting chiller which stimulates the adrenalin and intellect alike.

This may sound like heresy, but The Exorcist III is a better and funnier (intentionally) movie than either of its predecessors.

Since The Exorcist was one of the most frightening films ever and Exorcist II one of the goofiest, chances favored The Exorcist III to fall somewhere in between, though not nearly far enough up the scale to rival the original.

It is unsparing when it comes to gruesome descriptions and ominous characters, but it's got more giggles than goose bumps. The Exorcist III isn't about to scare anybody.

You strain to hear mumbled dialogue at times, and there's no sense trying to making sense of it -- but Exorcist III is not half-bad terrible psychological thriller junk entertainment. [18 Aug 1990, p.C3]

The major fault in Exorcist III is the house-of-cards plot that is constantly collapsing.

The Exorcist III has the feel of a nightmare catechism lesson, or a horror movie made by a depressed monk.