DOMINION: PREQUEL TO THE EXORCIST

Cinemavixion Review

Paul Schrader's 'Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist' offers a profound and unsettling exploration of faith, trauma, and the insidious nature of evil. Set against the stark beauty of colonial Kenya, the film centers on Father Lankester Merrin (Stellan Skarsgård), an archaeologist grappling with his lost faith after the horrors of World War II. Schrader masterfully builds atmosphere, weaving a narrative of psychological dread that precedes the more overt supernatural manifestations. Skarsgård delivers a performance of quiet intensity, conveying Merrin's internal conflict with subtle power. While critically divisive upon release, 'Dominion' stands as a thoughtful, character-driven horror film that prioritizes existential terror over cheap scares, delving into the darkness that resides not only in the demonic but also within the human soul.