Exorcist: The Beginning then allowed Warner Bros. to release Schrader's version theatrically under the title "". It had a more limited release in May 2005, and received slightly better critical notices than Harlin's version. William Peter Blatty (the author/screenwriter of "The Exorcist") said that watching "Exorcist: The Beginning" was his "most humiliating professional experience." On the other hand, Blatty said that "Dominion" is "a handsome, classy, elegant piece of work." Critical responses to "Exorcist: The Beginning" were mostly negative, with the film earning a low 11% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Prominent critic Roger Ebert wrote, "I've seen both versions and much prefer
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,