Review of film: “THE RITE”

2011, 02-15:

Review of film:  “THE RITE”

     DO YOU HAVE THE “RITE” TO BE WRONG  (OR, IS IT WRONG TO BE “RIGHT”)?!...

This is NOT the type of movie I usually am “eager” to see, but, I thought I’d give it a “chance”…  

…  Istvan Kovak (RUTGER HAUER) runs a mortuary in town, and takes great care at preparing the departed for “display”.  He is happy to have the assistance of his 20-ish son Michael (COLIN O’DONOGHUE)…  But Colin is not too “thrilled” with the profession.  In fact, you could say he was “DEAD set” against it…  

…  To the surprise of his friends, he eventually decides to study for the SEMINARY, although he’d never shown any great interest in that previously…  He works hard, & gets some very good grades--  at everything except things directly concerned with RELIGION, since he’s increasingly unsure that he “BELIEVES” in God…    

…  As he gets closing to graduating to the priesthood, Colin advises his main Seminary teacher that he wants to LEAVE the seminary, since he has so many “doubts”…  When he’s threatened with the possibility that they will turn his “prepaid” education into a student LOAN which needs to be repaid, he reluctantly agrees to do what his superiors want & goes to the VATICAN in order to study for the possibility of holding EXORCISMS…

…  Oh--  did I tell you that this is based on a “TRUE” story?!...  Anyway, he goes to Rome where he joins others in studying under Father Xavier (CIARÁN HINDS).  While most of the others in the class are priests or nuns, also in the class is a woman Angeline (ALICE BRAGA) who is studying the subject to be be able to WRITE about it (and Colin gets “involved” with her a bit)…

…  Colin remains a “DOUBTER” overall, & finds it hard to fully believe that “DEMONS” truly exist.  To try to show him the “RITE” path, Ciaran sends him to Father Lucas Trevant (ANTHONY HOPKINS) who has had much EXPERIENCE in performing exorcisms...

 

…  Anthony lives in a rundown home “infested” with cats, & Colin is none too “impressed” initially…  In time, Anthony has Colin JOIN him as he works with people (like a pregnant young girl [MARTA GASTINI] and a fearful young boy), to show him examples of people contaminated by demons within…

…  Initially, Colin tries to find “PSYCHOLOGICAL” reasons for the problems bothering the young people…  But, bit-by-bit, he’s “IMPRESSED” by what Anthony shows him--  tho he’s still “SKEPTICAL” deep-down… 

…  Could it be that some people really HAVE demons in them?...  Can what Anthony attempts to do really HELP them?...  Why do PROBLEMS keep arising in the efforts of Anthony & Colin?...  What will happen if Anthony HIMSELF is to some degree “taken-over” by demons?... 

…  Will Colin start to become a “BELIEVER” (in either demons and / or God)--  & what will that “CAUSE” in his life and those around him?...

…  It’s always FASCINATING to watch Anthony Hopkins at “work”, & he is IMPRESSIVE in a number of ways in this…  Colin ALSO is good and periodically “believable” (at least, as much as possible considering what’s written for him)…

…  The very end has an “UPDATING” on the lives of the REAL people portrayed by Anthony & Colin…  But, so much of what we see in the film comes across (to me) as “MUMBO JUMBO” & “special effects”, it’s hard to take the “based-on-true” story very “SERIOUSLY” (due to the writing & all)…

…  So, sorry--  I myself may be “overly” much a “DOUBTER” of many things, & can thus only give this a rating of 6.75 for the interesting acting work done by the main leads…  

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