Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist followed later that year by a DVD release. While William Peter Blatty, the author and screenwriter of "The Exorcist", described "Dominion" as "a handsome, classy, elegant piece of work", critical reaction to the film has nonetheless been mixed to negative. Many critics stated that it is only slightly better than Harlin's version, holding a rating of 30% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 55 out of 100 on Metacritic, whereas "Exorcist: The Beginning" holds a rating of 11% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 30 out of 100 on Metacritic. Nonetheless, the good reviews "Dominion" did get were
The Exorcist (film series) who has criticized it for messy plot construction, conventionality and overblown pretentiousness, among other perceived defects. Writer James Baldwin provides an extended negative critique in his book length essay "The Devil Finds Work". II: Stephen H. Scheuer wrote that "Exorcist II" “may just well be the worst sequel in the history of films – a stupefying, boring, vapid and "non-scary" follow-up to the box-office champ of 1973..."Exorcist II" is a disaster on every level – a sophomoric script, terrible editing, worst direction by John Boorman, inevitably coupled with silly acting. In one scene that typifies this lamentable sci-fi horror pic,