Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material, sexual references, language, frightening images and violence
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Colin O'Donoghue, Alice Braga, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones, Rutger Hauer
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
That's one way to debate a philosophy, I guess. Those words of caution are imparted by Father Lucas Trevant (Anthony Hopkins) to a seminary student named Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue) after Kovak questions the reclusive priest about his exorcism methods.
In a way, it's not surprising that Michael Kovak finds himself here in Rome, following around an unorthodox priest as he assists those souls whose bodies are seemingly no longer theirs. The son of a mortician (Rutger Hauer), Kovak joined the seminary for no other reason than to get away from the family business, even though he has always harbored spiritual doubts. Those doubts have plagued him all throughout his schooling, to the point where he informs Father Matthew (Toby Jones) of his intentions to leave the seminary mere weeks before taking his vows. Father Matthew does not accept his decision. He asks him to meet with the recluse Trevant. What do you know? Kovak has doubted his way right to Satan's alcove.
Father Lucas lives in a quiet flat inundated by stray felines. Upon their first meeting, the aging priest immediately establishes himself as a pragmatist. ("I would give my cats names, but there's no point. They won't come to you no matter what you call them.") His methods are a bit strange for someone who dabbles in the world beyond. At one point during an exorcism, he is interrupted by the ringing of his cellular phone. He takes the call while the subject thrashes about on the floor. It's one of those all-too-clever screenwriter's tricks... making the character needlessly quirky. As Michael inches deeper into the satanic abyss, his own faith is put on the line. Will he believe? Does he really have a choice?
The movie has gone to great lengths in conveying the notion that it's "inspired by true events." I hate that. It reeks of desperation. "Inspired by true events?" So are healthy bowel movements. What's your point? When you consider the possibility that most cinema artisans draw from their own personal experiences, one could reasonably argue that almost anything besides science fiction and superhero movies is inspired by true events.
Of course, this wouldn't matter if the movie were interesting. For a while we sense that the story might be on to something as Michael questions the methods of Father Lucas and grapples with the possibility that those methods are themselves having a negative physical and psychological impact on his subjects. But then the movie morphs into this snore-inducing self-examination of Michael Kovak. Essentially, this is a story about how Kovak has lost his faith, and now must restore it. Great. What does it have to do with exorcisms? I don't know, and I honestly don't think the movie knows, either.
And even that wouldn't matter all that much if the exorcism scenes were at all scary. Hopkins seems so intent on making Father Lucas so unusual, so pragmatic, and so against-the-grain to the point where his laid back demeanor undercuts the potential impact of the exorcism sequences. After one such scene, Michael asks if that's all there is. "What did you expect?" Father Lucas replies. "Green spew and twisting heads?" Maybe not, but I'll say this much for Friedkin's "Exorcist"... that movie wisely took an outsider's view of demonic possession. Exorcisms were portrayed as truly alien concepts and were frightening as hell. Everyone here is so laid back that dancing with the Devil seems no more intimidating than skipping down a sidewalk.
At the end of the movie, we're told that Michael Kovak is now one of fourteen exorcists working today. A pointless footnote, as the movie really isn't about exorcisms so much as about one uninteresting character's reclamation of faith. Footnotes like that, along with the aforementioned "inspired by true events" seem like the movie's attempt to cobble together a semblance of self-importance. In one scene, Kovak asks how can we be sure the subject isn't mentally ill. He query is met with another possibility... how do we know the Devil isn't tricking us into thinking it's something other than what it is?
Yeah, I had a similar feeling exiting the theatre.
* * out of * * * * stars
