Maristela D.

Ramos
MAEE 305
Asynchronous Activity #1
Literary Criticism

“The Pope Exorcist”

In the movie 'The Pope's Exorcist,' the director, William Friedkin, uses a simple
documentary style. He combines interviews, old film clips, and reenactments. By
zooming in on Father Gabriele Amorth and the people involved in exorcisms, Friedkin
makes the viewer feel closer to the action. He also uses editing tricks to build suspense,
especially during the reenactments of exorcisms. These techniques grab the audience's
attention and make the subject matter feel intense. Russell Crowe's performance
elevates the movie. He portrays Amorth as a proud joker, handling offensive remarks
with a sly grin and quick-witted comebacks. When the demon claims to be Amorth's
worst fear, Amorth quips, 'My worst fear is France winning the World Cup.' Crowe
adeptly balances the character's dry, teasing humor. He becomes even more endearing
when he reveals vulnerabilities that the priest usually conceals. When Father Esquibel
mentions reading Amorth's articles on possession in magazines, Amorth casually adds
that he also writes books, and then softly says, 'The books are good.' The shots of
Amorth riding on highways and country roads on his scooter, adorned in his frock, collar,
fedora, and sunglasses, create an iconic image: simultaneously comically absurd and
effortlessly cool."

The movie gives us a glimpse into how people today view exorcisms, faith, and
the Catholic Church. It shows that people are still very interested in supernatural events
and how the Church deals with them. The film looks into the life of Father Gabriele
Amorth, giving us a better understanding of how exorcisms are practiced in the modern
Catholic Church and what the broader cultural and religious context looks like.
 The documentary also looks at how being possessed and going through an
exorcism affects both the people experiencing it and the priests performing it. The
interviews with those who've been through exorcisms let us see their emotional and
mental struggles. The film also makes us think about what it means to believe, doubt,
and how faith and rituals can affect our minds.

The film doesn't spend much time exploring the differences between men and
women in this context. It mainly focuses on exorcisms and faith. However, it could be
criticized for not looking into how being possessed and exorcised has historically been
linked to women's experiences. The Pope's Exorcist' also shows us how religion and
what's popular in culture come together. It looks at a topic that has fascinated people
through books and movies. It makes us wonder about how faith and spirituality play a
role in today's world and how these beliefs influence how we experience life."

The film 'The Pope’s Exorcist' is an enjoyable yet not particularly unique take on
exorcism movie tropes. It also ventures into a Vatican conspiracy plot reminiscent of
Dan Brown's novels, though the connection to church wrongdoings and scandals feels
half-hearted. The conclusion is so convoluted and absurd that it almost seems to
absolve the Church of its historical wrongs, like the Inquisition and the cover-up of
pedophilia, by implying, essentially, that 'the devil made them do it.'