The Rite (2011 film)

The Rite

Teaser poster
Directed by Mikael Håfström
Produced by
Written by Michael Petroni
Based on The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist
by Matt Baglio
Starring
Music by Alex Heffes
Cinematography Ben Davis
Edited by Peter Boyle
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • January 26, 2011 (2011-01-26) (Hollywood premiere)
  • January 28, 2011 (2011-01-28)[1]
Running time
 113 minutes[2]
Country
  • United States
  • Hungary
  • Italy
Language
  • English
  • Italian
  • Welsh
  • Latin
  • Russian
  • Hungarian
Budget $37 million[3]
Box office $96 million

The Rite is a 2011 supernatural horror-thriller film directed by Mikael Håfström and written by Michael Petroni.[4] It is loosely based on Matt Baglio's book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist,[5] which itself is based on real events as witnessed and recounted by American then-exorcist-in-training Father Gary Thomas and his experiences from being sent to Rome to be trained and work daily with veteran clergy of the practice.[6]

The film stars Anthony Hopkins, Colin O'Donoghue, Alice Braga, Ciarán Hinds, and Rutger Hauer.[7] Shot in Rome, Budapest,[8] and Blue Island, it was released on January 28, 2011 and grossed $32 million domestically.

Plot

Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue) is the son of a successful funeral home owner and businessman, Istvan Rutger Hauer. Disillusioned with his past job as a mortician, Michael decides to enter a seminary school and renounce his vows upon completion, thereby getting a free college degree. Four years have passed, and Michael is being ordained to the rank of deacon at the seminary. After his ordination, he writes a letter of resignation to his superior, Father Matthew, citing a lack of faith. Father Matthew (Toby Jones), apparently wanting to talk to Michael, attempts to catch up to him on the street. He trips as he steps over a curb, causing a cyclist to swerve into the path of an oncoming van. The young cyclist, Sandra (Marija Karan), is critically injured. Seeing Michael's clerical garb, she asks him for absolution before her last breath. Initially hesitant, Michael is unable to refuse, comforting her and performing a blessing ritual to absolve her of her sins. Seeing how calmly Michael handled the situation, Father Matthew tells Michael that he is called to be a priest despite his resignation. He also tells Michael that with the rise in demonic possessions every year, the Church needs more exorcists and says that he has the potential to become one. Father Matthew decides to send him to the Vatican in Rome, so he can attend an exorcism class taught by his friend Father Xavier (Ciarán Hinds). Michael finally accepts after Father Matthew tells him that the Church might convert his scholarship into a student loan that would cost $100,000 if his immediate resignation stood. If Michael attends the exorcism class and still wants to resign afterwards, then they will discuss matters (hinting that he may be free to leave).

During classes, he meets a young woman, Angelina (Alice Braga), who is also taking the course. He soon learns that she is a reporter who has been asked to cover the course for an article in a newspaper. Father Xavier, realizing Michael is a skeptic and very tentative in his faith, asks Michael to see a friend of his, a renowned Welsh Jesuit exorcist named Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins). Michael agrees and meets Father Lucas at his home, where he sees one of the priest's patients: a pregnant sixteen-year-old girl, Rosaria. It is later revealed that she had been raped by her father, which led to her possession. However, Michael remains skeptical, even after witnessing several preternatural events, such as the girl coughing up three long nails and speaking English fluently. She pointedly reminds Michael of the last patient he anointed and of his loathing for his own father. He later speaks again with Angelina, who asks him to relay any information he gets from Father Lucas to her, as she has tried for an interview with him many times but has been refused. Michael declines. Meanwhile, Rosaria's condition worsens, to the extent that she tries to drown herself, prompting Father Lucas and Michael to have her hospitalized for further care. In the hospital, Father Lucas performs another exorcism on her while Michael observes. Michael leaves while Father Lucas stays overnight outside the girl's room. Late that night, she miscarries; the baby dies from cardiac arrest, and the mother from blood loss from major hemorrhaging. Disheartened, Father Lucas feels he has failed her. When Michael sees this he decides to confer with Angelina.

After the young woman's death, Father Lucas begins behaving strangely, exhibiting signs of demonic possession. Michael and Angelina later find him sitting outside his house in the rain. Father Lucas takes them into his house and, knowing himself to be possessed, requests that Michael find Father Xavier to perform the exorcism. Angelina and Michael try desperately to contact and find Father Xavier; they learn, however, that he is out of contact for three days. Learning this, Michael decides to perform the exorcism himself, with Angelina present. After constant rebuking by the demon and a long, drawn-out fight, Michael regains his lost faith and is able to force the demon to reveal its name, Baal. He completes the exorcism, and the powerful demon leaves Father Lucas. Successful, Michael leaves Rome, returning to the United States and to his life.

The final scene of the film shows Michael, now Father Michael Kovak, entering a confessional and beginning to hear a girl's confession.

