Starring: Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, Franco Nero, Laurel Marsden, Cornell S. John, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
Supernatural horror directed by Julius Avery. Inspired by actual case files, The Pope’s Exorcist (2023) centers on Father Gabriel Amorth (Russell Crowe), a priest who acted as Chief Exorcist of the Vatican and performed more than 100,000 exorcisms in his lifetime. We follow Amorth as he investigates a young boy’s terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden.
Best Quotes
Enzo: [possessed] I am legion. I am Satan. I am foulmouthed behemoth.
Father Gabriel Amorth: [in Italian] Difficult to believe.
Enzo: [possessed] You doubt me?
Father Gabriel Amorth: If you are Satan, what is my name? Describe hell.
Enzo: [possessed] You will find out soon enough.
Father Gabriel Amorth: [to the possessed Enzo] Possess the pig. Show me you are the Prince of Darkness. Show to me your power!
Father Gabriel Amorth: [after he drives the demon into a pig, which is then shot] You can sleep now, my son. The demon has gone. God is with you.
Father Gabriel Amorth: The only thing that arrests God’s love is a person’s freedom to choose. But God cannot be God, unless he allows for this choice, even for the damned.
Bishop Lumumba: Do not worry, Gabriel. I will defend you.
Father Gabriel Amorth: Defend me? My faith does not require defense.
Father Gabriel Amorth: [in Italian] Sugar is the work of the devil.
Father Gabriel Amorth: Exorcism is my job, but the vast majority of the cases to which I’m assigned do not require an exorcism. They just need a little conversation, a little understanding, and sometimes a little theater.
Bishop Lumumba: Cardinal Sullivan, in my observation, ninety-eight percent of the cases that are assigned to Father Amorth are then further recommended by him to doctors and psychiatrists.
Cardinal Sullivan: And the other two percent?
Father Gabriel Amorth: Ah, the other two percent. This is something that has confounded all of science and all of medicine for a very long time. I call it evil.
'We will all be judged by how much we love.' - Father Gabriel Amorth (The Pope's Exorcist) Click To Tweet
Father Gabriel Amorth: I am not a doctor. I am not a psychologist. But I am a theologian. I am a lawyer. I am a journalist. And I am a practical man. I was also a partisan in the war, so I know a firing squad when I see one. So, what is this about?
Cardinal Sullivan: The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has recommended to this panel that the position of Chief Exorcist be formally vacated.
Father Gabriel Amorth: So, what you are saying is that evil does not exist?
Father Gabriel Amorth: Explain to me, please, Your Eminence. If evil does not exist, what then is the role of the Church? I think we all have to be careful of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Sounds to me like they want us all out of a job.
Father Gabriel Amorth: I am the Chief Exorcist of the Vatican. My position was appointed by my bishop. My diocese is Rome. My local bishop is the Pope. If you have a problem with me, you talk to my boss.
Asmodeus: [as he possesses Henry] You’re all going to die.
Interpreter: [referring to Henry] All of his vitals and brain functions seem to be normal.
Julia: Wait. Normal? What do you mean? He was convulsing.
'A mother's love is the closest thing we know to God's love.' - Father Gabriel Amorth (The Pope's Exorcist) Click To Tweet
Asmodeus: Bring me the priest.
Asmodeus: [as Esquibel is tossed out of the room] Wrong f***ing priest!
Father Gabriel Amorth: [in Italian] They tell me you are sick.
The Pope: [in Italian] Yes, they hope so. They wish to see me weak. But, no, they are.
The Pope: [in Italian] Your search for truth is delightful, Gabriel, but pay attention to your desire to educate. Pride manifests itself in different forms.
Father Gabriel Amorth: [in Italian] Pride? Me?
'Our sins will seek us out.' - Father Gabriel Amorth (The Pope's Exorcist) Click To Tweet
The Pope: [to Amorth] There’s a case that needs your attention. A boy in Spain. Something about it disturbs me greatly. This boy’s possession is progressing very fast.
The Pope: [to Amorth] San Sebastian Abbey in Castile. This place has given the Church problems before. I sense a great evil coming from there. Something dark that only you can help solve.
Father Gabriel Amorth: [to Julia] If you would at least just let me see your son. I can give you my opinion, and you can do with it what you will.
Asmodeus: [to Amorth] Your prayers are worthless here.
Father Gabriel Amorth: Who are you?
Asmodeus: Your worst fear. I am your demise.
'The devil is the great deceiver.' - Father Gabriel Amorth (The Pope's Exorcist) Click To Tweet
Father Gabriel Amorth: Why are you possessing this boy?
Asmodeus: Because it feels so good to ruin such innocent flesh. But I prefer the challenge of an exorcist’s soul.
Father Gabriel Amorth: You only serve to diminish yourself.
Asmodeus: Don’t lecture me, priest.
Father Gabriel Amorth: What is your purpose?
Asmodeus: I’m here for you.
Father Gabriel Amorth: Then you must know my name.
Asmodeus: I know your soul and every shameless sin.
Asmodeus: God is not here.
Father Gabriel Amorth: [in Italian] God is everywhere.
Father Gabriel Amorth: Whatever you do, you only do because God allows it.
Asmodeus: [as the cross on the wall drops] Did he allow that? This is just the beginning.
'The only thing that can defeat us is ourselves.' - Father Gabriel Amorth (The Pope's Exorcist) Click To Tweet
Asmodeus: You don’t know who you’re dealing with.
Father Gabriel Amorth: Then tell me. Tell me your name. Unless you are too afraid.
Asmodeus: I’m not some stupid f*** you convince to get into a pig.
Asmodeus: My name is blasphemy. My name is nightmare.
Father Gabriel Amorth: My nightmare is France winning the World Cup.
Asmodeus: You prideful fool. You can’t hide behind your jokes forever, Gabriel. I know your nightmares too.
Asmodeus: Beware, your sins will seek you out. I’ll be waiting for you, Gabe.
'To die in a war is heroic. To survive a war, complex.' - Father Gabriel Amorth (The Pope's Exorcist) Click To Tweet
Father Gabriel Amorth: This demon, it says things that it could not know.
Father Esquibel: So it’s real?
Father Gabriel Amorth: What do you know about demons?
Father Esquibel: Only the basics, that they are fallen angels. One serves the other in a hierarchy.
Father Gabriel Amorth: The higher the demon, the more access it can have.
Father Gabriel Amorth: [to Julia] Your son is under the influence of a very powerful demon. Removing the boy from this place could be fatal. I say to you now the only way your son comes back to you is through faith.
Father Gabriel Amorth: Mrs. Vasquez, did anything happen to Henry?
Julia: He was in the car accident that killed his father. He saw his father impaled. That memory, that’s his demon.
Trailer: