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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
The Ritual movie review: Even Al Pacino can't save this spiritless exorcism tale
The Ritual review: In The Ritual's own words, it is based on a true story, captured in a priest's notes from an exorcism, and is 'the most thoroughly documented case of demonic possession in American history'. It may also be the most lifeless. Or so it is in the hands of Midell, also the co-screenwriter, who makes no one squirm in their seats – forget turn in their graves – in this dalliance with the Devil. The possessed in this case is a young girl called Emma (Cowen), who has been brought to a parish in Iowa in 1928 after doctors have failed to treat whatever is eating her up from the inside. The parish priest is Father Steiger (Stevens) – it is his notes The Ritual is based on – and the priest doing the exorcism is Father Theophilus (Pacino). Father Steiger is the amiable priest types, not above a prank or two with the Sisters. It is Sister Rose (Greene) who seems to have his special attention, but that may just be the devil in me talking. Father Theophilus anyway doesn't allow Father Steiger much time for anything, and goes about setting up the exorcism ritual (actually seven small rituals) the moment he arrives at the parish church. It's a cheerful enough red-brick building, but its grounds with lonesome statues, empty swings and deep shadows provide the atmosphere for what is going to happen within the walls. A lot does happen, but a lot of the same, same. Sudden snarling and attacking, rolling of the eyes, twisting of the limbs, levitating of bodies, bruising of limbs, hissing in varied languages, things moving, walls cracking – nothing you haven't seen before. What you may not have, and which gives The Ritual a ghost of a chance, is that it explores what having such a presence in their midst is doing to the church, its priest and its sisters. You have to think so given how many times they use the word 'profoundly', or rub their faces and cover their mouths in shock. Also Read | Deep Cover movie review: Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom starrer is funny and self-aware when it's not None of that for Pacino, though, the wily old fox who has seen it all before. But him in this role… we need not have seen that. The Ritual movie director: David Midell The Ritual movie cast: Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, Abigail Cowen, Patricia Heaton, Ashley Greene The Ritual movie rating: 1.5 stars
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Al Pacino credits daughter's childhood genius for Oscar-winning ‘Scent of a Woman' role
Al Pacino , the legendary actor celebrated for his intense and transformative performances, has revealed a deeply personal story about how his eldest daughter, Julie, profoundly influenced his iconic portrayal of a blind man in the 1992 film Scent of a Woman . Now 85, Pacino recently shared that, while preparing for the role of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a blind, irritable retired Army officer, he turned to then 3-year-old Julie for inspiration. 'I asked my daughter, 'Hey, Julie, can you act like a blind person for me?' She did it effortlessly, no preparation, nothing. I thought, 'Wow, I can't compete with this—kids are brilliant,'' Pacino recounted in a recent interview. He emphasized that her natural ability and innocence captured the essence of the character, helping him find the authenticity that ultimately led to his Academy Award for Best Actor . Pacino, a father of four—Julie Marie, 35, twins Anton and Olivia, 24, and Roman, 2—has often spoken about how fatherhood has shaped his life and career. 'It changed my life. Focusing on other beings, particularly your children, brings a profound love,' he told People magazine last year. His youngest son, Roman, born when Pacino was 83, continues to inspire him, with Pacino sharing that engaging with his children, even through simple acts like playing the harmonica over video calls, brings him immense joy and keeps his spirit revitalized. Reflecting on his journey, Pacino credits his children not only for their influence on his craft but also for grounding him personally. 'They have that genius,' he said, 'and she [Julie] was blind and she just did it, no preparation, nothing'. As Pacino continues his career with new projects like The Ritual , his story stands as a testament to the unexpected ways family can shape even the most storied careers in Hollywood. Live Events
Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
At The Movies: Karate Kid: Legends is charming in its corniness, The Ritual is beyond salvation
At The Movies: Karate Kid: Legends is charming in its corniness, The Ritual is beyond salvation Karate Kid: Legends (PG) 94 minutes, now showing ★★★☆☆ The story: After a family tragedy, martial arts prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) leaves Beijing with his doctor mum (Ming-Na Wen) for a fresh start in New York City. She makes him promise no more fights, but he is a new kid in town facing bullies. Plus, he has a beloved four-decade lore to honour. Karate Kid: Legends is the sixth film in The Karate Kid franchise dating from the 1984 Hollywood sleeper hit. It is the classic rite of passage of an outsider teen meeting a girl, Mia (Sadie Stanley), and attracting unwanted attention from her psychotic karate champion ex-boyfriend Conor (Aramis Knight). Mia's dad (Joshua Jackson) owns the neighbourhood pizzeria. He was a prizefighter, and there is a cute bit of role-reversal, where Li coaches him for a comeback match to pay off his debt. Li is otherwise the acolyte. Hong Kong superstar Jackie Chan first played Shifu Han in 2010's The Karate Kid and returns as Li's revered mentor from China, while Ralph Macchio, the original Karate Kid, is now sensei Daniel LaRusso with a Netflix spin-off series Cobra Kai (2018 to 2025). The two masters journey in to teach Li a hybrid of Han's gongfu and LaRusso's karate, which is the teen's only chance of defeating Conor in the inevitable climactic tournament. Feature debut director Jonathan Entwistle brings together every past iteration for a remake-revival-crossover that is charming in its corniness, despite a formulaic story. Beyond the nostalgia, it introduces an Asian hero. And 25-year-old Wang (American Born Chinese, 2023) is an appealing newcomer, who reclaims the martial arts tradition with his humorous and acrobatic moves. Hot take: Part fan service, part generational update, there is much to like in this legacyquel. The Ritual (NC16) Al Pacino (right) in The Ritual. PHOTO: SHAW ORGANISATION 98 minutes, opens on June 12 ★★☆☆☆ The story: Two priests must overcome their differences and work together to free an innocent soul from the devil's grip. Emma Schmidt is the most widely publicised case of exorcism in 20th-century American history and one of the few officially sanctioned by the Catholic Church. An award-winning director of The Killing Of Kenneth Chamberlain (2019), another true account, David Midell researched the personal dairies, psychiatric evaluations and 1935 pamphlet Begone Satan! for The Ritual. Still, his dramatisation is like nothing so much as a parody of The Exorcist (1973). Al Pacino at his hammiest plays the Capuchin friar Theophilus Riesinger, a glinty-eyed emissary of 'the Lord's Army' who arrives at a secluded convent in 1928 Earling, Iowa, to do furious battle with the devil. He has previous experience as an exorcist. Father Joseph Steiger (Dan Stevens) is the young parish priest reluctantly overseeing the detailed documentation of the 23-day ritual, the straight guy to Riesinger's crusty mystic. He advocates medical intervention even when Emma (Abigail Cowen) begins levitating, ejecting excrement and speaking in supernatural tongues, generally exhibiting every symptom from the religious horror playbook by week's end. Riesinger chides Steiger for his lack of faith. Their debate on science, spirituality and the human condition is without a single original thought or frisson, and the self-seriousness has only the unfortunate effect of making the glum proceedings all the campier. 'I have a sister with a torn scalp and another with a crushed hand,' Steiger reports of Emma's escalating violence. If the line does not elicit laughs, the sight of said nuns, huddled in petrified terror, surely will. Hot take: This hackneyed demonic possession thriller is beyond salvation. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Chilling true story behind real-life exorcism of 'possessed' woman that inspired Al Pacino's The Ritual
