Luke McWilliams gives his review of the 2023 horror film, The Pope’s Exorcist, starring Russell Crowe.
Amidst a church battling for relevancy in a modern world, Father Gabriele Amorth (Russell Crow), Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, faces a holy inquisition regarding his latest exorcism. Soon, however, Amorth is sent to a curious case in rural Italy, where a young American boy has encountered a demon.
The Exorcist (1973) set the template for the exorcism film to such success that it is difficult not to find its influence in any movie dealing with the practice. Whereas The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2003) added elements of reasonable doubt to such supernatural shenanigans via a court-room drama, movies such as Deliver Us From Evil (2014) play it by the ‘Good’ book: an exorcism performed by a couple of priests on a demonically possessed youth via a string of resilient and very loud prayers. Whereas most exorcism movies purport to be based on true stories, this movie is based on Amorth’s own memoirs of his long and luxurious career of facing down all manner of nasties.
Russell Crow brings a likeability to Amorth; always on the lookout for a double espresso, while steadfast in his responsibility to his pope, Amorth uses a charming humour in his bitter fight against the forces of evil. The rural location is beautiful and gothic, hinting at a greater and growing conspiracy hiding just below sight.
Verdict: An entertaining and fun horror, which unfortunately eschews build-up, tension, and suspense in favour of ever-escalating sound design, stunts and special effects. 3 stars.
- Luke McWilliams, themovieclub.net.
