Russell Crowe, best known for his role in Ridley Scott’s brilliant 2000 film Gladiator, stars as Father Gabriele Amorth in 2023’s possession horror, The Pope’s Exorcist, currently available on Digital and VOD.
Directed by Julius Avery, the film sees Father Amorth, the Vatican’s leading exorcist, as he investigates the possession of a child, leading to him uncovering a conspiracy the Vatican has tried to keep secret for centuries.
Crowe and all the cast did well in their roles, making the characters feel believable and making it easy to connect with them. I was very impressed with the young actor Peter DeSouza-Feighoney who played the part of the possessed boy, Henry, a role that was both dark and very physical. At just 12, he nailed it. Crowe’s character’s witty banter adds a bit of comic relief to the intense scenes, which I can’t decide is a good thing or if it is a distraction. The cast also includes Franco Nero, Ralph Ineson, and Alex Essoe, who also did well.
The special effects were well done, and I have to say; the cinematography is fantastic. The film has a great look, both beautiful and grimy at times. The richness of the scenes with the family versus the coldness of the scenes in the evil place was a great touch.
What makes this film so unnerving is that Crowe’s character is loosely based on the real person, Father Gabriel Amorth, who performed hundreds of exorcisms for the Catholic church throughout his career as the number one exorcist for the Vatican. He led a fascinating life. If you want to learn more about him, I recommend watching the documentary The Devil and Father Amorth.
The story is well-timed, and the twists, and there were several, kept things interesting. But the film isn’t perfect. It rehashes old stereotypes and sometimes can be a bit predictable, but let us be honest, most possession movies are. One major issue with all possession films is that in the back of our minds, we tend to compare them to The Exorcist, which can never be beaten. We must find a way to separate and judge them on their own merit.
While, yes, the film is about possession, in the end, it is about coming to terms with the past and finding both forgiveness and redemption. The ending was left wide open for a sequel or even a franchise, so don’t be surprised when it is announced.
I rented the film from VUDU, and I don’t know if it’s a movie issue or VUDU’s issue, but I had to hold the remote the entire movie, upping the volume during talking scenes that were way too low and lowering it before it blew out my speakers during others. There is a major volume issue, and I found it annoying. I could not just sit back and watch, I had to fight the volume the entire time. There was no balance.
Overall, I enjoyed the movie. The Pope’s Exorcism is definitely worth a watch. I do recommend that you watch it late at night in the dark. It’s better that way.
