The Ritual: A Catholic Perspective

My default setting for anything related to the Catholic Church is less “gentle lamb” and more “Saint Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane” or “Saint Nicholas losing his cool at the Council of Nicea.” So watching The Ritual (2025) was always going to be an exercise in skepticism, especially with my film minor in tow, constantly prodding me to overanalyze everything I watch (my friends and family love this about me, I’m sure).

The Ritual is billed as a drama-horror-thriller. Looking beyond the suspense and the demonic possession it’s based on, I had one simple question: Did it feel genuinely true to our faith and the reality of evil?

The Gist of the Movie & Its Real-Life Roots

The Ritual premiered on June 6, 2025, and draws its chilling inspiration from one of America’s most thoroughly documented cases of demonic possession: the 1928 exorcism of Emma Schmidt.

Meet the Cast:

• Al Pacino as Fr. Theophilus Riesinger: He’s the grizzled, wise German-American exorcist who quotes Hamlet, inspired by the real-life Capuchin friar and Roman Catholic priest, Fr. Theophilus Riesinger. This German-born priest was known for his extensive work in exorcisms (having completed roughly nineteen others before Emma’s!) and led the actual Iowa rite.
  
• Dan Stevens as Fr. Joseph Steiger: Our younger priest, a pragmatist at heart who is wrestling with a crisis of faith. This character is a fictionalized version of Fr. Joseph Steiger, a Catholic priest and the stenographer during the exorcism. While the film adds a fictional layer of grief (his brother’s suicide), Fr. Steiger was the real local pastor at St. Joseph’s in Iowa.
  
• Abigail Cowen as Emma Schmidt: The young woman at the heart of the possession. The movie portrays her as younger than she was in real life; the actual Emma Schmidt was in her mid-forties during the recorded exorcism.
  

A Quick Look at Emma Schmidt’s Story:

Born in Wisconsin in 1882, Emma Schmidt’s reported symptoms of possession began around age fourteen. Many suspect her aunt, who was allegedly involved in witchcraft, may have cursed her food at some point in her life.

Her symptoms were intense: an aversion to sacred objects, blasphemous speech, an uncanny knowledge of hidden sins, speaking Latin and German without ever having learned them, levitation, refusing the Eucharist, and more. This prolonged spiritual torment culminated in a grueling twenty-three-day exorcism, split into three sessions and spread over the course of four months. It was conducted at the Convent of the Franciscan Sisters in Earling, Iowa, between August and December of 1928.

Faith, Film, and My Two Cents

I can attest that, yes, this story draws greatly from its Catholic roots—-with a healthy dose of dramatic license. 

The filmmakers used the account in Begone Satan!, a 1935 pamphlet documenting Emma Schmidt’s possession as the primary source for details like demons naming themselves and the spiritual exhaustion that comes with the territory. The Mass scenes, the cassocks, the Latin liturgy—all handled with a reverence that felt genuinely respectful and authentic, not repurposed for cheap thrills. 

There’s no Excorcist-level gore here (thank goodness), but it is still unsettling and at times gross. Rather than focusing solely on creepy special effects, I found that The Ritual more so homed in on the reality of spiritual battle and the human toll of a real-life exorcism. It’s a slow, steady spiral of not just Fr. Joseph’s psyche but also those of the sisters involved, Emma, and even Fr. Theophilus. We see the humanness of Emma—a sweet, young teenage girl unwillingly caught in the crossfire of spiritual torment. We see the raw emotion of Fr. Joseph—a loving priest dealing with a slew of sorrow, confusion, and questions. We see the gentleness and faith of Fr. Theophilus—-the constant rock to both Fr. Joseph and Emma.

Father Aaron Williams, a consultant on the film and rector of St. Mary’s Basilica, offered valuable insights to Catholic News Agency, emphasizing director David Midell’s intent: “He told me over and over again that he wasn’t trying to film a religious movie so to say, but he did want religious people, especially Catholics, who would view the film to feel like they had been respected.”

