THE POPE'S EXORCIST [2023]

 "THE DEVIL IS AFRAID OF ME."

  That is the title of one of the books written about Gabriele Amorth; a Catholic priest who was the chief exorcist of the diocese of Rome.  Amorth is said to have performed tens of thousands of exorcisms.  It is here that the 2023 movie "THE POPE'S EXORCIST" takes off and yes, there is room left for a film series of sequels!  Directed by Julius Avery (whose movie OVERLORD seems to have been liked a little bit more by everyone else than it was  by me), "THE POPE'S EXORCIST" is like a cross between NATIONAL TREASURE and Dan Brown's ANGELS AND DEMONS.  It's terrific trash!  I can't imagine any pretense that this is based on any actual case of an exorcism performed by Amorth (although the blu ray cover proudly proclaims it is

"Inspired by actual files of the Vatican's Chief Exorcist" -- as well as featuring a blurb from LADBible -- whatever THAT is -- that's it's a cross between "THE EXORCIST" and "THE DA VINCI CODE" -- I can agree with that but I still think my analogy is better).  So we have a bearded Russell Crowe portraying Gabriele Amorth and Franco Nero as the Pope (which earns the film half a star right there!).  An American mother named Julia Vasquez (Alex Essoe) and her two children Amy (Laurel Marsden) and Henry (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney) inherit an Spanish abbey which was owned by her late husband (killed in a car crash -- impaled in a car crash actually).  Wacky stuff ensues and Henry becomes possessed by a demon.  After many doctors are left at a loss, a local priest Father Equibel (Daniel Zovatto) is called in to exorcise the boy but is supernaturally tossed out on his tuchis-- sent flying out the door actually.  Th Vatican sends Father Amorth (who arrives on his Vespa) to exorcise the child.  Events from countless other exorcism movies ensue.  

   

As yet another 'exorcist' movie, this one feels to me like it doesn't take itself TOO seriously which is a plus.  As I've hinted, we're pretty much seen all this palaver before and nowadays it's more about how you portray it rather than what happens in the movie.  THE POPE'S EXORCIST goes for the full pyrotechnics route in an effects-laden extravaganza which keeps going like a rollercoaster till the end of the film.  Russell Crowe (with his silly Italian accent) is veering more and more into Nicolas Coppola territory (that's Nicolas Cage, kids) but plays it always with a straight face.  No tongue in cheek here.  Everyone, in fact, plays it straight.  This doesn't make the movie come off as funny, just fun.  It is a great time in a trashy, silly way but leaves itself open to be taken seriously if you want to.  The real Amorth was, by all accounts, something of an irreverent character and Crowe does a good job of bringing that aspect out; he's full of jokes and witticisms throughout the film as Amorth reputedly thought that keeping your humour in the face of the devil would be effective.  At one point in the film, Amorth asks Equibel if he knows any jokes.  When Esquibel replies in the negative, Amorth says "You should learn some.  The Devil does not like jokes".  Director Avery, in fact, states in a 'making of' doc that he envisioned Father Amorth as a sort of Dirty Harry/Columbo character and I think he got that concept just about right.  The effect here is not to terrify but to entertain and you certainly won't be bored as the 'horror action' set pieces are everywhere.  The purpose of the film is to have fun and that, I think, is accomplished rather well.