Hollywood legend Al Pacino is starring in his first ever horror movie, The Ritual. The terrifying film is based on the real-life exorcism of Emma Schmidt in Iowa back in 1928. The case is the most documented exorcism in history, largely thanks to theologian Carl Vogl's 1935 book Begone Satan. It's also believed to have partially inspired the 1973 horror classic, The Exorcist. While some specific details of Schmidt's life and alleged demonic possession are unclear, most accounts state that she started showing signs of Satanic interference from as young as 14. Schmidt, who was raised Catholic, began hearing 'sinister inner voices' that compelled her to do 'shameful and unmentionable' things, according to Vogl's book. Some of her behavior included sexual acts, an aversion to holy objects, and the urge to attack her spiritual advisor. According to Bloody Disgusting, Schmidt was 'uniquely aware of the presence of religious artefacts'. If somebody approached her with a holy object, even if it was hidden, she could sense it and would fly into a rage. She was also 'highly sensitive to holy water', to the point that she once refused a meal that had been sprinkled with a few blessed drops. Multiple doctors examined her at the time and could find no signs of mental or physical illness, which only further fueled the theory that she'd been possessed. Schmidt underwent her first exorcism in 1912 at the hands of Father Theophilus Riesinger, who is played by Pacino in The Ritual. At one point, it was suspected that she had been possessed by her Aunt Mina, who was believed to be a witch. While little is known about her first exorcism, Riesinger returned almost two decades later in 1928 to perform a second exorcism. This one was far more elaborate, with Riesinger and another priest, Father Joseph Stieger, played by Dan Stevens in The Ritual, taking Schmidt to a convent in Earling, Iowa. Schmidt was given a pseudonym, Anna Ecklund, to protect her identity during the chilling exorcism. The second exorcism was performed in three sessions over a period of four months, totalling 23 days in total. Riesinger claimed that Schmidt was possessed by four different spirits, including her own father, who had unsuccessfully tried to get his daughter to commit incest with him. According to Vogl's book, Schmidt levitated in the air, vomited repeatedly, contorted her body, and made inhuman animal noises during the exorcism. Eventually, Riesinger completed the ritual after three consecutive nights and days with no breaks. Schmidt survived and lived out the rest of her life in peace, although some reports claim that she suffered from mild possessions over the years until her death. Her case largely remained a secret until a widely-read Time magazine article was published in 1936, Religion: Exorcist & Energumen. Now Schmidt's chilling story is being brought to life in The Ritual. Directed by indie filmmaker David Midell, the movie sees Pacino transform into Father Riesinger, who teams up with Dan Stevens's conflicted Father Steiger to banish a demonic spirit from, Schmidt, who is portrayed by Abigail Cowen. It's new territory for Pacino, who has steered away from the horror genre throughout his illustrious career. The closest that the 85-year-old has come to horror is the psychological thrillers The Devil's Advocate, Insomnia, and 88 Minutes.
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Al Pacino reveals why he denied being part of a Star Wars film: ‘I can't play something if I don't speak the language'
Veteran actor Al Pacino says he was offered a Star Wars film, but he turned it down as he didn't connect with the script. The first Star Wars film released in 1977, starring Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford and was directed by George Lucas. There have been 12 films in the franchise in total. (Also Read | Al Pacino, girlfriend Noor Alfallah shut down split rumours, celebrate his 85th birthday together in star-studded party) Pacino recalled getting the script for the film but said he couldn't understand it. 'So I loved their work, but I was doing a show on Broadway at the time, and they handed me this script, and I thought, I don't understand. (I thought), I must be out of space myself,' he said. "But I looked at this thing and I sent it to Charlie Loughton, my friend and mentor, actually. I said, 'What do you make of this?' He was pretty wise and he said, 'I don't get it, Al. I don't know. I don't get it.' I said, 'Well, I don't either; what are we going to do? They offered me a fortune, but I don't know. No, I can't play something if I don't speak the language," he added. The last film of Star Wars franchise released in 2019, titled Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Directed by JJ Abrams, it featured Hamill. Pacino's latest work is The Ritual from David Midell, which released on June 6. It featured the actor alongside Abigail Cowen.
