Did anyone end up seeing The Pope's Exorcist?

[Gnarwhal]

It's available to watch on Netflix, I just finished it. It's pretty good but I honestly don't know how accurate it is.

Spoiler: The Pope's Exorcist Spoilers

Fr. Amorth is summoned to perform an exorcism on a young possessed boy. The case is extreme, and he discovers that the site of the possession is an abandoned abbey that sits above some kind of cavern. The cavern is considered some kind of evil site, and it entombs a famous exorcist who allegedly first recommended an Inquisition to Queen Isabella of Spain. The exorcist himself eventually became possessed and infiltrated the Vatican. So, according to the movie, everything that the Inquisition actually became known for was the work of that exorcist after he became possessed and therefore was actually the work of the devil done in the name of God.

They discover the demons name is Asmodeus (mentioned in Tobit) "the king of hell" and, to save the young boys life whom he's possessing, Fr. Amorth finally offers himself to be possessed by Asmodeus because that's what the demon demanded. Eventually the other priest Fr. Amorth is working with, Fr. Esquibel comes to his aid and helps drive the demon out and back to hell.

The film wraps with the Vatican purchasing and reconsecrating the abandoned abbey, and the Pope and Bishop Lumumba assigning Fr. Amorth and Fr. Esquibel to drive the devil out of 199 other sites that are supposedly like the abbey was, revealed to them when they were working on the exorcism at the abbey.

 

[Chrystal-J]

I saw it when it first came out. I liked it ok, it just lagged a little here and there.

 

[Michie]

I read a bunch of poor reviews from Catholic sources so I never saw it. Here is a couple:

The highly fictionalized biopic, directed by Julius Avery and starring Russell Crowe in the titular role, is a wasted opportunity, a homeless man’s Exorcist that is possibly even more shamelessly ignorant about the Church than The Da Vinci Code.

Continued below.

<i>The Pope’s Exorcist</i> would make Dan Brown proud

www.catholicworldreport.com

Catholic Exorcists Raise Concerns Over 'The Pope's Exorcist' Film | uCatholic

Catholic exorcists caution against upcoming film "The Pope's Exorcist" featuring Russell Crowe as Father Amorth, calling it inaccurate and offensive.

ucatholic.com

I’m more interested in seeing Nefarious.

 

[Gnarwhal]

I read a bunch of poor reviews from Catholic sources so I never saw it. Here is a couple:

The highly fictionalized biopic, directed by Julius Avery and starring Russell Crowe in the titular role, is a wasted opportunity, a homeless man’s Exorcist that is possibly even more shamelessly ignorant about the Church than The Da Vinci Code.

Continued below.

<i>The Pope’s Exorcist</i> would make Dan Brown proud

www.catholicworldreport.com

Catholic Exorcists Raise Concerns Over 'The Pope's Exorcist' Film | uCatholic

Catholic exorcists caution against upcoming film "The Pope's Exorcist" featuring Russell Crowe as Father Amorth, calling it inaccurate and offensive.

ucatholic.com

I’m more interested in seeing Nefarious.

The whole bit about Fr. Amorth surrendering himself to the demon Asmodeus for possession as a sacrifice for the family he was helping just seemed like all kinds of wrong.

Not to mention there was some inappropriate stuff, including some nudity when the demon uses the other priest's guilt over premarital sexual relations he had with a woman before he joined the seminary and became a priest by conjuring a hallucination of the woman and trying to seduce the priest again

 

[Michie]

The whole bit about Fr. Amorth surrendering himself to the demon Asmodeus for possession as a sacrifice for the family he was helping just seemed like all kinds of wrong.

Not to mention there was some inappropriate stuff, including some nudity when the demon uses the other priest's guilt over premarital sexual relations he had with a woman before he joined the seminary and became a priest by conjuring a hallucination of the woman and trying to seduce the priest again

It was highly fictionalized to suit the usual Hollywood standards is my understanding. I just never bothered because of the reviews I read. I’d rather read Fr. Amorth’s books.

 

[Gnarwhal]

It was highly fictionalized to suit the usual Hollywood standards is my understanding. I just never bothered because of the reviews I read. I’d rather read Fr. Amorth’s books.

Same. I was really disappointed, though not surprised one bit. I did notice some small details about the possessed that I've heard either from Fr. Amorth or Fr. Ripperger.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

I haven't been able to watch these sorts of things in many years. They hurt me mentally which hurts me spiritually.

 

[RileyG]

I should watch it sometime later. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[mourningdove~]

I haven't watched it. Read the negative reviews, so wasn't drawn to it.

I grew up watching every horror film and film about the devil and the supernatural that hit the tv ...
and there were lots of them, in the 60's. I don't think I missed a single one of them.
Most of them were not as graphic as they are today, but the messaging was still there.

When I experienced my adult conversion to Christ, I felt lead to repent of all that stuff, and stay away from it.
It was just something the Lord personally put on my heart, as direction for me.

Much later in life, I got 'educated' in spiritual things ... like the occult, demons, spiritual warfare, etc.
And so now, I find none of it to be "entertaining", and only watched "Nefarius" recently, because I sensed it would be educational.
And it was.

(p.s. Yes, I'm also one of those persons who does not "celebrate" Halloween, though I totally loved it as a child.)

 

[Gnarwhal]

I don't know if I could really recommend the film, A) because it has graphic female nudity in it, and B) it seems to be a highly stylized fictional account of Fr. Amorth. Which is unnecessary considering what he actually did in life.