Based Adam Neville2011 novel, Ritual has all the makings of a great horror movie. A group of friends are hiking in Sweden after the recent loss of a friend in a tragedy - that sounds like a catastrophe. Although the installation can do Ritual seems like just another low-budget survival horror film, the film delivers more than it offers with its chilling atmosphere, sound effects, and ability to hold tension. Director David Brooker and written Joe Barton, Ritual artistically arranges various elements to create an exciting and frightening, underrated horror movie. It also has something to offer to all lovers of horror films.
It becomes clear quite early in the film that the group of friends will be hunted down; the manner or mode of hunting remains a mystery until one is found pierced inside out by tree branches. For most of the hunt, the hunter remains an ambiguous entity, seen only in silhouettes or shadows. But Ritual still manages to send goosebumps down the viewer’s spine, creating an isolating atmosphere that transports them to the vast expanses of the forest in which friends find themselves. Ritual is a perfect example of how minimalism can sometimes work very effectively in horror films. Even when he leans more on the creative side, he is satisfying as the balance between the various elements he explores is well maintained.
Trauma and grief heighten the tension in “The Ritual”
Ritual sees friends go camping after losing a close friend in a robbery attempt. On top of the trauma, one of them witnesses the tragedy as a passive observer, ultimately taking the blame for not doing anything. Thus, the hike becomes an attempt for the group to pay tribute to the memory of their friend and, in turn, to get rid of the trauma that haunts them. But Ritual capitalizes on this trauma by heightening the internal tension within the group as they quickly dive into the dangerous hole of the blame game as soon as they become anxious.
The film doesn’t just focus on the outer struggle for survival that a group of travelers face when they encounter a dark entity in the middle of nowhere. Even without the need for an external evil force, the apparent rift within the group only contributes to the group’s problems in the future. Trauma is a predominant theme throughout the film, to the point of becoming a more active part of the storyline towards the end. Without focusing on the emotional trauma the characters face, Ritual perhaps it was another survival horror film with much lower stakes. But by placing trauma at the center of the experience of the protagonist played by Rafe Spall, the film ups the ante as the story of survival becomes a story of redemption. Intricately weaving storylines together, Ritual manages to motivate the viewer to vouch for the character in question.
“Ritual” benefits from its natural setting
Most of the action in Ritual The action takes place in the wild as the group tries to trace their way back from the forest, who wants to keep them inside. Long camera shots of the endless forest enhance the creepiness of the Swedish forests. Ben Lovettbackground music further enhances the atmosphere, enhanced by the film’s natural setting. As the desperation of the central characters grows, a sense of creepiness is broadcast across the screen. Throughout the film, the forest becomes inherent in the element of horror that it spreads. Before the plot is fully developed, many of the events give the impression of horror based on reality, although it is clear that there is something supernatural in the images of witchcraft placed at the beginning of the film. However, Bruckner does an excellent job of deception. The occasional gore and the silhouettes of a predator on the hunt make the horror and violence more animalistic in nature. The natural setting and the idea of a hunter on the loose contribute to making the horror feel more tangible.
“Ritual” reveals its secrets only when necessary.
IN Ritual, there is a limited exposition explaining the occurrence of events. For the most part, ambiguity prevails and even reinforces the sense of horror. The myth behind the events is only revealed in detail towards the end, when things begin to clear up. But even then Ritual reveals only what it should, and leaves the rest open to interpretation. While keeping the myth away from audiences, it would work for a movie like Ritualthe mythology, after all, makes the movie’s storyline even more fun with a fair amount of mysteries in the game.
At the climax, the film delves into explaining some of the events experienced by the characters, giving more weight to the themes of trauma and soul searching explored earlier. Here, too, the film uses a Swedish setting, delving into Norse mythology to build the world, evoking fascination, arousing curiosity before reaching a satisfying climax. Ritual makes an excellent choice by not choosing to share the vital information behind the film’s myth, but rather cumulatively at the end. This allows the film to capitalize on mystery-filled opening moments.
Ritual it’s an emotionally driven horror film that knows when to shift focus and when to let it rest. This rather deftly crosses the space between realism and psychological horror, only to eventually become a great work of Lovecraftian horror. Ritual is one horror movie that really knows how to balance the moments when the suspense shrouds the story and when it decides to revel in its myth-making. Movie uses a Scandinavian setting and a talented cast to create a minimalist horror film that is creative in every way. Although for a moment this may leave the impression of a scattered puzzle, Ritual brings together and creates an eerie and fascinating world surrounded by Swedish forests.
Source: Collider
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