Rite Here Rite Now

It’s difficult to recommend Rite Here Rite Now to anyone who isn’t already a devoted disciple of Swedish theatrical metal band Ghost. Filmed during the band’s sold-out shows in Los Angeles’ Kia Forum in 2023, this whopping two-and-a-half-hour-long film puts the group’s gothic aesthetic on full display as they perform tracks from their five albums. However, with only a very loose narrative stopping this feature from being purely a live concert performance, there’s not much here to appeal to newcomers.

Wearing skeletal face paint that resembles Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight and a series of eye-catching outfits that range from sparkly jackets to a satanic clergyman costume, frontman Tobias Forge (who goes by the stage name Papa Emeritus IV) is a charismatic presence throughout the whole performance. Completing the band’s iconic look are the anonymous mask-wearing bandmates and three huge stained-glass windows that turn the stage into their own personal cathedral to worship all things rock. This performance exemplifies everything about this band that’s given them international stardom, with high production values and the occasional appearance from a small instrumental ensemble only furthering the entertainment value.

Likewise, there some cutaway moments between songs of Papa Emeritus IV interacting with others backstage, highlighting the group’s peculiar sense of humour. At one point the vocalist is dressed in boxing gloves and a robe and walks around the crowd for no obvious reason. It’s all delightfully strange and adds an extra layer of personality to the show.

Those familiar with Ghost will know the band has been given a complex backstory by Forge. Since 2010, the singer has portrayed various characters as the band’s vocalist, with Papa Emeritus IV being the latest. The plot of the film centres around Emeritus IV’s future in the band, however, this only goes as far as a handful of lines between himself and other characters. Although an opening narration fills viewers in on the major details, audiences will need to have a prior knowledge of the group’s webisodes to understand what’s going on.

Combing the band’s signature theatrics with their own unique storytelling, Rite Here Rite Now is tailor-made for Ghost fans. But with little to interest those who haven’t been converted to the band’s satanic church, this movie is best left to the most devout followers.

Andrew Murray

Rite Here Rite Now is haunting cinemas worldwide on 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd June 2024. For more information and tickets, visit the website here.

Watch the trailer for Rite Here Rite Now here: