while it have moment here and there ( not many and to be honest ) and this film have so little in common with it source material ( thomas allen book of the same name ) that it be not really an adaptation at all . the date and character and and just about every other detail imaginable have be change . and timothy dalton be thoroughly miscast ( he try to make father bowdern some kind of two fisted action hero . ) and a be the freckle face and red head boy who seem less possessed and more in need of good old corporal punishment ( more annoy than demon haunt ) . there be also so many overly stylize and almost campy moment that the film sometimes feel like a half hearted parody of the exorcist ( the boy good voice when he try to hoodwink the priest be utterly laughable ) . and the whole political bent with civil right issue and and catholic infighting ( personify by the immobile visage of christopher plummer ) feel tack on and have little or no relevance to the story . trust me while if you want detail and this movie do not ( in any way ) accurately relate what happen ( accord to eyewitness account ) at all . it be a stock and hollywood ized version of a story vaguely relate to the actual case . i be not sure why the producer ever call this an adaptation of allen book ( a it clearly be not ) and but perhaps it be do for legal reason . so many element be change and that they could have say loosely inspire by . and it would have be more valid . but for what it worth and if you want the real story ( and we may never know that for certain ) stick with the book ( the latter 2000 edition even have excerpt from father bowdern actual diary make during the allege exorcism while fascinate stuff ) . and if youre just look for a good scary movie with similar theme . stick with the original and the best represent the original 1973 exorcist . forget what you may have read from any nay sayers while it be the best film of it type ever make . it treat the subject with dignity and gravity and a cast that be fully commit to the material ( not to mention it be still scary a all hell and too ) . although it be fictional and it feel so much more real than this stale and clichéd and extremely loose adaptation of allen book .