Al Pacino is the sole grace in this slow-burn exorcism drama that lacks bite

Story: Based on a true story, priests Theophilus Riesinger and Joseph Steiger must set aside their differences to save a possessed young woman, undertaking what would become the longest documented exorcism in US history.Review: A horror film based on a purported real-life case of demonic possession, starring Dan Stevens and Al Pacino, certainly sounds like a promising proposition. ‘The Ritual,’ directed by David Midell, delivers competent performances across the board, and the sincerity of its cast is never in doubt. However, the film remains largely pedantic and struggles to truly terrify. What it ends up offering is more of a dramatic retelling than a gripping horror experience.Interestingly, among the production companies backing this XYZ Films venture is Baweja Studios from India—a surprising but welcome addition to a film rooted so deeply in American religious folklore. The story draws heavily from the writings of Father Joseph Steiger, a real-life Catholic priest whose accounts have inspired horror narratives for decades. The film opens with text referencing Steiger’s experience during what is believed to be the longest-running exorcism in American history. Set in 1920s Earling, Iowa, the tone is sombre and serious right from the start. We meet a young Father Steiger (Dan Stevens), clearly shaken, just before a woman possessed by demons literally flies up the convent wall. It’s a compelling opening, even if what follows doesn’t always live up to it.The central story revolves around Father Steiger, grieving the suicide of his brother and already disillusioned with the Church’s stance on mental illness. He’s called upon to assist in the exorcism of Emma Schmidt (Abigail Cowen), a young woman experiencing violent, inexplicable symptoms. Her devout Catholic family turns to the Church after doctors fail to help. Enter Father Theophilus Riesinger (Al Pacino), an experienced exorcist with unwavering faith. As the exorcism unfolds over 23 harrowing days, Steiger’s scepticism begins to crack. Emma’s disturbing abilities—naming sins, speaking in terrifying tones, and displaying violent strength—begin to test the beliefs of all involved. As the tension mounts, so does the sense of dread in the convent, culminating in a 72-hour exorcism marathon that leaves Riesinger broken but victorious and Steiger spiritually reborn.Pacino is in excellent form, playing Riesinger with a calm, deliberate presence that anchors the film. He resists the temptation to lean into theatricality, allowing his gravitas to do the work. Stevens, earnest as ever, brings emotional depth but seems a tad miscast in a film this relentlessly grim. Abigail Cowen and Patricia Heaton (as the convent’s Mother Superior) also turn in strong performances, grounding the film in emotional reality. Still, despite the solid acting, the film never quite delivers the psychological unease or genuine scares expected from a genre piece. The atmosphere is right, the mood is grim—but the payoff just doesn’t hit hard enough.What ‘The Ritual’ ultimately lacks is escalation. It never builds to the kind of fever pitch you expect from the genre—it’s like being promised a storm and getting a gloomy drizzle instead. That said, it isn’t a cheap or derivative entry in the horror canon. It takes its subject seriously, avoids melodrama, and sticks to a restrained aesthetic. Fans of religious horror and those curious to see Pacino in a priest’s robes will find some rewards here, even if the film never quite delivers the dread it promises.