The Rite **+
It has long been my opinion that Hollywood is more fascinated by the subject of exorcism than the public in general.
The Exorcist did for this horror subgenre what Jaws accomplished for sharks. Sure, there have been sequels and knock-offs, but no one has been able to improve upon (or at least equal) what William Friedkin achieved in 1973. The Rite doesn’t change that but at least this movie tries something a little different. It brings a European flavor to the proceedings (unsurprising since director Mikael Håfström comes from Sweden), eschewing the overt graphic grotesqueness one often associates with exorcism movies in favor of a slower, verbal approach. There are some interesting ideas and themes in The Rite; unfortunately, an uneven tone and a disappointingly generic climax dilute them.
