The Pope’s Exorcist promises a thrilling ride with an iconic character played by Russell Crowe as Chief Exorcist Servant of God, The film combines theological action and Western tropes, making it busier than a creepy film. While it falls short of delivering on the horror front, Crowe’s performance makes the movie worth watching.

The Pope’s Exorcist, directed by Julius Avery, is a horror movie marketed as a religious action flick that tells the story of Father Gabriele Amorth, the real-life pope’s designated exorcist played by Russell Crowe, who uses his exorcism kit with crucifixes and holy water to drive out demons from possessed bodies.

The film follows Amorth to a decrepit abbey in rural Spain to save a young boy from a demon, but it falls short of its horror expectations and becomes tedious. The movie’s opening sequence is its most original part, with the sacrifice of a pig in order to save the possessed body of a young peasant. Crowe’s remarkable performance is the movie’s saving grace, playing Amorth as a wisecracking gunslinger on a scooter, whose dry, needling wit is both coolly ridiculous character. 

Russell Crowe plays a real-life Chief Exorcist Servant of God, Father Amorth. Amorth, the real-life inspiration behind The Pope’s Exorcist film, was a Roman Catholic priest born in 1954 who was ordained in Modena Italy. Over the course of his career, Father Amorth performed over 50,000 exorcisms, some of which involved several possessions, precisely like Henry (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney) does in the movie. Father Amorth is a master exorcist who co-founded the Vatican-recognized International Association of Exorcists in 1990. This organization is still in operation today. He admitted that not all possession instances were legitimate and thought some needed psychological assistance.

Despite its intriguing premise, the movie ultimately falls short compared to other horror films due to its failure to fully develop the demonic presence at the core of its story, resulting in a lackluster and repetitive experience for viewers. In contrast, franchises like The Conjuring Saga have been praised for their ability to create truly terrifying experiences through their portrayals of demonic possession.

These films provide a coherent and appealing storyline, which is developed via human relationships, and it ties the deep emotions with previously awful events in a very remarkable way. As a consequence, they are able to generate a sense of dread and suspense that keeps the audience on the tip of their seats, resulting in a memorable and really frightening movie experience. Something lacking in the Pope’s Exorcist.

The success of a horror film is primarily determined by the concept and execution of the filmmaker. With an interesting notion as a foundation, it’s up to the director to convert it into a fully realized tale that can attract viewers and leave a lasting impression; something this film failed to do. The directors failed not to realize the full potential, developed of this film and fell short of generating a genuinely outstanding horror experience that would leave audiences with a lasting impression.

In conclusion, The Pope’s Exorcist has its strengths and weaknesses. The movie’s concept and potential for a thrilling horror experience are there, but its execution falls short. The lack of focus on the demonic presence and its slow pace makes the movie tedious and repetitive. However, Russell Crowe’s performance as Father Amorth is a standout, adding a layer of wit and charm to an otherwise uninspired script. If you’re a fan of exorcism films or enjoy a good performance, The Pope’s Exorcist might be worth checking out.