Sommerleigh Pollonais, Horror Head Writer
Plot: Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s leading exorcist, investigates the possession of a child and uncovers a conspiracy the Vatican has tried to keep secret.
Review: Only fans of the horror genre could probably relate to what I’m about to say but I’ll say it anyway—I had a lot of fun watching The Pope’s Exorcist.
It’s crazy I know, considering the premise centers around the possession of a young boy and the priest who is brought in to exorcise him, only to realise this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill demon but a very powerful one who has the Catholic Church itself in its sights. Of course, like every possession movie ever, this one is going to be compared to the granddaddy of them all The Exorcist, considered by most to be the scariest supernatural film ever made. And while this movie clearly draws inspiration from that one, The Pope’s Exorcist has a dark sense of humour to it that is rarely found in these types of stories.
Russell Crowe plays Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s greatest exorcist. The movie is very loosely based on the real-life Father Amorth and if you’re interested in knowing more about him, check out the documentary The Devil and Father Amorth (just don’t’ expect any spinning heads or projectile vomit). Unlike other exorcists, this priest uses humour as a way of not only angering the demons he faces but also to hide his own guilt and weaknesses. Crowe is absolutely having a blast with this role and it’s his energy that goes a long way in making this an engaging watch.
That’s not to say the movie itself is bad, as this one certainly uses that R-rating to the fullest. Blood spills, flesh tears and demonic shenanigans are on full display here, but this movie is more like The Evil Dead than your typical religious horror movie, and that’s where the dark humour comes into play. Every scene where the possessed boy snarled or growled had me in stiches, and with a final act that was packed to the gills with action, none of it scared me. Entertained me? Yes. But scared me? Nah!
The Pope’s Exorcist is the type of movie I would recommend to friends who like to swim in the kiddie’s pool of horror, as opposed to diving into the deep end. I’m sure some will find it genuinely disturbing but as for hardcore horror fans, this is one of those movies we watch when we’re in the mood for horror that (whether it meant to be or not) is more fun than frightening.
Sommer’s Score: 6 out of 10
Have you seen The Pope’s Exorcist? What did you think of it? And you can check out more exorcism film content below:
Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes.
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