‘The Ritual’ is a way more watch-able ‘Blair Witch Project’
Directed by: David Bruckner (That abandoned Friday the 13th movie, V/H/S, The Signal, Southbound)
The Ritual follows a group of thirty-something year old dudes who still get together once in a while for a pint (or twelve), and I respect that. The start feels something like The World’s End but quickly turns into a disturbing gas station scene from Kevin Bacon’s Death Sentence when one of them is brutally killed during a liquor store robbery. All this while his best friend watches, refusing to help and frozen in fear.
Title sequence……aaaaand we’re camping!
Fast forward and the remaining crew are amidst a hike into deep wilderness to honor their fallen friend. Scary stuff starts to happen involving a cabin, stick figures, flying tents and a Blair Witch Project watch party. Kidding on that last one. You’ll notice the similarities between the two movies but The Ritual is a total opposite in terms of visual quality. There’s a certain definition to it. A darkness that feels like David Fincher himself had a hand in it.
There’s also much more happening. The pacing alone sets The Ritual apart from its woods n’ witchery brethren. We aren’t ever caught watching four people stand in a circle screaming “WHERE’S THE MAP, JOHN!?!?!” for twenty minutes. The dialogue keeps interest when there isn’t a giant smoke monster from Lost gutting a moose or doling out nightmares like a live reading of Pauly Shore’s sex memoirs.
The Ritual goes on to deliver some pretty scary shit in an very entertaining film. Eventually however, as we reach the juxtapose between slow burner and showing way too much, The Ritual catches a case of Clarissa Explains It All and strains its grundle a bit crossing the finish line.
This isn’t Ben Kingsley suddenly making poop jokes while high on cocaine in ‘Iron Man 3’ or anything.
The only thing The Ritual is guilty of is pumping the breaks on its own terror in an attempt to over explain a simple character arc. The ending could have melted our faces. Instead, they went for a thinkers ending that most had pegged an hour ago; culminated by a relatively weak final moment involving CGI. Which is disappointing for a film who’s monsters looked so flawless in every moment previous.
Final moments aside, The Ritual is a must watch for horror fans. It’s easy on the eyes and frightening in the mind. Like Britney Spears in the 90's.
