‘The Ritual’ Review: Al Pacino and Dan Stevens Slum It in an Exorcism Flick That’s Pure Regurgitation

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In a tale you might recognize, a young priest dealing with a recent personal loss and questioning his faith partners with an experienced priest for an exorcism on a troubled girl who appears to be under demonic influence. The younger clergyman doubts the girl’s symptoms are anything more than mental instability, while the older priest is unwavering in his resolve to confront the Devil once more.

No, I mean it, stop me.

Despite the fact that The Ritual hasn’t ceased to exist, it continues to struggle in the shadows of William Friedkin’s 1973 masterpiece, The Exorcist – a film that stands as the uncontested ruler of its genre. In an apparent bid to distract viewers from the cheesy elements shared with more recent films of similar themes like The Pope’s Exorcist and The Exorcism (both featuring Russell Crowe), the makers of this low-budget movie are keen to emphasize that their narrative is based on a real-life event.

At the outset, it’s stated that the narrative that follows is grounded in real-life occurrences. It also happens to be the best-documented instance of a demonic possession event in the annals of American history.

To clarify any doubts you might have after watching the film, a closing caption reiterates the fact. “The 1928 exorcism of Emma Schmidt is recognized as the most extensively documented and famous exorcism in American history,” it states, implying that viewers may need frequent reminders. To bolster our faith, real-life images of the priests involved are displayed on screen. Their insistence seems excessive to me.

Despite the antique appearance adding a touch of authenticity, it fails to bring excitement to the dull, fright-free events that unfold, much like they did in 1928 Iowa. Here, we find Emma (played by Abigail Cowen with impressive determination for her physically challenging role) demonstrating behavior fitting for both spiritual and cinematic guidance. Father Joseph Steiger (Dan Stevens) is skeptical about supernatural influences at play. However, the seasoned German priest Father Theophilus Riesinger (Al Pacino), whose name seems too genuine to be fictional, recognizes evil when it’s present. The local bishop (Patrick Fabian, who has previous experience from 2010’s The Last Exorcism, and should be aware by now) supports the idea of an exorcism.

So, we’re starting a sequence where two priests perform religious rites, and Emma, with budget-friendly demonic possession effects, responds. She levitates, speaks in unknown languages, vomits, and even rips a piece of scalp from a unfortunate novice (Ashley Greene, known for Twilight). Overseeing this is the strict Mother Superior, portrayed by Patricia Heaton, famous for her role in Everybody Loves Raymond. When aiming for scares, it seems fitting to include a sitcom star.

Filmmaker Midell (known for “The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain”) intentionally draws us into the dramatic unfolding by employing a lot of handheld cameras and zoom lenses, reminiscent of what’s often seen in mockumentary comedies. The lighting, on the other hand, is so dim it seems like the movie projector lights have gone out. Moreover, Midell frequently captures Stevens’ reactions, making it challenging to differentiate whether the skilled actor is genuinely immersed or pondering over his acting decisions.

Regarding Pacino, it’s not unexpected to find him in a B-movie again, perhaps due to his own decisions or financial needs. He adopts an accent that some older actors enjoy using (as demonstrated in Amazon’s series Hunters), and surprisingly, he performs quite well, avoiding the excessive dramatics that have marked his recent roles. This brings up the intriguing question: Out of all his recent projects, why didn’t he overact in this particular film?

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2025-06-05 19:24