Film Review - The Pope’s Exorcist
Images courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Directed by Julius Avery (who most will know for helming the mid-budget nazi zombie film Overlord), The Pope’s Exorcist is a horror film that claims to be inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s chief exorcist. It stars Russell Crowe as Amorth, who investigates the possession of a young boy and uncovers a conspiracy that involves the Pope, a secret society, and an ancient relic; all undoubtedly very true things that definitely happened in real life.
For those who've seen their fair share of exorcism films before, none of this should be particularly surprising. "Inspired by true events" is a catchphrase that horror movies have thrown around fairly loosely for decades now, although while The Pope's Exorcist recycles all of the usual possession tropes, it also amps them up to the point of farce. A possessed young boy hurls profanity-laden threats of sodomy at Crowe's priest (the demon inhabiting his body voiced by Ralph Ineson). There's a fair helping of cheap CG effects, but there comes a point in the film where it's throwing so much fire, magic and blood at you that it kind of comes full circle and it's endearing. The film often feels like it's winking at the audience - and not just a subtle wink, but the big, goofy kind that your mate might throw at you from across the bar after telling an especially cheesy joke.
The deeper plot involves a secret society called the Order of the Crucifixion, who want to use young Henry as a vessel for the Antichrist, and a B-plot revolving around a possessed exorcist who was apparently responsible for many real-life atrocities committed in the name of Christ, including the Inquisition. And, if all that wasn't revisionistic enough, there's a scene where the Pope lays dying in hospital due to lack of faith (kind of like Tinkerbell in Peter Pan) that ends with him vomiting up blood all over his surrounding clergy.
But what truly made The Pope's Exorcist stick the landing, in spite of occasions in which the film doesn't seem to fully have the reins on its own ridiculousness, is Crowe’s lead performance. He plays Father Amorth with striking conviction and great comedic timing, as he quips about France winning the World Cup in the face of evil, all through a thick Italian accent that sounds honestly not too far from the Greek one he pulled out for last year's Thor: Love and Thunder. He also rides a vespa, which was apparently inspired by him seeing priests driving through Rome on vespas and requesting they be included in the film. It's a ludicrous visual; a big hulking man on a mini moped, robes flowing majestically in the wind, exposing his bare, hairy legs.
Though even as the humour lands for the most part, there are more than a few moments where the film plays its horror elements a little too straight - if it's not being funny, and it's definitely not scary, then what are we watching? While The Pope's Exorcist won't be everyone's cup of tea, for horror fans willing to drop their guard a little bit and embrace a film that's more silly than scary, it's just good, dumb fun.
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The Pope’s Exorcist is screening from Thursday, 6th April. For tickets and more info, click here.