The Rite is a story about Michael Kovak, who is studying to become a priest, but he wants to leave his studies, since he doesn't really believe in anything, or at least doesn't think he believes in anything. But his teacher sees potential in him, and sends him to Vatican, to take an exorcist course. He's also told to go help Father Lucas, who practices exorcism. And then, shit goes down, and Michael has to really consider what he believes in.
I don't usually go for anything religious, but I thought it could work in horror. Well, I don't usually go for horror either. Oh, who am I kidding, we all know why I watched The Rite.
My first thought was I really liked the cinematography. It was very beautiful - when it wasn't people, you know, possessed and convulsing. But when it was scenery, it was very beautiful. Especially the shades of blue at the beginning and well, any time the scenery was blue.
Right when the movie started it said "Inspired by true events." That is something you don't want to see in a horror movie. I mean "based on true events" is something that makes the watched go "yeah right", but "inspired" has a different sound in it. So you have to ask yourself, what has happened, what is exaggerated, what is left out. But I don't want to think about exorcism, mostly because I don't believe in any kind of god, let alone demons, and since the movie was mostly about Michael not believing in that stuff, it's kind of devious to... you know, realise you could be in his place. Not literally, but anyway, you know what I mean. But it's funny how usually anything religious is repulsive to me, but this wasn't. I could watch it as complete fiction and not think that it was trying to convert me to Christianity.
I think converting people wasn't point of the movie, it was the horror, the feeling of terror. Maybe that's not what they tried to do - if it's "inspired by true events" - but as an atheist or whatever I am, it was just a horror movie. But a very good horror movie. And that's a lot said by someone who hates horror movies as much as I hate any religion or atheism or any belief of anyone. ... Oh my god how horrible that sounds. (It's not the beliefs on their own, it's more like people who think that their way of believing is the only way. So this counts religious people and atheists. I just had to say this.)
But I really loved the movie. It wasn't as repulsive as I thought, since my first idea was all the horrible stuff in Exorcist and all the things people have said about that. But now, it wasn't repulsive, it wasn't the way you start feeling sick. It was simply horrifying and in the good way. At last I can have mini heart attacks without having to spend the night without any sleep. I counted five jump-scares - or whatever they are really called - and none of them were really that bad. It got blood pumping and heart racing, but the movie had so much more than just those heart attack moments.
And mostly the scariness it was due to brilliant acting of anyone being possessed - which means mostly Marta Gastini and other actor whose name I can't say without, you know, telling too much about what's going to happen. But Gastini was brilliant - I have never seen her in a movie ever, but she was absolutely brilliant. She was a weak, scared 16-year-old while also being an ancient demon. And for the other actor - absolutely brilliant, and so different compared to Gastini's character's possession. At least I think that's how demons would be - they get something from the person they are currently possessing, and possession would work differently on different people.
But I recommend The Rite to people who like horror movies. And okay, I think I can recommend it to those who don't like horror that much, since I don't, and I could watch the movie without getting any horrible nightmares, and I slept just fine last night! (Okay I had weird dreams, like I was watching a movie half awake and Anthony Hopkins was in it, and I thought 'Oh this movie is good', so I don't know.)
☆☆☆☆☆☆
6 / 10
(NOTE: this rating was updated on 21. 2. 2015. due to another view (which was not on 21st of February but still))
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