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The Rite

  • 2011
  • PG-13
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
105K
YOUR RATING
Anthony Hopkins in The Rite (2011)
A skeptical seminary student Michael Kovak (Colin OÂ’Donoghue) reluctantly attends exorcism school at the Vatican.
Play trailer2:33
13 Videos
99+ Photos
Supernatural HorrorDramaHorrorMysteryThriller

American seminary student Michael Kovak travels to Italy to take an exorcism course.American seminary student Michael Kovak travels to Italy to take an exorcism course.American seminary student Michael Kovak travels to Italy to take an exorcism course.

  • Director
    • Mikael Håfström
  • Writers
    • Michael Petroni
    • Matt Baglio
  • Stars
    • Colin O'Donoghue
    • Anthony Hopkins
    • Ciarán Hinds
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    105K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mikael Håfström
    • Writers
      • Michael Petroni
      • Matt Baglio
    • Stars
      • Colin O'Donoghue
      • Anthony Hopkins
      • Ciarán Hinds
    • 261User reviews
    • 276Critic reviews
    • 38Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 5 nominations total

    Videos13

    The Rite: Trailer #2
    Trailer 2:33
    The Rite: Trailer #2
    The Rite
    Trailer 2:07
    The Rite
    The Rite
    Trailer 2:07
    The Rite
    The Rite: You Think You Outsmarted Him?
    Clip 0:40
    The Rite: You Think You Outsmarted Him?
    The Rite: Father Lucas Gets Results
    Clip 0:31
    The Rite: Father Lucas Gets Results
    The Rite: Close The Door Please
    Clip 0:57
    The Rite: Close The Door Please
    The Rite: There Are Times When I Experience A Total Loss Of Faith
    Clip 0:44
    The Rite: There Are Times When I Experience A Total Loss Of Faith

    Photos178

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    + 172
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    Top cast29

    Edit
    Colin O'Donoghue
    Colin O'Donoghue
    • Michael Kovak
    Anthony Hopkins
    Anthony Hopkins
    • Father Lucas Trevant
    Ciarán Hinds
    Ciarán Hinds
    • Father Xavier
    Alice Braga
    Alice Braga
    • Angeline
    Toby Jones
    Toby Jones
    • Father Matthew
    Rutger Hauer
    Rutger Hauer
    • Istvan Kovak
    Marta Gastini
    Marta Gastini
    • Rosaria
    Maria Grazia Cucinotta
    Maria Grazia Cucinotta
    • Aunt Andria
    Arianna Veronesi
    Arianna Veronesi
    • Francesca
    Andrea Calligari
    • Vincenzo
    Christopher Rodriguez Marquette
    Christopher Rodriguez Marquette
    • Eddie
    • (as Chris Marquette)
    Torrey DeVitto
    Torrey DeVitto
    • Nina
    Ben Cheetham
    Ben Cheetham
    • Young Michael
    Marija Karan
    Marija Karan
    • Sandra
    Rosa Pianeta
    • Woman in Exorcism Video
    Giampiero Ingrassia
    • Doctor
    Rosario Tedesco
    • Police Officer
    Cecilia Dazzi
    • Nurse
    • Director
      • Mikael Håfström
    • Writers
      • Michael Petroni
      • Matt Baglio
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews261

    6.0105.1K
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    Featured reviews

    7kimi_layercake

    "Something Missing And Something Present"

    "The Rite" is an American supernatural horror film about an American seminary student who travels to Italy to take an exorcism course. The turn of events at Rome make him question his self beliefs and embark him on a journey of self fruition and worldly truth.

    Cast wise, No complain. Anthony Hopkins seems very natural for his role of Father Lucas, an unorthodox Exorcist who questions his faith after a failed exorcism. His performance,specially the devil possessed climax performance brings in mind the chilling menace he showcased in "Silence Of The Lambs" or "Fracture" etc. Newcomer Colin O'Donoghue plays his role of an upcoming reluctant Priest cum Exorcist with diligence and audacity. His appearance,something of a mixture of dark and white makes him an ideal candidate for Batman's Bruce Wayne role. His performance was not over-the-top nor was it beginner's mess. Rest chips in well in their roles.

