The Pope's Exorcist Movie Review: Russell Crowe shines in a lacklustre horror film – India Today

Director Julius Avery has primarily based his movie on true life incidents however loads appears to be misplaced in translation. The one spotlight of this movie is Russell Crowe, says our overview.

Russell Crowe stars as Italian priest Gabriele Amorth.

By Latha Srinivasan: Director Julius Avery has taken on the timeless exorcism story set within the Abbey of San Sebastian in Castile, Spain. The haunting music and scenes make you anticipate a movie that may deliver out the satan himself on this horror thriller. However in contrast to the opposite exorcism films that the viewers has been aware of, Avery’s film is a let-down.

American widow Julia (Alex Essoe) strikes to Castile after the dying of her husband together with her son, Henry (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney), and daughter, Amy (Laurel Marsden). The abbey is the one factor Julia inherited from her husband and she or he is eager to renovate and promote it to make ends meet. The traditional abbey ticks all the fitting bins so far as it being haunted goes – it’s decrepit, deserted and eerie, to say the least. And that is when skeletons begin tumbling out of the closet – actually.

Father Gabriele Amorth, essayed by Russell Crowe, is the Pope-appointed official exorcist, however the church committee doesn’t consider that the satan actually exists and desires to make his place redundant. As Amorth poignantly asks them – if evil doesn’t exist, what then is the function of the Church?

It’s at this juncture {that a} darkish pressure possesses Henry and the Pope assigns Amorth to research the matter. When Amorth arrives in Castile, he realises that the sinister pressure is far darker and extra evil than anybody may have ever anticipated. The film has the same old tropes of a horror flick and follows a linear narrative – a baby is possessed after which an exorcist arrives to take away the demon. No room has been given for any sudden twists and turns or horrifying moments which might have extremely benefitted the movie.

The Pope’s Exorcist is claimed to be impressed by true occasions, however director Julius Avery’s interpretation of this style falls far in need of the movies that got here earlier than this (suppose Exorcist). The movie tries to make us consider in a narrative that’s simply not nicely written. The film is a fundamental horror movie that tries to shroud itself on this planet of exorcism and that’s its greatest disadvantage. The movie does contact upon some delicate points like sexual abuse in church buildings, however would not hassle to delve into the topic.

Russell Crowe because the cumbersome, getting old and eccentric priest – with an odd sense of humour – driving round on slightly Vespa, is pleasant, however the movie is lacklustre and doesn’t do justice to his sturdy efficiency or expertise.

2 out of 5 stars to The Pope’s Exorcist.