In October 1928 in Earling, Iowa, the most thoroughly documented case of demonic possession in American history occurred. The Ritual is based on these true events, as transcribed by Father Joseph Steiger.

Father Joseph Steiger (Dan Stevens, Downton Abbey, Solar Opposites) is a parish priest who is mourning the recent loss of his brother when he receives a visit from his bishop. Bishop Edwards (Patrick Fabian, Better Call Saul) hands him some files on a troubled young woman who has seen many doctors, but none of them could find anything physically wrong with her. Emma Schmidt (Abigail Cowen) comes from a devout family, and shortly after her mother passed away, she began to suffer from terrifying and inexplicable supernatural phenomena, and becoming very violent and angry. Her local parish decides to sending her to Father Steiger’s church for the exorcism rite to be performed.

At first Father Steiger is nervous that he is being asked to perform the rite—something he knows little about. The Bishop informs him that another priest, Father Theophilus Riesinger (Al Pacino), has already been assigned to this task, and is also on his way. But Father Riesinger will still require some assistance with the ritual. Sister Rose (Ashley Greene) and Sister Sarah (Courtney Rae Allen), from the church’s attached convent, will assist with prayers and restraining Emma, while Father Steiger takes detailed notes on the proceedings. Each evening the foursome gathers to pray and recite prayers in an attempt to expel the demon. However, each day that passes, things just seem to be getting more violent and dangerous. The rite is taking a visible physical toll on Emma, who looks dehydrated, malnourished, and tormented. And the devil is also starting to seep into the minds of Father Steiger—using his brother’s suicide to cast doubt in him—and the others.

Father Steiger grows increasingly concerned over the safety and well-being of Emma, and the Mother Superior (Patricia Heaton) also grows concerned over the safety of her nuns. However, Father Riesinger has a lot of experience in these matters, and insists that they must have consistency in the ritual, and must continue, or else the devil’s grasp could harden on the girl and them as well. And so for several days, these events play out again and again, as the participants try to overcome their differences, doubts and fears, hoping to save Emma and themselves from this demon.

There have been so many exorcism films over the decades, so it’s hard to make this genre feel fresh and new. However, The Ritual is shot with handheld cameras, adding a bit of shakiness to the presentation. This helps to give the film more of a documentary feel, adding this sense of authenticity to the events being portrayed. (As they should be given this is based on a well-documented case). The film also features a stellar cast, led by the amazing Al Pacino. Pacino plays this seasoned priest really well. There doesn’t seem to be anything phases Father Riesinger, no matter how horrific things get. In contrast, the less experienced and younger Father Steiger—who serves as the audience’s representative—expresses concerns over what they are doing to this young woman. Stevens is also convincing in his role, especially as Father Steiger is haunted by his brother’s recent death and feelings of doubt. Abigail Cowen is also fantastic as Emma Schmidt, the young woman who may be experiencing demonic possession. There is a lot of physicality to this role, and she makes you believe her body has been taken over by some sort of demon or spirit.

I really liked the documentary style feel of the camera work. It not only adds a feeling of realism to the situation, but also helps to amp up the tension and thriller aspect of the movie. As Emma is put through the ringer while performing this rite, we see her change and transform, and the effects are well done—never going too over the top, but just enough to add some more gruesome, horror elements to the movie.

Decal Releasing has released The Ritual on Blu-ray, DVD and digital. We were sent the Blu-ray for review, and the video presentation looks great, with a sharp, clean picture, that maintains its quality even in the film’s darker sequences. The audio track makes nice use of the stereo and surround tracks to give an immersive feel to the film, and enhance the possessed’s screams and threats.

The Blu-ray disc offers about 24 minutes of bonus material including behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew. The disc is packed in a standard HD keepcase, and our review copy did not include any slipcover.

What’s Included:

Film (1:38:02):

• 1080p / Widescreen 2.00:1
• Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
• Subtitles: English SDH

Extras:

• The Making of The Ritual (10:56)
  The cast and crew discuss the premise of the film, working with Al Pacino, the cast and characters, filming in a real church, working with the director, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer/producer/editor Enrico Natale, producers Mitchell Welch & Andrew Stevens, Father Aaron Williams (rector, St. Mary Basilica), writer/director David Midell, and stars Abigail Cowen (“Emma”), Al Pacino (“Father Theophilus”), Dan Stevens (“Father Steiger”), Patricia Heaton (“Mother Superior”) & Ashley Greene (“Sister Rose”).
• Keeping The Faith (1:51)
  The cast and crew talk about working with the local parish when filming sensitive subject matters. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producers Mitchell Welch & Andrew Stevens, Father Aaron Williams (rector, St. Mary Basilica), and stars Al Pacino & Ashley Greene.
• The Script (1:37)
  The cast and crew talk about the film’s script and why it appealed to them. Includes interviews with writer/director David Midell, writer/producer/editor Enrico Natale, and stars Abigail Cowen & Al Pacino.
• Based on a True Story (1:27)
  The cast and crew talk about how being based on a true story enhances the film. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Mitchell Welch, writer/director David Midell, and stars Al Pacino, Patricia Heaton, Ashley Greene & Abigail Cowen.
• The Buzzfeed Interviews (7:29)
  Several short promotional interview clips play back-to-back. The cast discuss the actors, characters, themes, storyline and origins of the film. Includes interviews with stars Ashley Greene, Dan Stevens & Abigail Cowen.

Final Thoughts:

It’s hard to reinvent the exorcism genre, which has been done over and over again. However, The Ritual is shot with an engaging documentary-style look and feel that helps to add authenticity and tension to the events. It also features a stellar cast. Decal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds great and includes a small but interesting assortment of behind-the-scenes featurettes. Fans of the genre or cast should definitely check this out.