    "The Rite" strength and weakness both lies in its Storyline. Fact is the storyline deals with the sensitive issues of demonic possession, faith contradictions, exorcism, good versus bad issues in a very delicate ways. Neither the Director injects heroic acts to make it entertaining nor incorporate gore and violence to make an impact. Everything is dealt in a very instinctual manner, rendering the movie being liked by a section of viewers for its authenticity and veracious dealing with its subject material; on the other hand, being distasteful to the other section of viewers for being non entertaining and devoid of gore and violence.

    Overall, "The Rite" has something missing and something present. Even though the subject material might be difficult to digest for most viewers, "The Rite" succeeds in capturing the viewer's attention and appreciation.

    My Verdict: 7/10
    9yawar_hameed_jan

    The Rite saves the dying exorcism sub-genres

    After losing faith in the exorcism sub-genres and my sister telling me how average this movie was, i didn't expect much from The Rite. Honestly, the only reason i watched it was because of Anthony Hopkins, and i am glad i did. This movie has everything that fans want in an exorcism movie. Some people may find it a bit slow paced but the movie does not steer off course, every minute is relevant to the storyline.

    Even in his 70's, Mr Hopkins did just what was expected from him. He gave a powerful performance which scared the living hell out of me and played his most convincing role since Hannibal Lector but surprisingly so did someone else, someone who i had never heard of. Yes, i am talking about Colin O'Donoghue, who managed to stay in the light and make a great connection with his co-stars. Every character in the movie was fully utilized specially that of Alice Braga.

    I find that many people fail to see the spark in this film, and the only reason i can think of is that people these days are too fond of gore which this movie lacks. Surely, The Rite is not for the "Doubters" but for the people who believe and have interest in this subject.

    After decades of miserable exorcism movies, finally we got us a winner. Can i dare say that this movie is better than The Exorcist?, No i cant but this is definitely the "Second Best" ..

    Now i can confidently say that "you were wrong big sister".

    With solid performances, amazing cinematography and mind blowing sound effects, i give it a 9/10.
    8petit76

    Survival of Exorcism sub-genre with the phenomenon acting by a giant actor

    The Rite looked like it would be a mixed bag right from the start. The film seemed to suffer the same fate many other films before it fell victim to and that's giving away too much of the storyline in the trailers. On top of that, it was a film that revolved around exorcism which is a subject that usually leads to disappointing results. Expectations would lead one to believe that The Rite would have enough momentum to reel you in only to drop the ball during its finale similar to last year's The Last Exorcism (except hopefully without the appearance of a neon red, glow in the dark fetus). Luckily, the film has a few surprises up its sleeve.

    The cinematography in the film is probably the first thing you'll notice visually. The opening of the film makes things like dripping embalming fluid, a swing set on a playground, and an overturned shopping cart seem more interesting than they really are. Rain is an element used fairly often in the film to usually signify when something has gone wrong or is about to. Whether the camera is placed up high to make it seem like you're looking down on the cast from the heavens or down low as if you're looking up at them from the depths of the earth, the rain sequences in the film are definitely some of the most memorable due to the camera work.

    This is probably a pretty obvious statement, but the film is worth seeing for Anthony Hopkins alone. It's not that Colin O'Donoghue does poorly since he certainly has a strong screen presence and does a fantastic job carrying the film, but Hopkins just manages to trump that while stealing every scene he's in and rightfully so. Father Lucas Trevant is the strongest and creepiest role Hopkins has played since Hannibal Lecter and his best role overall in years. It's just amazing seeing a man in his seventies give a performance that's this physical and this absorbing. Speaking of distinguished actors, it was nice seeing Rutger Hauer as well even if it was just for a small role.

    The dream sequences and hallucinations in the film may have been my hands down favorite. I've always been a fan of the surreal, the imaginative, the creative, and the things that don't seem to make sense at first but gain meaning as the film or story progresses. I never thought I'd find myself intrigued with the actions of a mule or that frogs could have an even deeper meaning than what you're probably expecting, but The Rite accomplishes this very well.

