The Rite (Warner Brothers)
The Rite Stuff
Any movie that features Anthony Hopkins in a lead role has something extra going for it. This is a man who can elevate any part he undertakes, and he does just that in the new film The Rite. When he is on screen he is fascinating, and when he is playing a priest trying to drive out demons he is in his element. He alone is worth the price of admission to see this film.
The film starts out centering on Michael Kovak (Colin ODonoghue), a young man who works as an assistant to his father (Rutger Hauer) who is an embalmer. After high school Michael decides to enter the priesthood in order to get an education. At the end of the four years he decides to walk away from taking his vows. The head priest at the school (Toby Jones) convinces him to go to Rome for six months to a special class on exorcism before he makes his final decision.
In Rome Michael meets Father Lucas (Hopkins) and gets drawn into the world of exorcisms. He is skeptical even when a demon appears to be in possession of a pregnant young woman Lucas is treating. It will take more than some shaking and howling to make Michael a believer.
The Rite is based on a true story and this more than anything makes the film more intense than it otherwise would be. The question in the audiences mind is constantly how can anyone explain how this or this happened. The scenes shown in the movie are quite inexplicable unless you do accept they are the work of the devil.
Hopkins performance is totally compelling. At times the scenes between Lucas and the alleged demons are so intense that you worry fore the actors health. He rages against the creatures inside the souls of his parishioners and works himself into a frenzy trying to overcome them. Hopkins lets you feel this intensity every step of the way.
ODonoghue is not as effective. He captures Michaels skepticism, but that is all. There is very little of a real character on display. Alice Braga is window dressing as a reporter covering the exorcism class who befriends Michael. Ciaran Hinds is more effective as another priest who is a friend of Lucas.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
Those who go into this film expecting another The Exorcist are going to be disappointed. This is a film that is as much psychological as it is special effects. The issue of demonic possession is totally displayed but the effect of the film comes from its being based on truth rather than fiction.
I scored The Rite a ritualistic 6 out of 10.
