Triumph Over Evil: Battle of the Exorcists

Do not even think any of this is allegorical and metaphorical. The priests explaining the rite of exorcism will assure the audience the Devil and his demons are very real and present in our world. However, on the positive side of the ledger, exorcisms are much calmer and more orderly than most of us have been led to believe. Even though it is obviously screening for Halloween, the Men of God proclaim the good news in Giovanni Ziberna & Valeria Baldan’s documentary Triumph Over Evil: Battle of the Exorcists, which has a special nationwide Fathom Events screening tomorrow night.

It is not just the old conservatives like Pope Benedict XVI who believe in demonic exorcism. The various exorcists remind the audience Pope Francis referred to the Devil as a force for evil at least 50 times and there were eighteen non-metaphorical references to the Devil and his demons in Vatican II. They also cite C.S. Lewis’s insights into what makes us vulnerable to demonic evil. One is obviously disbelief. The other is an unhealthy fascination. At this point, a lot of the horror movie fans will nervously start clearing their throats and looking at their shoes.

Yet, eventually the film circles back to the redemption experienced through exorcism, which seems very compatible with the writings and films of William Peter Blatty (who was also a very nice man in-person). They do indeed suggest the Lord works in mysterious ways. In fact, you hear that from one of the most famous exorcists, Father Gabriele Amorth.

In many ways, the exorcists (including Father Amorth) try to explain the rite in terms that de-mystify the process and reassure viewers. There is extensive medical consultation at every step and little physical conflict during the actual ritual. Light is always plentiful, but restraints are almost always absent.

Still, the exorcists provide cautionary notes, especially with regards to the rise of occult and New Age practices. Pretty much anyone claiming to be a magical practitioner should be considered suspect. Their intentions might not be deliberately nefarious, but they are literally asking for trouble. Naturally, the internet is not helping either, so think twice before downloading that Ouija board app.

The exorcists, such as Father Amorth and Father Benigno Palilla, certainly look like they would inspire confidence amongst afflicted families. Unfortunately, they were poorly served by the decision to present the film with an English audio track. Frustratingly, it is not even a proper dubbing. Instead, the English translations sound like disembodied voices (quite ironic, given the subject matter), while the original Italian audio can still be vaguely heard, low and indistinct, buried underneath.

Nevertheless, Triumph Over Evil will challenge how many viewers think about exorcism, including both the faithful and genre fans. Ultimately, it shares much more kinship with Fathom’s religious programming. Instead of scares, it offers hope, especially when the exorcists celebrate the intercession of the Virgin Mary. As a result, the film ends on a highly inspirational note. Recommended for faith-based audiences, even with the questionable audio strategy, Triumph Over Evil screens tomorrow night (10/30) in theaters, including the AMC Empire in New York.