| Revision as of 16:36, 31 January 2020 editAlasPoorLothric (talk | contribs)1 editm →Plot: Typographical correction: Changed "the unknown creature that chasing still chasing them" to "the unknown creature that is still chasing them."← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 14:49, 26 November 2024 edit undo2001:1b28:b235:52:c899:6f2d:a42e:d98c (talk) This movie you can compare to any, yet to none at the same time. It's probably the most emotional character-driver horror I saw in years.. And It holds the tradition - that at least 1 character survives in the end... And it's his own psychological journey | ||
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| {{short description|2017 horror film by David Bruckner}} | |||
| {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} | |||
| {{ |
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} | ||
| {{Infobox film | {{Infobox film | ||
| | name = The Ritual | | name = The Ritual | ||
| | image = The Ritual UK poster.png | | image = The Ritual UK poster.png | ||
| | alt = | |||
| | caption = Theatrical release poster | | caption = Theatrical release poster | ||
| | director = ] | | director = ] | ||
| | producer = ] |
| producer = {{plainlist| | ||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| }} | |||
| | writer = | |||
| | screenplay = Joe Barton | | screenplay = ] | ||
| ⚫ | | based_on = {{Based on|'']''|]}} | ||
| | story = | |||
| | starring = {{plainlist| | |||
| ⚫ | | |
||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| }} | |||
| | narrator = | |||
| | music = ] | | music = ] | ||
| | cinematography = |
| cinematography = Andrew Shulkind | ||
| | editing = Mark Towns | | editing = Mark Towns | ||
| | studio = ]<br>] | | studio = ] | ||
| | distributor = |
| distributor = {{plainlist| | ||
| * ] (United Kingdom) | |||
| ⚫ | | released = {{Film date|2017| |
||
| * ] (International) | |||
| }} | |||
| ⚫ | | released = {{Film date|df=yes|2017|9|8|]|2017|10|13|United Kingdom}} | ||
| | runtime = 94 minutes | | runtime = 94 minutes | ||
| | country = United Kingdom | | country = United Kingdom | ||
| | language = English | | language = English | ||
| | budget = | | budget = | ||
| | gross = $1.3–1.6 million<ref name="BoxOffice">{{cite web|title=''The Ritual ''(2017) – Financial Information|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ritual-The-(2017)#tab=summary|website=]| |
| gross = $1.3–1.6 million<ref name="BoxOffice">{{cite web|title=''The Ritual ''(2017) – Financial Information|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ritual-The-(2017)#tab=summary|website=]|access-date=17 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Ritual|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=theritual.htm|publisher=]|access-date=2 August 2018}}</ref> | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''''The Ritual''''' is a 2017 British ] directed by ], written by Joe Barton, and starring ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web|title='The Ritual' Review: David Bruckner Shows Promise in Familiar Horror Tale {{!}} TIFF 2017|url=http://collider.com/the-ritual-review-david-bruckner/|website=Collider|date=10 September 2017}}</ref> | |||
| '''''The Ritual''''' is a 2017 British ] ] ] film directed by ] and written by ]. Based on the 2011 ] by ], the film stars ], ], ], and ] as four friends on a ] through a Swedish ], where they encounter an ancient evil presence. | |||
| The film is based on the 2011 novel ] by ]. | |||
| Following its world premiere at the ] on 8 September, ''The Ritual'' was released by ] in the United Kingdom on 13 October. | |||
| == Plot == | == Plot == | ||
| <!--Per ], plots should not exceed 700 words.--> | |||
| In a pub, five friends—Phil, Dom, Hutch, Luke, and Rob—discuss plans for a holiday. Rob suggests hiking in ] but gets rebuffed. Afterward, Luke and Rob leave to purchase alcohol but get involved in a robbery which soon turns violent. While Luke hides, the robbers harass and eventually kill Rob. | |||
| Six months later, the remaining four start a hiking trip along the ] in northern Sweden in memory of Rob. After Dom injures his knee, Hutch suggests cutting through the forest rather than following the marked trail. Luke is against it but Dom insists that if there's a shortcut, they should use it. Upon entering the forest, the group comes across a gutted and hanged ], and mysterious symbols carved in the trees. | |||
| Five university friends--Phil, Dom, Hutch, Luke, and Rob--meet at a pub and discuss plans for a group trip. Rob suggests hiking in ], but is quickly shot down by the others. Afterward, Luke and Rob enter a shop and interrupt a robbery in progress. Luke hides, while Rob is almost frozen with fear as the thieves start antagonizing him. Luke nearly intervenes, but decides against it. Rob gets killed for non-compliance. | |||
