Film Review: Vatican Tapes

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Cert: 15 cert

Director: Mark Neveldine

Screen writer: Chris Morgan  (based on a story by) and Christopher Borrelli (based on a story by) Christopher Borrelli  (screenplay) Michael C. Martin (screenplay

Starring: Michael Peña , Alison Lohman , Olivia Taylor Dudley , Kathleen Robertson , Djimon Hounsou , Dougray Scott , Michael Paré , John Patrick Amedori , Cas Anvar , Tehmina Sunny , Daniel Bernhardt , Peter Andersson , Alex Sparrow , Bruno Gunn , Noemi Gonzalez 

Running time: 1h 31 min

Parents advised to read before viewing film as some scene may contain scenes unsuitable for younger viewers.

Sex & Nudity:

• References to oral sex and the main character's mother being a call girl.

• A character grabs another character's backside briefly, however nothing happens because he is stopped.

• A young woman starts touching suggestively an older man but this gets interrupted

• Violence & Gore: A man smashes light bulbs into his own eyes (seen from behind), some blood is seen.

• A baby is about to be drowned, but the would-be killer is stopped before anything happens.

• A man is crushed by falling debris. There is some blood on the dead body, but the scene is not graphic.

• A young woman cuts her finger with a knife and the wound gets infected. Blood is seen.

• A scene in which several patients from a mental hospital start killing themselves shows a man being thrown down a balcony and a man hanging himself. Very brief, and no blood is seen.

• A character makes several violent contortions during an exorcism while being chained. In one very graphic scene, she breaks her own shoulder in order to set herself free. The sound of the bones breaking is graphic and the scene is fairly gross.

•  Three men end up dying after an exorcism: Two get crushed by falling debris while the other one is stabbed (no blood is seen).

Profanity:  Very mild language, there are some religious exclamations and the words "ass" and "hell" are used sometimes.

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: None

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 

• Demonic possession.

• A fairly gross scene features dislocating limbs, and some very graphic sounds are heard.

                                                             

Story: THE VATICAN TAPES follows the ultimate battle between good and evil - God versus Satan. Angela Holmes is an ordinary 27-year-old until she begins to have a devastating effect on anyone close, causing serious injury and death. Holmes is examined and possession is suspected, but when the Vatican is called upon to exorcise the demon, the possession proves to be an ancient satanic force more powerful than ever imagined. It's all up to Father Lozano to wage war for more than just Angela's soul, but for the world as we know it.

Likes : I really dont know what to say about this film to be honest, it starts off great with a creepy tone & atmosphere which set the mood but for some reason the film story had taken a different direction.

Not that the film was great it had its moment where certain scene would get dark & really creepy you out which is good because it adds tension to the film concept which is good for a horror film,the acting performance are good Olivia Taylor Dudley is the perfect casting for the victim of demonic possession, she does come off genuine which works for the film, along with the rest of the cast, but i can't help but feel this film could have been better as feels limited by is certification.

Dislikes : This is where this film went wrong, it start off great with a good atmosphere with a chilling dark concept which keeps it almost toward the end of the film yet, for some strange reason the story goes in a different direction which just complete destroyed the film concept.

The reason why i say this because the antichrist is meant to be evil they've kind of made this concept like an angel doing good it was the wrong direction this film could of gone it, way the film is they might as well as made it a pg 13 - 12A film, because its slightly a bit tame but good in places but bad in others.

Overall : Great start but change of direction slight off, creepy atmosphere.

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 for entertainment / 6.3 out of 10 for concept.