The Horror Show
The Ritual
by David Bruckner
While The Ritual is yet another horror opus set in the ominous woods, V/H/S and Southbound director David Bruckner put a lot of effort into driving the attention away from the cliche-ridden storyline and delivering a well-directed and atmospheric horror thriller. Was he successful?
Making the most out of the Swedish wilderness, the story follows four thirtysomething-year-old men going on an hiking trip in honour of a fifth friend who was killed a few months earlier. Although the intent to celebrate life by commemorating their deceased friend is there, the group is also burdened by grief and trauma, so it comes as no surprise that they begin to make bad decisions. In an effort to take a shortcut, they lose their way, only to find themselves taking shelter in a creepy cabin and soon haunted by terrifying dreams and tortured by the feeling that something eerie is after them. And that’s where their battle for survival begins.
Based on an acclaimed novel from British writer Adam Nevill, Bruckner’s The Ritual toys with an interesting take on the dynamics of male friendship, but in essence, he trots out several old tricks and unimaginative tropes. Ancient rituals, supernatural events, and wooded monsters don’t actually scream ‘originality’, but oddly enough, the final outcome is quite entertaining, with direction being the movie’s biggest asset.
That being said, one can’t help but notice a bunch of plot holes and inadequacies, doing some damage to the story. On the bright side, though, its brisk 94-minute span allows for some sort of engagement.
In its entirety, Bruckner’s paranormal horror flick doesn’t really stand out from the crowd and although promoted on Netflix, can’t live up to its own hype. And even though a hike in the Swedish wilderness going awry is not particularly refreshing, The Ritual is an efficient and interesting horror well worth a fair-minded watch. Care to give this one a try?
Maria Kriva, HMS
The Horror Show Menu.