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Do The "Rite" Thing

The problem of good vs. evil has plagued monotheism since its foundation. While adherents to most polytheistic religions are comfortable with a quid-pro-quo relationship with their typically anthropomorphized gods, believers in one all good god are faced with the thorny question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Since the misty origins of Zoroastrianism, most western religions have sought to address this quandary by the creation of a warfare theology with the earthly realm as its battlefield. The exploration of this sticky wicket has led to the creation of some of the most profound philosophical works in the history of humanity. It has also led to some great entertainment.

While hardly rising to the level of Augustine's "City of God" or Friedkin's "The Exorcist" (depending on which one considers to be the masterwork of the genre), "The Rite" manages to be a surprisingly effective exploration of some of the fundamental questions of faith.

"The Rite" focuses on young deacon Michael Kovac (Colin O'Donoghue, making the leap from the small screen), who fled his overbearing father by entering seminary school and is now faced with the decision of whether to take his priestly vows. Cynical, skeptical, and on the cusp of resigning with a free education but without the inconvenience of obedience, chastity, and poverty, he is gently strong-armed by the Father Superior into heading to the Vatican to study the Rite of Exorcism before he makes his final decision. In Rome he is quickly introduced to Father Lucas Trevant (Anthony Hopkins), a seemingly genuine, if somewhat offbeat, foot soldier in the war against Satan. Assisting Father Lucas in his efforts to free those subject to demonic possession, Kovac is forced to question his lack of faith and commitment to more conventional means of helping those whom he believes are simply suffering from mental illness.

The story, based on the book by Matt Baglio, is reasonably well handled by screenwriter Michael Petroni. With previous credits including "Possession" and the TV series "Miracles", he clearly has a comfort with the material and the mythology, which makes it a bit disappointing that he avoids delving into the origins and questionable history of exorcism in the Catholic Church. He does, however, provide enough broad strokes to keep even the complete neophyte aware of the gravity of the situation. There are, though, some rather large and unnecessary plot holes which make one wonder if there isn't a more ambitious movie sitting on a cutting room floor somewhere.

Director Mikael Hafstrom ("1408") does a very nice job of creating atmosphere and keeping things moving along at a good pace - no small feat given a running time of just over two hours. His constant juxtaposition between the grandeur of the ideal (exterior shots of the Vatican and the landmarks of Rome) and reality (the crumbling home of Father Lucas and the spare dormitory room occupied by Kovac) also highlights the tension inherent in Kovacs' philosophical dilemma. Hafstrom also very wisely avoids overdoing the special effects during the exorcism scenes, opting instead to focus on the psychological battle between priest and possessed. As one character quips, "What did you expect? Twisting heads and pea soup?"

What really achieves the potential of this move, though, is the cast. Anthony Hopkins, of course, commits fully to the premise and ably switches back and forth between deadly serious and comically glib like a light switch, and just as effectively. The moments of whimsy at first seem a curious choice for a priest who believes that he is constantly face to face with pure evil, but it makes sense as a desperate defense against that very darkness. Unfortunately for Mr. Hopkins, he will not get his due for this performance, as at times it inevitably channels his rather famous turn as Dr. Hannibal Lecter. That role has simply made it impossible for Hopkins to play "evil" without coming-off as a parody of himself. Mr. O'Donoghue brings the right amount of vacancy to the role of Kovac as a man being pushed along by the forces around him without really understanding what is going on. And it's a genuine pleasure to see Rutger Hauer bring his very particular blend of warmth, menace, and detachment to the role of Michael's father. The rest of the supporting cast, notably Alice Braga ("Predators") and Ciaran Hinds (HBOs "Rome") fit well into this heady mix, but are little more than set pieces, which is shame considering that their characters (a reporter seeking to understand exorcism and the priest in charge of the Vatican's exorcism program, respectively) feel like they have much more to offer than the movie explores.

Given its genre and its predecessors, "The Rite" will probably not be appreciated as anything more than another pointless entry in the horror annals, and that's a pity. Maybe there's symmetry to that, though. Like faith, you have to give yourself over to it in order to be rewarded.