Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)

Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005) is an American supernatural horror film directed by Paul Schrader and written by William Wisher Jr. and Caleb Carr. Serving as an alternative prequel to The Exorcist (1973), it is the fifth installment in The Exorcist series. In 1944, a Nazi SS lieutenant named Kessel forces Father Lankester Merrin to participate in arbitrary executions as retaliation for the murder of a German trooper. This deal will spare the small village in occupied Holland where Merrin serves as parish priest. Three years later, Merrin, now an archaeologist in Derati, is confronted with another faith-shattering experience while excavating a Byzantine church built around the 5th century in British Kenya’s remote Turkana region – long before Christianity had reached that area. He reunites with Father Francis and Major Granville, who oversees the dig as a British military officer.

Accompanied by Chuma, his translator and guide, Merrin takes Francis to Derati. There, he introduces him to Rachel, a doctor, and Emekwi, a zealous convert who offers them lodgings. The two men explore the archaeological site and notice that the church appears untouched, as if it had been deliberately hidden after its construction. During their visit, Merrin also meets Cheche, a young outcast with a disability. Despite Chuma’s objections, Merrin decides to bring the boy to Rachel for medical care. They uncover a hidden door and enter the church with Chuma. Inside, they find a secret passageway leading to a crypt where an ancient demonic idol was worshipped through human sacrifice. Merrin realizes that the church was built specifically to conceal this underground temple.