Despite the fairly decent deeper storyline and the star casting in the form of Russel Crowe. The Pope’s Exorcist failed to hit the mark for me and ended up feeling more like an Action/Comedy than it did a horror.
The Pope’s Exorcist is based on the real files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, as he examines a young boy’s horrific possession and discovers a long-running plot the Vatican has frantically tried to keep secret. Julius Avery’s film clings to the tried-and-true plot structure established by every demonic-possession horror movie.
A family moves into a new home, the innocent child gets possessed, things get progressively worse, and only one priest can save the family. Sound familiar? The more I think about it, the more I see even more similarities that make The Pope’s Exorcist feel like a comedic take on the 1973 classic The Exorcist.
I thoroughly enjoy it when a renowned actor takes on a role in a genre they are not known for. So I was somewhat optimistic when I saw this film announced, as I do enjoy possession horrors and thought Russel Crowe could bring something new and fresh to the table that most Academy Award® Winning actors should be able to, but to be honest, I feel like Crowe just wanted an excuse to do the accent from his role as Zeus in Marvel’s Thor Love and Thunder again. The problem is when you cast actors with strong personalities or are known more for a specific type of role and then they are required to act outside of these safe spaces, the performance can often fall short and it becomes more about the actor playing a role rather than making you believe this is a fictional character. An example of an actor that can do this extremely well is Leonardo Di Caprio. Despite his many varying roles across many genres of films. He can embody the spirit of the character he is portraying, which makes for excellent storytelling.
The Pope’s Exorcist on the other hand I feel let Russel Crowe’s personality and humour come through just a little too much.
I mean, I see no reason for someone in such a powerful and respected position to have at least some sense of humour. However, at times, it felt like no matter how dire the situation was, Crowe was able to squeeze in a one-liner. While most of these were funny or at least deserved a little chuckle, for me they often came at all the wrong parts.
In summary, if you are a horror fanatic like myself. I’d like to say this movie isn’t for you. With that said and although it ultimately follows a formulaic horror format. I would recommend it to someone who perhaps wants to watch something suspenseful and a little eerie, without the big scares and terrifying moments that real horror movies offer. For me, The Pope’s Exorcist was a poor attempt to cash in on the played-out sub-genre that is possession horror.
How was your Easter Sunday? Did you find this scary? Is it your horror movie of the year? Did Russell Crowe suit the role? React and comment below…
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