This was the best film i had ever seen that i had never heard of....

First found out about it on Aint It Cool, where Harry mentioned it in the bluray release. Watched it a few days later.

Such an atmospheric film. It was directed so well.... Every shot, whether it a be a simple pan across a room in a grungy office in South America , or a huge establishing shot in Jerusalem that eventually zooms into a main actor, seemed done to absolute perfection. It was a joy to watch, even though what was being depicted was often dirty and depressing.

And the set-elements... the truck on the bridge or going around those mountain turns... It was so realistic.... I couldn't tell that it was a movie... It seemed really as precarious and harrowing as what they were claiming.

By the way, i loved the title too.... Sure, the movie is not about magic, but there is an element above and beyond everyday realism at work here. The levels of fate and karma are played so strong, you can't but help acknowledge a greater power involved. I loved showing that carrion bird at the end, whenever soemthing fateful was about to happen. And Roy Scheider hallucinating at the end... really well done.

Bravo Friedkin. i respect you a lot more now.