The Pope’s Exorcist Blu-ray review: Russell Crowe delivers classic horror chills

Russel Crowe, Demon Hunter

There is no shortage of exorcism films, a horror sub-genre that has been proliferating since the groundbreaking success of 1973’s The Exorcist. Yet, while many exorcism-centered films take the wrong lessons from the 1973 classic and focus on cheap jump-scares, The Pope’s Exorcist takes a more straightforward approach for a more memorable and eerie film.

Russell Crowe stars as the real-life Father Gabriele Amorth, the personal exorcist to the Pope. Sent to Spain to investigate a potential possession of a young boy named Henry (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney), the case leads Amorth and his assistant Father Esquibel (Daniel Zovatto) to uncover a historical conspiracy within the very Church itself.

While Russel Crowe is known for his larger-than-life portrayal of characters in crisis, his performance here is noticeably toned down (questionable accent aside). Director Julius Avery (Overlord), working from a script by Michael Petroni and Evan Spiliotopoulos, expertly builds the tension throughout, even as the story becomes knottier and more complex.

The Pope’s Exorcist may not reinvent the exorcism sub-genre but its mix of drama, horror, and conspiracy-based historical mystery moves along briskly, and Crowe remains endlessly watchable throughout.

Sony brings The Pope’s Exorcist to Blu-ray (also available in 4K UHD) with a stunning 1080p transfer and an immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. Unfortunately, the extras are rather slim, with a pair of featurettes looking at the real-life exorcist and how the filmmakers brought his story to life.

That said, The Pope’s Exorcist is a refreshing take on well-trod territory.  Coupled with this disc’s technical merits, this one earns an easy recommendation.

The Pope’s Exorcist Blu-ray Extras

Introducing Father Amorth Featurette

What Possessed You? Featurette