Inspired by true events, the film follows seminary student michael kovak colin odonoghue, who is sent to study exorcism at the vatican in spite of his own doubts about the controversial practice and even his own faith. The august oscarwinner and knight of the british empire isnt the films star that would be the handsome but particleboard dull colin odonoghue as michael kovak, a junior priest and. Instead we meet michael kovak irish actor colin odonoghue, making his. Jan 31, 2011 the devil returns to the silver screen this week with the opening of director mikael hafstroms the rite, based on journalist matt baglios 2009 book, the rite. Thomas is replaced in the movie by a character called fr. Michael kovak is a seminarian on the verge of taking his priestly vows or dropping out due to doubts about gods existence. But as filming progressed, the cast grew nervous of demonic possession. And if he does believe, does it follow that he believes. Jan 28, 2011 the august oscarwinner and knight of the british empire isnt the films star that would be the handsome but particleboard dull colin odonoghue as michael kovak, a junior priest and. And for most of the way, the rite manages to stay well this side of linda blairville, instead drawing us in with the darkly quirky qualities of old father trevant, a battleweary spiritual warrior whose life in the trenches has, it turns out, left him with a few demons of his own. Angeline, a journalist whose role is inspired by baglios real life, is played by alice braga.
Expect ham, not pea soup, from exorcism thriller the rite. Too late he learns from the priest in charge toby jones that if he doesnt take his final vows the school can hit him up for four years of tuition. In the film, this man is the fictional michael kovak, an affable seminarian who doubts his vocation and suffers from weak faith. The rite explores the mysteries of exorcism through the eyes of an expert and a novice. The rite is a scary, very effective supernatural thriller with genuine, triumphant christian faith.
Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. Anthony hopkins, awarded an oscar for a terrifying role as a psychotic killer in the silence of the lambs, plays father lucas, a seasoned exorcist who educates michael kovak, the skeptical seminarian a premiere role for colin odonoghue. In the film father thomas is renamed michael kovak, played by colin odonoghue, irish star of tv series the tudors. It was with some expectation that i was excited about the release of 2011s the rite starring anthony hopkins as father lucas trevant and colin odonoghue as michael kovak. The difference between this one and its 70s forebear is that the rites makers also produced the exorcism of emily. Baglios book explores the current reality of satanic activity in our day and. The rite dvd rated pg 114 minutes michael kovak colin odonoghue has always been a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. This intense spiritual thriller revolves around two dramatically different characters. Angeline, a journalist whose role is inspired by baglios real life. Undertaker istvan kovak rutger hauer raises his son michael kovak odonoghue to honour the dead, even inviting the boy to watch as he prepares his mother for the casket. According to the rite true story, father gary thomas, who is portrayed by actor colin odonoghue in the movie, attended exorcism classes, among others, during his nine month stay.
Inspired by author matt baglios nonfiction book of the same name, director mikael hafstroms supernatural thriller traces the experiences of a young seminary student who discovers the true power of faith after being drafted into the vaticans exorcism school and. The devil is back and hes still mad national catholic. Unlike most young men who never experience deathread more. This is the book that served as the inspiration for the movie the rite. Houston in the rearview mirror is the second book in the milt kovak book series. The rite gets it all wrong arts the harvard crimson. In the film, father michael kovak colin odonoghue arrives in rome.
