The Rite

Movie Title--  The Rite

Release Year--  2011

Running Time--  1 Hour and 54 Minutes

Director--  Mikael Hafstrom

Cast--  Colin O'Donoghue, Anthony Hopkins, Ciaran Hinds, Alice Braga, Rutger Hauer, Toby Jones, Marta Gastini

A young man chooses to attend seminary school instead of become a mortician like his father but after a crisis of faith, he is sent to Italy to take a course in exorcism.

When Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue) decides that he doesn't want to follow in father's footsteps and become a mortician, he knows the only other choice for a man in his family is to become a priest.  Michael is accepted into seminary school and upon completion of he plans to abdicate his vows and would therefore get a free education.

Four years later and Michael is becoming ordained at the seminary and afterwards writes to Father Matthew (Toby Jones), his superior, to resign from the priesthood, citing a lack of faith.  Father Matthew, on his way to talk to Michael,  sees him and runs to catch up with him when he stumbles into the street.  A truck to swerves to miss him and instead hits a cyclist.  She is critically injured and when she sees Michael in his clerical garb, asks him to absolve her of her sins before her last breath.  Although he is hesitant, Michael does not refuse the woman; as Michael calmly says the prayer of absolution, Father Matthew notices this and later tells Michael that he will not accept his resignation.  He then adds that if Michael still chooses to leave that the church could decide to turn his scholarship into a student loan, costing him $100,000 for his 4 years of college.  Father Matthew then goes on to say that exorcisms are on the rise and he is interested in sending Michael to the Vatican in Rome to attend a class on exorcism.  He tells Michael that if he attends the class and still has his doubts, they would discuss letting him go.

Once Michael starts his class, he meets a woman named Angelina (Alice Braga) and learns that she is a journalist and is taking the class to cover an article that she is trying to write.  It doesn't take long before the teacher, Father Xavier (Ciaran Hinds), realizes that Michael is a skeptic, asks him to go visit a friend of his, Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins), a welsh priest known for performing exorcisms.  Michael goes to Father Lucas' house and meet a pregnant 16 year old girl named Rosaria that Father Xavier exorcising.  

After witnessing a few preternatural events Michael is still not a believer but when Rosaria's condition worsens and she tries to kill herself, things begin to change, forcing Michael to decide to also make a change or continue with the way things are going.

This film is classified as a thriller film but when I think of a thriller I think of scary and this didn't really scare me.  Sure, I jumped a few time but I think it was mainly due to build-up in the story and the background score.  I did enjoy this film.  

Colin O'Donoghue did a great job in this film and I thought Anthony Hopkins did an excellent job, as usual.  I have always enjoyed these type of films, perhaps it is the thought of the unknown that intrigues me but either way, I think anyone looking for an exorcism film wouldn't be disappointed by sitting through this film.  Turn off the lights and cuddle up with a blanket for this one and Don't Forget the Popcorn!