February 9, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • Page 17 ‘The Rite’ is a too-tame look at exorcism by Dennis Seuling “The Rite” had a terrific coming attraction playing on TV the week before the movie’s late-January theatrical release. Anthony Hopkins was prominently featured with an assortment of creepy expressions, and quick cuts showed a woman contorting her body, the horrified reaction of a young priest, and some shots of Rome. With Hopkins’ star power and a dramatic plot involving humans possessed by the devil, this looked like a good, old-fashioned horror film geared to scare the wits out of an audience. Michael Kovak (Colin O’Donoghue) has just finished four years of seminary school and is on the verge of taking his final vows, but has issues with his own faith. When the Pope hands down an edict requiring every diocese to have a resident exorcist, Michael’s superiors see this as an opportunity to show him the power of faith. They send him to Rome for a two-month intensive course to prepare him for the role. In Rome, he is introduced to Father Lucas, an elderly priest currently attempting to exorcise evil from a 16-year-old girl who was impregnated by her father. When Michael witnesses one session, with the girl flailing, twisting her body, and speaking English (a language she doesn’t know), he is convinced mental illness is at the root of the girl’s behavior. The rest of the movie is a philosophical dialogue on the presence of the devil in the modern world and how the devil is empowered by people’s disbelief in him. Hopkins is given plenty of opportunities to ham it up, channeling his Hannibal Lecter character and turning Father Lucas into the antithesis of what an exorcist should be. He is glib, tosses out one-liners, takes cell phone calls in the midst of an exorcism, jokingly refers to scenes in a famous horror film, and treats his job with a laid back manner, with occasional outbursts, in the never ending battle of good and evil. The audience approaches a movie about possession with certain expectations. There have been a myriad of possession films, from “Child’s Play,” in which a doll absorbs the personality and modus operandi of a murderer, to “The Omen,” in which the cherub-faced spawn of the devil goes on a killing spree to insinuate himself into a position of power. What these films have in common is action, and plenty of it -- a feature blatantly absent in “The Rite,” which is far too tame. The primary problem is the film’s fence-balancing PG-13 rating, which doesn’t allow for intense content, graphic visuals, or strong language. In other words, this is a possession film for those who think Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins) performs an exorcism on a 16-year-old girl in ‘The Rite.’ they’re too scary. Director Mikael Hafstrom is not great with pacing. At 114 minutes, the movie drags considerably and never has a payoff worth waiting for. It’s sort of like having field seats to the seventh game of the World Series and having the umpires call the game a tie. Hopkins, given solid material, can be wonderful, but with mediocre stuff like “The Rite,” he compensates for drama on (continued on Crossword page) �� ����������������� ��������� ����������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� Join us on ������������� Authentic Cuisine from Spain ����������������� OPEN 7 DAYS • LUNCH • DINNER • COCKTAILS Valentine’s Day �� � � ��� ������ $ Featuring: The Wines of Spain Tues., Mar. 7 • 6 pm Speaker: ������������ Available Sunday thru Thursday Noon-10pm, Friday until 5:30pm � (Served with Spanish Potatoes) Choice of Appetizer Soup or Salad • Entree �� �� ���������� ������ No Substitutions • Both Parties Must Order From This Menu • Not Available On Holidays 50 per person Import Manager, Call for reservations Opici Wines ������������������������ Open 7 Days a Week • Mon-Thurs 11:30-10, Fri 11:30-11, Sat 12-11, Sun 12-10 ������������������������������������������ �������������� V alentine Specials Full Regular Menu Available Call for Reservations Join us for ������������������ ���������� �������������������� ���������� C • O • R • T• I • N • A R I S T O R A N T E Fine Dining For Lunch & Dinner �������������������������������� Sunday Brunch ��������� HAPPY HOUR ������������������ Lunch Starts at $7.00 • Mon-Fri 11:30AM–2:30PM Dinner Starts at $12 • Mon-Thurs 5PM–9:30PM • Fri & Sat 5PM–10PM Dine & Dance - Live Entertainment �������������������������������� ������������������� �������������� � �� ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������� ���������������������� Wednesdays: Ray La Rovere-Piano, Emil Rizzo-Mandolin Saturdays: Mike Constantino-Piano Private Party Room For Up To 60 People • Call for Reservations - 973-942-1750 118 Berkshire Ave., Paterson, NJ (Totowa Section) • www.cortinarestaurant.com 2-9-11 LegendsSteakhouseValentine(2-9-11) Charge