The rite stars anthony hopkins and colin odonoghue. Irrespective of the fact that he has so many challenges in his life, milt kovak remains more than determined to do his job. His father superior forces his hand to go overseas to rome to attend exorcism school apparently the devil has been hard at work, and the vatican has decided it needs more exorcists, so kovak either has to give it a shot, enjoy italy, learn about satan or pay back seminary student loans. It was the only place when i was researching a book on the devil where. Michael kovak colin odonoghue is the son of a successful funeral home owner and businessman, istvan rutger hauer. Michael kovak, played by hunky irish newcomer colin odonoghue, and matt baglio is transformed into the lovely journalist angeline santos alice braga, who mostly provides exposition, and fr. In 2011 the rite,starring anthony hopkins and colin odonoghue, hit theaters. The author of more than forty books on the philosophy and theology of culture, novak is most widely known for his book the spirit of democratic capitalism 1982. Recently ordained to the transitional deaconate, michael kovak. In the film version of the rite, for which father thomas served as an advisor on the set, colin odonoghue portrays young seminarian michael kovak based on father thomas, who apprentices himself to a seasoned exorcist played by anthony hopkins during a training course in rome. The rite the rite 2010 paperback by matt baglio is one of the best books i have ever read. The rite is based on a real priest trained in exorcism.
The making of a modern exorcist by matt baglio is a fascinating, thorough, and thoughtprovoking look at exorcism through the perspective of a catholic priest, father gary, reluctantly sent to the vatican to learn how to become an exorcist. He is a mandated exorcist working in california who, like his counterpart in the movie, was trained in rome. The rite has the right stuff, according to author matt baglio. The rite is made in a thoughtprovoking way with more emphasis on story and the crisis of faith kovak is going through than it does on the paranormal as many may have become accustomed to in exorcism movies. Michaels doubts are challenged by two of the patients under the care of father lucas. According to the rite true story, father gary thomas, who is. On the other hand, michael kovak newcomer colin odonoghue, a doubting seminarian roped into a vaticansponsored training initiative for new exorcists, belongs to the postcritical milieu of.
The young actor from drogheda, ireland, did not have any feature experience but sent an audition tape to the filmmakers. Inspired by true events, the rite follows skeptical seminary student michael kovak colin odonoghue, who reluctantly attends exorcism. At the start of his research, baglio believed he would. Mar 16, 2011 the rite 2010 paperback by matt baglio is one of the best books i have ever read. Did the real michael kovak take classes in rome to become an exorcist.
Michael kovaks doubt seems to mirror more closely the experience of matt baglio in writing his book. Exorcist father gary thomas interview exorcist michael kovaks real life counterpart, father gary thomas, 57, is interviewed in 2011 about the movie the rite and demonic possession. The author of more than forty books on the philosophy and theology of culture, novak is most widely known for his book the spirit of democratic capitalism. And the rite, in turn, is a cinematic fictionalization inspired by the true events baglio wrote about. The rite is a 2011 supernatural horror film directed by mikael hafstrom and written by michael petroni. Demons ive faced as an exorcist express yourself comment. The rite has the right stuff, according to author matt. Kovak has just graduated from seminary to become a priest, and as quickly as he receives his credentials, he realizes he has questions of faith. Michael novak september 9, 1933 february 17, 2017 was an american catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.
Neither are the possessed while theyre being possessed, are they. Colin odonoghue plays michael kovak, a proud unbeliever who cynically attends seminary solely for the free education. Exorcism is a hollywood favourite, the latest being the rite. The making of a modern exorcist, which itself is based on supposedly real events as witnessed and recounted by american thenexorcistintraining father gary thomas and his experiences of being sent to rome to be trained and work daily. The story of michael kovak and his experiences in a course on exorcism and his rome based exorcism experiences had fans hoping for an amazing religious horror experience but it faltered in its delivery of the material. Jan 28, 2011 on the other hand, michael kovak newcomer colin odonoghue, a doubting seminarian roped into a vaticansponsored training initiative for new exorcists, belongs to the postcritical milieu of the. January 20, 2017 xandriekovak author, fiction, freebie alert, x. In mikael hafstroms the rite, a troubled young seminarian named michael kovak colin odonoghue travels to italy and turns to the practice of exorcism under the tutelage of the renegade father lucas trevant anthony hopkins.
