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There is a ton of faith in “The Rite,” there just is no emotion. It is tough to connect to the characters, especially when the Devil has the most charisma. Hopkins is a sweeping savior to the film’s overall quality.
It should be no surprise that the best “The Rite” has to offer is a great performance by Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas; the rest of the movie mostly falls flat.
What Hopkins brings with his superb acting is counterbalanced by emotionless co-actors (most significantly with Colin O’Donoghue as the protagonist, Michael).
Seeing some shots of Rome is a wonderful addition to the movie; anyone interested in travelling there (and willing to see a mediocre horror movie) might enjoy “The Rite.” While the movie in general is not bad, it is a stretch to say it is good.
Michael is raised by his father (Rutger Hauer), a mortician by heart. As Michael tries his luck at being a seminary student, his faith in God falters.
His loss in faith does not go unnoticed, and he is sent to Rome to find God again.
His travels lead him to Father Lucas, expertly played by Hopkins. Father Lucas is described as an “unorthodox” priest with a knack for exorcists.
A subtle love interest named Angeline (played by Alice Braga) tries to uncover the truth about exorcists as a journalist. She follows Michael around, and provides him with pivotal spiritual guidance at key moments. Hopkins is the only one with any feeling in his role.
Braga is actually more than decent compared to the real bores, especially O’Donoghue, who has the emotional spirit of a brick wall.
His character is also slightly odd; even after Michael witnesses some pretty gruesome and unreal exorcisms, he blindly refuses to believe in God (or, as the characters keep telling him, the Devil). This leads to some chaotic characterizations.
Two or three unnecessary scenes haunt the movie; one in particular involves a cat startlingly jumping into the camera and hissing loudly when the scene is not supposed to be scary.
In fact, the movie itself is not scary except for some of those standard jumpy scenes.
However, even when the Devil takes over innocent characters, nothing seems scary. There is a wonderful climax, but again, the only reason that it is successful is because of Hopkins.
In fact, for people that are bored of exorcist movies, the ending will not satisfy. The plot flows at an acceptable two-hour pace. If the acting is less than par, at least viewers will understand the basic storyline.
There is an equally simple lesson gained from the end of the movie: while there is evil in the world, there is more than enough good.