    Thankfully, The Rite delivers an exorcism film that is actually worth seeing. It'll probably be forgotten about in a year filled with so many blockbuster film releases, but considering that January and February are usually filled with such monstrous duds at the box office The Rite manages to surpass expectations. While the film does seem rather reminiscent of The Last Exorcism and borrows the atmosphere from the Heath Ledger film The Order, The Rite is actually a better experience overall. With an engrossing performance by Anthony Hopkins along with a fairly strong cast all around, its fantastic cinematography, surreal dream sequences, and a satisfying conclusion that doesn't hint at a sequel, The Rite is actually a surprisingly decent film all around. Evren Buyruk
    6SnoopyStyle

    Colin O'Donoghue too underwhelming in this

    Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue) is an American seminary student who travels to Italy to learn exorcism from Father Lucas Trevant (the Great Anthony Hopkins).

    It takes a more realistic spin of exorcism. By discussing it as a real thing inside the church, it creates a more powerful foundation to build on than your average slasher horror. But it never really raises the tension. Colin O'Donoghue is just too underwhelming in this. I don't know if it's because he pales in comparison to Anthony Hopkins. Or if it's the clean-shaved look, he has much more presence in 'Once Upon a Time' as Hook.
    7poicop

    Since Exorcist, there's maybe one or two movies of this subject that have been good...half decent...and this is one of them.

    Sometimes you read reviews, but want to see the film so bad, you go, and because your expectations are so low. You enjoy the movie. Reviews seems to be on the good side, with earlier reviews being very bad.

    This is a good movie. The acting is good. The directing is good. Unfortunately some people are bothered by the lead in the movie. But that's his job. And he did his job well. He was picked for a good reason. I would only be guessing why. But those/the director/writer who created this movie did a good job. The feel of this film, the length. I had a good time.

    I would give this film a decent 7 out of 10. It does not rely on gore to scare you, or major special effects, or 3D. No doubt Anthony Hopkins is great in this film.

    I enjoyed it. You get what you paid for. Your not going to get The Exorcist. But in the HORROR film library, if you ask me, 80 - 85% of them all are garbage, or slasher, gore, which I do not consider a "Horror Movie."

    Well done everyone involved. It will not win awards. But so far it's a decent film that I will remember as one of the good ones from 2011.

    Lastly....anyone talking during the movie...were silenced.

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    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase in The Ring (2002)
    Supernatural Horror
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Mikael Håfström attended exorcisms to prepare for directing this movie. He was not allowed to witness them, but he could hear what was happening from outside the door.
    • Goofs
      After the exorcism scene, from the moment Colin O'Donoghue plays with the nail, he looses his American accent and Irish accent takes over for the whole scene when he talks with Anthony Hopkins.
    • Quotes

      Father Lucas Trevant: You be careful, Michael.

      Michael Kovak: Why?

      Father Lucas Trevant: Choosing not to believe in the devil won't protect you from him.

    • Crazy credits
      The Warner Brothers logo breaks apart and reforms as the New Line Cinema logo. A voice says "Don't be afraid. Do you believe in sin? There's nothing to believe in."
    • Connections
      Featured in Scream Awards 2010 (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Don't Miss Me
      Written by Derek Trucks and Michael Mattison

      Performed by The Derek Trucks Band

      Courtesy of Victor Records

      By Arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

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    FAQ23

    • How long is The Rite?Powered by Alexa
    • Is 'The Rite' based on a book?
    • How closely does the movie follow the book?
    • Why did the mortician put grass in the corpse's mouth at the beginning of the movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 28, 2011 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Hungary
      • Italy
    • Official site
      • Warner Bros. (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Welsh
      • Italian
      • Latin
      • Russian
      • Hungarian
      • Greek
    • Also known as
      • Nghi Lễ Trừ Tà
    • Filming locations
      • Budapest, Hungary(as Italy)
    • Production companies
      • New Line Cinema
      • Contrafilm
      • Mid Atlantic Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $37,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $33,047,633
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $14,789,393
      • Jan 30, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $96,560,591
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 54m(114 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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