The movie, of course, wants nothing of such hardnosed, balanced appraisals of exorcism. When father lucas shows signs of being affected by his work, michael has to decide whet he really believes. In 1973 the movie the exorcist turned heads, both on screen and literally. Odonoghue plays michael kovak, a skeptical seminarian sent to rome to. An exorcism tale with too little of the rite stuff. The rite 2011 colin odonoghue as michael kovak imdb.
Kovak free for a limited time january 9, 2017 xandriekovak author, cover reveal, fiction, graphic design, x. Jun 29, 2011 the rite dvd rated pg 114 minutes michael kovak colin odonoghue has always been a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. For example, paranoid schizophrenics are not aware that theyre deluded. At the urging of one of his teachers at seminary, michael goes to italy to study at the vaticans exorcism school. American seminary student michael kovak colin odonaghue travels to italy to take an exorcism course. Matt baglio, an american journalist in rome, wrote a book based on father. Mirroring that relationship, colin odonoghue makes his feature film debut as michael kovak, opposite the veteran anthony hopkins. Michael s doubts are challenged by two of the patients under the care of father lucas. Screenwriter michael petroni adapting journalist matt baglios nonfiction book about reallife exorcist gary thomas sets kovak up as the most unlikely of divine weapons. Jan 28, 2011 and the rite, in turn, is a cinematic fictionalization inspired by the true events baglio wrote about. However, the area code for the phone number on the funeral home sign is 312, which is an area code for chicago over one hundred miles away from dixon. The rite is a supernatural thriller that uncovers the devils reach to even one of the holiest places on earth. Jan 31, 2011 ciaran hinds as vatican exorcism professor, father xavier and rutger hauer as michael s father, istvan kovak are mostly wasted in limited roles that give them very little to do. Mar 14, 2011 in the film father thomas is renamed michael kovak, played by colin odonoghue, irish star of tv series the tudors.
While in rome, he meets an unorthodox priest, father lucas, who introduces him to the darker side of his faith. The making of a modern exorcist, which itself is based on real events as witnessed and recounted by american thenexorcistintraining father gary thomas. Apr 27, 2016 in 2011 the rite,starring anthony hopkins and colin odonoghue, hit theaters. It is about a young man, michael kovak, who has finished catholic seminary but has not yet taken his vows for the priesthood because he is doubting his faith. O donoghue plays michael kovak, a skeptical seminarian sent to rome to.
In 1993 novak was honored with an honorary doctorate. Michael kovak is a seminarian on the verge of taking his priestly vows. In the film father thomas is renamed michael kovak, played by. The rite is a supernatural thriller that uncovers the devils reach to even one of the inspired by true events, the rite follows skeptical seminary student michael kovak, who reluctantly attends exorcism school at the vatican. In the rite, father michael kovak colin odonoghue has some basic questions about his line of work. Mar 01, 2011 the biggest difference between the film the rite and the book on which it is loosely based is the character of the man called to rome to be trained as an exorcist.
The rite book did the real michael kovak take classes in rome to become an exorcist. Kovak is having a crisis of faith, and appears to be skeptical of the entire goddevil deal. See more ideas about the rite, the rite movie and colin odonoghue. The latest in a long line of such films is the rite, which uses that perennially popular marketing tool, the claim that the film was based on true events. Inspired by true events, the rite follows skeptical seminary student michael kovak colin odonoghue, who reluctantly attends exorcism school at the vatican. The making of a modern exorcist and it tells the true story of a. Wearing his deep skepticism like armor, michael challenges. The film directed by, mikael hafstrom, does a good job of keeping the concept believable, while at the same time, entertaining and. The devil returns to the silver screen this week with the opening of director mikael hafstroms the rite, based on journalist matt baglios 2009 book, the rite. The rite by mikael hafstrom anthony hopkins, colin o. Jan 28, 2011 the rite, a supernatural thriller starring anthony hopkins as a jesuit expert in exorcism, piles on cliches while dealing with the serious, serious business of diabolical evil. We are given in most chapters glimpses into the mind.
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