The RiTe – Movie Review

      Dear Exorcism Enthusiasts,
     If you like movies about exorcism, I’ve got a good one for you. In this spooky thriller, staged mostly in Rome, Anthony Hopkins gives an awesome performance—as always.
    The movie begins. “The battle against the Devil, which is the principal task of Saint Michael the Archangel, is still being fought today, because the Devil is still alive and active in the world.” Pope John Paul II.
    Two morticians are preparing a body for the casket. Istvan Kovak and his son Michael, the Hungarian Funeral Home Owners, are working on a cadaver. The members of the Kovak Family are either morticians or priests. Michael is planning to be a priest and leave Kovak and Son Funeral Home. He’s leaving for Seminary in a few days.

Michael Giving Last Rites

    As Istvan and his son work on the corpse, Michael remembers his mother. She died when he was a child—presumably from cancer. His father prepared her for the funeral in their home. 
    The movie switches to four years later; Michael is graduating from Seminary School. Istvan attends the graduation. Later, he gives a dying car accident victim  a blessing of last rites and prepares her for her final journey.
    Immediately after graduation, Michael sends Father Superior an email resigning from the priesthood. He later learns from Father Superior, “If you resign, your   scholarship is revoked and you will owe one hundred grand for your education.”

Father Superior and Michael

Father Superior further says, “Last year, the Vatican received over a half million reports of demonic possession. An exorcist is to be placed in every diocese across the US. A new program is designed to reteach the clergy the rite of exorcism.”
    Michael travels to Rome for the two month course on Exorcism. At the Vatican, Michael is the class with Angelina Vargas, the journalists. She is writing an article about the class.
Father Xavier wants Michael to visit Father Lucas in Florence. “His methods are less than orthodox,” Xavier says. “Father Lucas studied under Father Carmine De Filippis.”

Father Lucas

    In an old section of Florence, Michael meets Father Lucas. Michael helps Lucas as he continues the exorcisms on Rosaria.  Rosaria is pregnant and demon possessed after suffering repeated raping by her father. As the movie progresses, Rosaria coughs up three spike-nails and later dies.
    Father Lucas and Michael perform an exorcism on Vincenzo - a boy. During this time, Michael’s father, Istvan, dies of a massive stroke. Due to an Icelandic Volcano, Italy’s airspace is closed and Michael can’t get home for the funeral.
    Over the phone that evening, Michael thinks he’s talking to his dad. Then he talks to Dr. Vorachian, “Your father passed away this afternoon.”

Rosaria is demon possessed

We soon learn that Father Lucas is demon possessed. He spits up three spike-nails. Michael and Angelina perform an exorcism on Father Lucas. During the frightening process, Michael becomes to true believer in God. He casts the demon, “Baál” out of Father Lucas.
     Afterward, Michael  leaves Rome and travels back to the funeral home. He gets a letter from Angelina Vargas. It’s a copy of the article, “The Making of an Exorcist.”

Father Lucas

    Father Michael Kovak is one of 14 exorcists practicing in the United States today. He now works out of his parish near Chicago.
    Father Lucas Trevant has performed over two thousand exorcisms. He continues to practice in a township outside of Florence Italy.
    This movie was Inspired By True Events.
    The movie ends. The RiTe is a well written thriller. I hope you like my review of this thought provoking story. 
    Blessings,
    Shepard Cross