Dominion is a prequel to The Exorcist. It starts off during World War II, when Father Lankaster Merrin (Stellan Skarsgard) loses his religion after witnessing a horrible incident of cold and callous cruelty perpetrated by a heartless Nazi. Several years later, no longer a man of God, he is called to East Africa to oversee the excavation of a strange and mysterious church that was completely buried, as if meant to be forever obliterated. But as we humans do, they want to see what treasures and riches might lie inside — and instead unknowingly unleash an ancient evil known as Pazuzu.

The supernatural aspect of the story centers on Cheche (Billy Crawford) is a pathetic outcast. He is horribly deformed, diseased, and denounced by everyone except the missionaries, who take him in and try to heal not only his scarred soul, but his twisted body as well. This weak and wanting vessel is perfect for Pazuzu, and this is where the fight of evil against good really begins. Crawford goes from whimpering weakling to an androgynous, all-powerful deity who proudly declares, “I am perfection!” It’s an amazing transformation, and much admiration must go to Crawford, a pop star making his American film-acting debut here.

It is true there is no outright “horror” in Dominion, but it is the perfect setting of the stage for The Exorcist, when all hell really does break loose. If you look at this movie as though Father Merrin’s experience with Regan McNeil has not happened yet, you cannot fault it. Director Paul Schrader has done a remarkable job of building up to The Exorcist, as if 1973 really is in the future.

Although marred by some rather unfortunate CGI special effects and fake-looking animal puppets, Dominion is a sophisticated spiritual drama that is the appropriate foundation for everything that happens later on in the story.

The DVD features commentary from Paul Schrader, who, while not a dynamic speaker, certainly is an interesting one. He doesn’t shy away from talking about the movie’s very rocky past (more on that almost anywhere you look, online), nor is he shy about saying what he doesn’t like in the finished product. He also talks about what he does like, how the actors were cast, working with the crew in Italy, and so on.

There are also some deleted scenes (mainly character things, no gore or horror), plus a gallery of stills.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson