The Ritual Still Gives a Solid Performance A Year Later [REVIEW]

The Ritual 

Based on: The Ritual by Adam Nevill (book)

Directed by: David Bruckner

Production Studio: The Imaginarium and eOne Films

Distributed by: eOne Films (UK) and Netflix (International)

Starring: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James- Collier, Sam Troughton

Run Time: 94 minutes

On February 9, 2018, Netflix viewers were able to take a journey with four men on their hiking trip to honor a deceased friend in the hills of Sweden. Once they finished honoring their friends’ (review apostrophe use) memory, the trek back to civilization turned into a nightmare they never saw coming. The Ritual strikes paranoia into the minds of its viewers but struggles to figure out its final message to its audience. 

Since the setting is a forest, isolation surrounds the film after its opening scene. This film follows a different path than other lost in the forest films (think: Blair Witch, The Forest, etc.) as it establishes the mistrust between the characters before they even arrive in the place of their doom. The opening scene of these college friends– Phil, Dom, Hutch, Luke, and Rob– is them deciding where to go for a boy’s trip which is presumably a yearly venture for the group. Rob suggests hiking in Sweden, but the others do not favor this idea. They head to a convenience store for some liquor. Rob and Luke head inside to find themselves caught in the middle of a robbery. Luke hides while Rob is confronted by the robbers and is killed when he refuses to give up his wedding ring. 

The mistrust between the remaining men six months later comes out swiftly in the dialogue. Hutch doesn’t blame Luke for Rob’s death like Dom does and referenced other people not shown in the film. Hutch and Luke do not believe Dom’s pain from an injury early into the hike back is as serious as Dom says it is. There is mention of “what Dom has become,” which is answered with him being a successful, married businessman. Phil mistrusts all of them to get him out of this situation as he is the most affected by mysterious energies in the forest when the group sleeps. Also, Luke deals with his own guilt of not standing up during the robbery to help fend off the robbers from Rob. These underlying factors enhance the initial suspense of cabin and quiet woods that surround the men. Starting with such immense tension in a horror movie is a better way to really snatch the viewer’s attention. Within horror, the idea of a descent into darkness from light is a favored choice. By starting in darkness, the suspense can fester quicker preventing a dragged-out story. The Ritual does this quite well. 

The cinematography for the first half of the film is gorgeous and ingenious. The blending of dream and reality is spectacular displayed during Luke’s second night dream. He is back at the convenience store, but it is shown in the forest. The way the settings blend together through auditory and visual cues is magnificent. Moreover, the audio within the film is quite extensive as the forest lends its silence more often than not. The music by Ben Lovett warps, heightens, and seethes the viewers. It is always perfectly timed and placed to help our engagement stay trapped on the screen. It accomplishes this even in a home viewing session which is nice. However, it is a wonder what this film would have been like in a theater viewing. A scene to be highlighted is when Luke journeys on his own to the top of a ridge. It is one of the brightest scenes in the film. He looks through the sea of trees. The silence encapsulates us as Luke peers trying to see what made a noise a moment ago. The viewer scans and searches just as fervently as Luke. Finally, the smallest movement reveals he is not alone. It is a gorgeous and dreadful scene that perfectly captures the tone of the film. 

The acting is well played by everyone. Luke and the mysterious Swedish villagers we meet later on in particular give a great performance. The real cherry on top of this film is the monster that is revealed in the end. The monster that Luke saw earlier. The monster that follows them. The monster that confronts all the men throughout the film to determine their fates. The grotesque combination of this chimera-like creature is something that is not only unique but unforgettable. Its psychological effect on its victims continues the blending of reality and delusion. It creates helplessness which goes along with Luke as he was helpless in the robbery. The largest qualm of this movie to be had is the ending. It is satisfactory but it does not reach the potential it could have. The final outcome for our central character, Luke, is confusing. It is unclear if he has redeemed himself or forgiven himself. We are with Luke through this journey, but he loses us within the Swedish village somewhere. It is unfortunate but, overall, the film delivers a devilish cold dish of the terror of mistrust in isolation that can be enjoyed several times over.

Rating: ????  ⅘ out of frames