Cast

Production

Mikael Håfström began working on the exorcism thriller in February 2010.[14] Håfström began casting in March for the lead roles of Father Lucas and Michael Kovak, deciding on Anthony Hopkins and Colin O'Donoghue.[15] The film was produced by Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) under their Contrafilm Studios company.[14][16]

Background

The film is based on the book The Making of a Modern Exorcist by Rome-based Matt Baglio, which was published in 2009. To research the book, Baglio participated in a seminar[17] on exorcism by the Vatican-sponsored Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum[18][19] where he met Father Gary Thomas, a parish priest from Sacred Heart Church in Saratoga, California, who was tasked by the local bishop in San Jose, California to become an exorcist for the diocese.[20] Initially skeptical and reluctant, Father Gary becomes an "apprentice" to a Rome-based exorcist and his skepticism is soon replaced by the cold reality of evil and the ways it sometimes takes the form of demonic possession.[21][22] The book traces Father Gary's life prior to and subsequent to their acquaintance in 2005 which involved Baglio observing over twenty exorcisms performed by Father Gary. Baglio indicates that the experience in writing the book "was just a very spiritual process and in a lot of ways, it helped me reconnect to the Church and understand the value of faith. This isn't something that is silly and prayer, it's very important."[23]

While Baglio was still researching his book, producers Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn (who had already produced The Exorcism of Emily Rose) learned about Baglio's book proposal and decided to purchase the movie rights. The producers contacted Michael Petroni (who was one of the writers for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) to write the screenplay. Petroni, a practicing Catholic, coordinated the development of his screenplay with Baglio, who was now writing the book at about the same time.[24]

Director Håfström was invited to direct the film "intrigued by the fact that he would be working from facts, not just someone's imagination." While the film is focused on demonic possession and exorcism, Håfström also believes that "this story is about a young man finding himself and finding his way." In preparation for the film, Håfström attended some exorcisms in Rome although never being present in the actual room, he could hear what was taking place.[24][25] Father Gary Thomas served as a consultant on the set of "The Rite"[26][27] and indicated that the exorcisms in the film were "very accurate" with some "expected licenses" taken.[28]

Further information: Exorcism in Christianity

Release

Warner Bros. released the film on January 28, 2011.[1]

Reception

The film was generally well received within the Catholic community although questioning its classification as "horror".[29][30][31][32][33] The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops noted: "Though shaky on a few details, director Mikael Håfström's conversion tale resoundingly affirms faith and the value of priestly ministry. Yet the effort to showcase the main character's spiritual journey as an old-fashioned chillfest weakens its ultimate impact."[34]

It received negative reviews from mainstream critics, where it has a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 158 reviews stating that while "Anthony Hopkins is as excellent as ever, but he is no match for The Rite's dawdling pace and lack of chills, as well as Colin O'Donoghue's tentative performance in the leading role."


Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and said, "I admire The Rite because while it delivers what I suppose should be called horror, it is atmospheric, its cinematography is eerie and evocative, and the actors enrich it."[35]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Warner Bros. Release Shifts: 'The Factory,' 'The Rite' and 'White Male'".
  2. ↑ "THE RITE (15)". British Board of Film Classification. January 26, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  3. ↑ The Rite at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ↑ "Anthony Hopkins Has The Rite to Exorcise Demons".
  5. ↑ "Matt Baglio". Matt Baglio. 2006-01-31. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  6. ↑ King, Susan (2011-01-27). "'The Rite' is based on a real priest trained in exorcism". Los Angeles Times.
  7. ↑ "Colin O'Donoghue Becomes Hopkins' Student in 'The Rite'".
  8. ↑ "filminhungary | shot in hungary | The Rite". Magyar.film.hu. 2011-03-10. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  9. ↑ "Three More Heads Spin for Exorcist Drama 'The Rite'".
  10. ↑ "Behind-the-Scenes Images: The Rite".
  11. ↑ "The Rite Cast Expands by Three".
  12. ↑ "Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones and Alice Braga Join The Rite".
  13. ↑ "Three More Join Anthony Hopkins in 'The Rite'".
  14. 1 2 "Hollywood Has Exorcism Fever! New Line Begins Casting 'The Rite'".
  15. ↑ "Colin O'Donoghue To Help Hopkins Face Off Against Demons in The Rite".
  16. ↑ "Movie Casting: Anthony Hopkins Is 'The Rite' Choice". Celebrifi.com. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  17. ↑ V Course on the ministry of exorcism
  18. ↑ "Warner Brothers Adjusts Horror Schedule".
  19. ↑ Cruz, Gilbert (2009-03-16). "The Story of a Modern-Day Exorcist". Time.com. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  20. ↑ Ciarcia, Paul (2009-10-30). "The Healing Power of Exorcism". Headline Bistro. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  21. ↑ "Catholic Spotlight interview with Matt Baglio, the Author of The Rite". Catholicspotlight.com. 2009-12-14. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  22. ↑ "Interview: Father Gary Thomas, Vatican-certified exorcist – Busted Halo". Bustedhalo.com. 2011-01-17. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  23. ↑ "Catholic Spotlight interview with Matt Baglio, the Author of The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist". Catholicspotlight.com. 2009-12-14. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  24. 1 2 Catholic Online. "Catholic Online "'The Rite' is Riveting! It Opens a Window to a Seldom Seen World"". Saints.catholic.org. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  25. ↑ "Exclusive Interview: The Rite Director Mikael Hafstrom". Cinema Blend. 2011-01-27. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  26. ↑ "Book focusing on U.S. priest's training as exorcist being made into movie". Catholic Review. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  27. ↑ "Catholic Net: Interview with Father Gary Thomas, Official Exorcist of San Jose California". Catholic.net. 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  28. ↑ "The Rite Interviews – Anthony Hopkins and Father Gary Thomas". Video.about.com. 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  29. ↑ "Exorcist praises new movie 'The Rite' for showing power of faith". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  30. ↑ John Mulderig (2011-01-27). "Review of The Rite". The Catholic Spirit. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  31. ↑ "The Rite". American Catholic. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  32. ↑ "Catholic news Service: 'The Rite' is honorable drama disguised as conventional horror flick". Catholicnews.com. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  33. ↑ "The Rite Stuff". Catholic Exchange. 2011-01-28. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  34. ↑ "United States Conference of Catholic Bishops review of The Rite". Usccb.org. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  35. ↑ "Roger Ebert: The Rite". Rogerebert.suntimes.com. 2011-01-26. Retrieved 2011-02-11.

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