While "The Rite" presents itself as an entertaining and well-acted film, it fails to show the audience anything new or original.
The film tells the story of an American seminary student named Michael (Colin O'Donoghue) who, after a loss of faith, attends an exorcism course with the Vatican. He is referred to a seasoned exorcist, Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins), who helps him see the light by having him assist in the exorcism of a young Italian girl. When things turn for the worst, Michael must accept his faith with the help of a journalist named Angelina (Alice Braga) in order to save Father Lucas.
As inspiring as the film's message is, most of the film doesn't offer anything original to the exorcist horror film genre. As with films like "The Exorcist" and "The Last Exorcism," the story follows the same plot line of a priest going through a crisis of faith, and through an encounter with a possessing demon, finds his belief in God by believing in the Devil. While some people might enjoy that kind of story, the truth is that it is hard for anyone to take it seriously anymore. In a world where people find it harder and harder to keep their faith in God, this film does little to serve as a reminder as to why it is important to believe in a higher power.
What makes the film powerful, however, is the brilliant and incredible acting of veteran Sir Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas. Playing a priest who's been around the block and performed over two thousand exorcisms certainly doesn't diminish this man's heartfelt performance. In fact, his character was the most believable in the entire film simply because it was him. At some points, you forget that it's even acting. The greatest example is the point in the film where Lucas goes through a crisis of faith himself when his possessed patient dies, and it takes the faith of the young skeptical Michael to bring him back to the light. The polarization of the character is awesome to watch, and reminds the audience that Hopkins isn't going anywhere any time soon.
For people who enjoy these kinds of films, head out to the cinemas this weekend and check out the former number one film at the box office.
The film tells the story of an American seminary student named Michael (Colin O'Donoghue) who, after a loss of faith, attends an exorcism course with the Vatican. He is referred to a seasoned exorcist, Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins), who helps him see the light by having him assist in the exorcism of a young Italian girl. When things turn for the worst, Michael must accept his faith with the help of a journalist named Angelina (Alice Braga) in order to save Father Lucas.
As inspiring as the film's message is, most of the film doesn't offer anything original to the exorcist horror film genre. As with films like "The Exorcist" and "The Last Exorcism," the story follows the same plot line of a priest going through a crisis of faith, and through an encounter with a possessing demon, finds his belief in God by believing in the Devil. While some people might enjoy that kind of story, the truth is that it is hard for anyone to take it seriously anymore. In a world where people find it harder and harder to keep their faith in God, this film does little to serve as a reminder as to why it is important to believe in a higher power.
What makes the film powerful, however, is the brilliant and incredible acting of veteran Sir Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas. Playing a priest who's been around the block and performed over two thousand exorcisms certainly doesn't diminish this man's heartfelt performance. In fact, his character was the most believable in the entire film simply because it was him. At some points, you forget that it's even acting. The greatest example is the point in the film where Lucas goes through a crisis of faith himself when his possessed patient dies, and it takes the faith of the young skeptical Michael to bring him back to the light. The polarization of the character is awesome to watch, and reminds the audience that Hopkins isn't going anywhere any time soon.
For people who enjoy these kinds of films, head out to the cinemas this weekend and check out the former number one film at the box office.
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