Williams views The Ritual as a testament to the Church’s unwavering care for its flock, a “love of God, it’s the love of the Church,” and believes Catholics should see it through that lens.

(For more on Fr. Williams’s insights, read the full interview here). 

A (Very) Brief Film Analysis: 

• Cinematography: The handheld camera work feels “documentary-style,” almost as if we’re witnessing this in real time. It’s immersive, a bit disorienting, and creates one long, sustained build-up of suspense. I appreciated how the cinéma vérité style sucked you in from the very beginning, immediately forming a palpable sense of unease.
  
• Pacing & Tone: Don’t expect a rollercoaster of jump scares. This is a slow, deliberate, and very human-focused descent into spiritual warfare. It’s not quick, it’s more pervasive, with an atmospheric sort of dread. Every bit of the mise-en-scène works to build that tension we witness in the opening scene. And while it does eventually spiral into the building-shaking chaos some may expect from the exorcism movie genre, it still has a big pro-faith shift from typical horror fare that I’ve seen in the past.

My Reflection as a Catholic (SPOILER ALERT!)

I found myself surprisingly (or perhaps predictably, for those who know me) tearing up during the last scene.

As the priests are in the final throes of Emma’s exorcism in the catacombs of the convent, Fr. Theophilus, completely exhausted, hands Emma his Crucifix. In a moment of heroism, Fr. Joseph finishes the exorcism with a Saint Michael the Archangel prayer, clutching his brother’s Saint Michael medallion. Pacino’s priest—who was the most stoic, gentle, and unwavering character throughout the film’s entirety—collapses, trembling, asking Emma, “Is it over?” She simply nods, and he begins to cry.

First, it’s a stark reminder that this is real. I think we often forget that there’s a very real spiritual warfare going on—Satan roams through the world seeking the ruin of souls. As Al Pacino’s Fr. Theophilus reiterates, we must always remain vigilant—it’s God or nothing.

Second, it’s a reminder of just how infinitely powerful and merciful God is—a power truly beyond our comprehension.

Another small detail that stayed with me was Father Theophilus consistently referring to Emma as “this servant of God” when rebuking the demons trying to take her life. I thought of Mary Magdalene, “from whom seven demons had come out (Luke 8:2).” Yet another reminder—our inherent identity in Christ, forever and always children of God.

What Viewers Are Saying

It’s clear critics and audiences were not on the same page. Critics were largely unfavorable, giving it a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.6/10 on IMDb. Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus stated: “The Ritual purportedly presents a real occult occurrence, but the most blasphemous thing about it may be wasting Al Pacino’s talents on a clichéd story with uninspired execution.”

Audiences, however, were more favorable, with around 63% liking it. Faith viewers especially praised its sober and respectful portrayal. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the audience calls it “a realistic portrayal of the exorcism of Emma Schmidt . . . [that] may please possession horror devouts and expel those seeking sleeker entries in the genre.”

So, Should You Watch This Movie?

Yes! Just remember, this is still a horror film. If you’re squeamish, prepare for intense spiritual and psychological tension, unsettling visuals, and violence.

On the other hand, if you’re a movie fanatic like me and not easily spooked, you should still go in “prayed up” (as Mark Wahlberg likes to say) and ready. Not necessarily for sensationalized gore, but with the understanding that this film is based on real evil present in our world.

I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars for sincerity, faith, and heart.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 

– John 1:5

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With over eight years of experience and a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing, Marge Hynes is a dynamic writer whose portfolio spans SEO-driven copywriting, journalism, and marketing—a versatile skill set that allows her to craft compelling content for Paloma & Fig’s projects.

Marge’s Catholic faith serves as the cornerstone of her work. She approaches storytelling with thoughtfulness and a deep appreciation for the Lord’s own creative power. Her love of the written word shines through in every project, helping clients articulate their message with clarity, heart, and purpose.
When she’s not writing, Marge can be found leading praise and worship, diving into theological books, or exploring the great outdoors with her loyal dog, Augustine (Auggie for short).