The Vatican Tapes (2015)

The Vatican Tapes (2015)

I really liked this film.
As much as the cast. Indeed, Michael Peña, John Patrick Amedori and Djimon Hounsou, who always have good charisma, do a marvellous job.

I won’t dwell on all these actors, but Peña was in the excellent Crash (2004), World Trade Center (2006) and Ant-Man (2015).

What a pleasure to see Kathleen Robertson again!
She was already one of my favourites in the Beverly Hills series, 90210, and here she plays Dr Richards, the psychiatrist to Angela, the main character.

Angela is played by Olivia Taylor Dudley, an American actress born on 4 November 1985. She is known for her roles in horror films such as Chernobyl Diaries (2012) and Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015), for her television roles such as the Syfy fantasy series The Magicians, and for her work in the Internet sketch group 5-Second Films. But this film also plays a big part in her career.

I’m always impressed by the actresses who star in these possession films.
Because, yes, this horror thriller is indeed an exorcism film.

I always thought that if Dougray Scott was in a film, it couldn’t be very good, let alone excellent. However, I really enjoyed watching this film.

I think this actor is just unlucky and unlucky. He’s playing the villain in Mission: Impossible 2 (and was selected to do it by Tom Cruise himself). He was originally cast as Wolverine in the film version of X-Men, but Mission: Impossible 2 went over schedule and he was injured in a motorbike accident while filming the chase scene. He was forced to abandon the project and was replaced by Hugh Jackman in X-Men!
Unbelievable!!!

Scott was also a candidate to replace Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. Despite numerous reports that Eon Productions were leaning towards appointing him as the new Bond in 007’s Casino Royale adventure, the role was eventually awarded to Daniel Craig.
Really bad luck…

From 2006 to 2007, he appeared in the third season of Desperate Housewives as Teri Hatcher’s character’s new love interest.

In 2011, Scott starred in the film Love’s Kitchen alongside his wife Claire Forlani.

In 2014, Scott played a main villain again and this time it was in Taken 3. He also appeared in the second season of Fear the Walking Dead as Thomas Abigail. All in all, a fine career.
A fine career, in spite of everything, but probably not the fame deserved by this Scottish actor.

There’s also a brief appearance by Alison Lohman in the role of a psychiatric patient. This actress was brilliant alongside Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell in 2003’s Matchstick Men, a police black comedy directed by Ridley Scott and based on Eric Garcia’s 2002 novel of the same name.

The Vatican’s Secret Files is another good film in this genre.
I’ve been told to avoid The Last Exorcism 1 & 2 (2010 & 2013), though.

My favourites are The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and, of course, the main one, The Exorcist (1973), which is still a gem… unlike its two really bad sequels, Exorcist 2 – The Heretic (1977) & The Exorcist: Devotion (2023).

I really liked Molly Hartley 2 – The Exorcism (2015) too. More than the first one!
The Exorcism of Anna Ecklund (2016) is not bad at all.
The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018) is even better!
It’s reminiscent of the terrifying The Jane Doe Idendity (2016).

In this film, we don’t see an ultra-violent moment. We don’t see a possessed person vociferating profane and obnoxious insults. There’s no skin turning green or changing colour. You won’t see heads spinning 180 degrees, or huge sprays of vomit on a priest’s face…

So… if this is the kind of show you’re looking for, look elsewhere!
Or just be warned.
Personally, I like to see the differences between these films and not see exactly the same ritual and events all the time.

Who is the Antichrist? Is he (or she) charming? Will he try to pass himself off as a messenger? A prophet?
At what point can you sacrifice someone who is possessed?
Are crows really sent by the devil?

Here’s a review to add to mine: ‘Average!
Honestly, the idea was a good one, but the direction was something else. The film, which mixes exorcism and the appearance of the Antichrist on earth, is not credible and goes off in all directions. It’s a shame, because the effects are good and the film is fast-paced. We would have preferred more intrigue’.

My Rating