Depending on whether you are referring to the starring Al Pacino, the 2017 Netflix original , or the novel by Adam Nevill , reviews vary significantly from "worst of the year" to "modern horror classic." The Ritual (2025 Movie)
: Reviewers from The Hollywood Reporter and Empire describe it as a "rote" and "tired" retread of The Exorcist . The use of "shaky cam" and extreme close-ups was widely panned for being nauseating and distracting . El Ritual
This film, starring as Father Theophilus and Dan Stevens as Father Joseph, is a religious horror based on a 1928 exorcism. It has received mostly negative feedback from critics and audiences alike. Depending on whether you are referring to the
: Highly recommended for fans of "creature features" and atmospheric survival horror. The Ritual by Adam Nevill (Book) It has received mostly negative feedback from critics
: While Variety noted Pacino was surprisingly subdued rather than "hamming it up," many felt his talents were wasted on a cliché-ridden script.
The novel on which the 2017 film is based is famously known as a "book of two halves."