Blu-ray Review

Mania Grade: D+

2 Comments | Add

Rate & Share:

Info:

Blu-ray: The Rite
Rating: R
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Colin O’Donoghue, Rutger Hauer
Written By: Matt Baglio, Michael Petroni
Directed By: Mikael Håfström
Distributor: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Original Year of Release: 2011
Extras: See Below
Series:

The Rite Blu-Ray Review

Split Pea Soup Would have Helped this dull Supernatural Thriller

By Tim Janson May 22, 2011

Anthony Hopkins Exorcises the horror in THE RITE(2011).
© Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

As the final credits rolled on The Rite, I found myself staring blankly at my TV. What was it that I just watched for two hours? Was this a horror film? A Drama? A morality play about faith? A treatise on religion vs. science? The Rite is like a guy with a flyswatter flailing desperately and trying to hit anything that moves. Not even the great Anthony Hopkins can make this film good…quite the contrary, his performance is one more barfed up nail in the coffin of this confused production.

Colin O’ Donaghue stars as Michael Kovak. Kovak comes from a family where you are either a mortician or a priest. So desperately does he want to get away from his father (Rutger Hauer) that he goes to seminary school and uses the scholarship to take advantage of the free education, never planning on going through with is final vows. But the Father Superior of the school essentially blackmails him by telling him his scholarship will be changed to a student loan leaving him with a $100,000 debt unless he accepts the priests invitation to go to Rome for two months to take a course in exorcism. Apparently there’s been a run on demonic possessions and the Catholic Church needs to get more exorcists in the field ASAP.

Once in Italy, Michael is sent to meet Father Lucas ( Hopkins ) a renowned Exorcist. Barely with time to settle in to Lucas’ home, Michael immediately gets a chance to observe Lucas in action as the priest tries to cast out a spirit tormenting a pregnant 16 year-old girl. Still skeptical, Michael thinks the girl should be treated by a psychiatrist rather than a priest. This sets up the film’s primary conflict as Michael and Lucas square off over faith vs. science. However, Director Mikael Håfström blows holes in his own story when the pair go off to another exorcism, and Lucas banishes the evil spirit haunting a boy, ripping open the boy’s pillow and pulling out the offending…frog? Michael discovers the priest’s actions were all a stage show as the frog was mere slight-of-hand trickery. Ya…nothing like trying to convince someone there’s real evil spirits than by utilizing the old frog in the pillow trick.

The Rite only tumbles downhill after this, teasing us with heebie-jeebies that may or may not be the result of Michael’s own stress. Demonic, red-eyed mules, a room full of frogs, and a bracelet that keeps appearing in Michael’s possession are the best that Håfström can seem to muster. You’ve seen scarier moments in R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps… After the rather mundane initial exorcism, Lucas exclaims to Michael, “What did you expect? Spinning heads? Pea soup?” Better your film show the characters spewing than the film itself blowing chunks…

Anthony Hopkins could make a laxative commercial sound classy but gives one of his worst, scenery-munching performances in years. When he’s not growling commands at Michael or a supposed demonic spirit, he’s nearly inaudible and in a dazed fog as he whispers a handful of “yeahs” throughout this lifeless ordeal. Håfström seems to have simply been happy to land Hopkins to star in his film and doesn’t attempt to build anything interesting around him. By the time the last 15 minute grueling climax comes around most viewers will find themselves too tired or too irritated to even care.

Blu-Ray Extras

The Rite': Soldier of God (6:40) – The only featurette on the disc is an interview with Father Gary Thomas and author Matt Baglio, whose book was the inspiration for the film. The interview looks at the real-life exorcism school, and how the film was developed. Too short to be remotely substantial.

Alternate Ending (1:41) – The chilling (in the Director’s eyes I guess) alternate ending puts a bit of a darker twist on the ending which works much better than the silly happy ending we’re given.

Deleted Scenes (12:39) – Again, nothing substantial that lends anything to the film. There’s a scene where Michael’s father finds his acceptance letter to seminary school but mostly more superfluous scenes with Michael interacting with other characters.

Submit Your Own Review