In recent times, we have been seeing a growing trend in horror films that take inspiration from real events, although later in practice, they decide to take the story to its most fantastic and supernatural extremes. This provides a sturdy base upon which to construct a frightful production.
Sometimes it is almost impossible to believe that there is a real basis behind certain films. But this is the case with The Pope’s Exorcist, a fabulous nonsense of demonic horror that has Russell Crowe as the protagonist. In just an hour and a half, it manages to have you trapped and hooked on its diabolical show better than another film on the same topic like The Exorcist: Believer.
In 1987, Father Gabriele Amorth, the Pope’s personal exorcist, a folksy, practical man with a sense of humor who drives a scooter, visits the different corners of Italy where it is claimed that the presence of a demon has arrived. At this point, the priest knows that most cases do not go far, but he does not hesitate to put on a little theater that ends up being controversial for the upper echelons of the Vatican.
The Pope orders Amorth to visit a possessed boy named Henry. Henry, his mother Julia, and his rebellious teenage sister Amy had traveled from America to take possession of a mysterious and ancient Spanish abbey, Julia’s husband’s only legacy to her family after he died in a car accident. Henry, who was traumatized, has not spoken since the accident. However, upon his arrival, he begins to show signs of possession by a very powerful demon that will shake Father Amorth.
The production company, which specializes in low-budget horror Screem Gems, was fascinated by the true story of Father Amorth, author of several books on exorcism and practitioner of the rite at least 50,000 times. It is also a highly controversial figure, but these are aspects that they decided not to address as soon as they hired director Julius Avery.
The Pope’s Exorcist: entertaining nonsense
In reality, the whole story only serves as an excuse to make a crazy movie about possessions and exorcisms. Quite a witch train, but also taken towards crazy action and slightly self-conscious fun. It never tries to sell you a false transcendence; everything is pure entertainment with The Pope’s Exorcist.
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Crowe is perfectly dedicated to the crazy tone that the film proposes, thus consolidating this recent stage in his career marked by his love affair with horror or low-budget thrillers. He already conquered us with the frenetic Savage, and now he brings his art to one of the best exorcism films of the many that have come out in recent years. Now let’s see if he repeats it with the Georgetown Exorcism.