| At night, a ]storm forces them to take shelter in an abandoned cabin. They find necklaces bearing similar symbols and an ] of a decapitated human torso made of twigs, with antlers for hands. During the night, Luke has a nightmare about the robbery. The next morning, they awake to find Luke's chest bleeding from puncture wounds, Hutch screaming in terror and having wet himself, a catatonic Dom screaming for his wife Gayle, and a naked Phil praying to the effigy. Disturbed, the group tries to leave the woods through a side trail not shown on the map, despite Luke's protests. While discerning their location, Luke spots a large figure amongst the trees, but Dom doubts him. In their ensuing argument, Luke claims they wouldn't be in the forest if it weren't for Dom and Dom calls Luke a coward for letting Rob die. | |||
| Six months later, in honor of Rob, the remaining four embark on a hiking trip along the ] in northern Sweden. Upon venturing off for their hiking expedition, Dom trips and falls, injuring his knee. It is at this point that Hutch decides that the group should take a shorter route by cutting through the forest rather than using the marked trail that goes all the way around the mountains and forest, in hopes that by going directly through the forest it will cut their travel time in nearly half in order to spare Dom from suffering more than he needs to. Upon entering the forest, the group encounters strange phenomena, including a gutted elk hanging from some branches and strange symbols carved in the trees. As night falls, a torrential rainstorm forces the group to find immediate shelter. They come upon an abandoned cabin and decide to break in and stay there overnight, protected from the elements. Inside, they find necklaces bearing similar symbols and a wooden statuette of a decapitated human torso with antlers for hands. Upon waking the next morning, the group finds that Luke had sustained strange and mysterious puncture wounds on his chest, and Phil praying to the ]. Weirded out, the group tries even harder to find a faster way out. While discerning their location, Luke spots a large figure, but Dom doubts him. In their ensuing argument, Dom brings up the past - blaming Luke for Rob's untimely death - calling him a coward for hiding while the crime took place, allowing Rob to die during the convenience store robbery in order to save his own life. | |||
| As they continue hiking, they find an abandoned tent overgrown in foliage, with a backpack and wallet that has a ] that expired in ]. Everyone but Hutch sees it as a bad sign, but Hutch says they must be close to the lodge and on a path that others use. Later that night, the group is awakened by Phil's screams. Hutch is missing and his tent has partially collapsed. The remaining three search for him, but by dawn, they realize they are lost. Eventually, they find a gutted Hutch impaled on tree branches and give him an impromptu burial. Around sunset, Phil is attacked and dragged away by an unseen creature. Luke and Dom flee. They find a torch-lined path leading to a small settlement. Upon rushing into a cottage, they are knocked unconscious. | |||
| Later that same night, Luke is suddenly awakened by Hutch's horrendous sounding screams. Luke quickly musters up enough inner strength to exit his tent to go see what is happening. Discovering Hutch's tent is empty and partially collapsed, the remaining three men rush deeper into the woods to search for him. By dawn, they realize that they are completely lost and are unable to locate their campsite where their tents and supplies have been left. While continuing their search without any of their supplies, they find Hutch eviscerated and impaled on tree branches hanging from above. After giving him an impromptu burial, nighttime has fallen upon them and distant noises of branches snapping can slightly be heard. Within seconds, Phil is suddenly dragged away with immense force by an unseen creature that evidently has been stalking the group. Without any other available options, and still lost deep in the forest without any of their supplies, Luke and Dom decide to make a run for it, but the creature gives chase without any signs of giving up. The two men pass Phil's body near a cleared path that is lined with lit torches leading up to a small settlement area which looks to be or recently have been inhabited, and that has what appears to be an old wooden cottage sitting directly in front of the men's path. They rush towards the old wood cottage hoping to hide from the unknown creature that is still chasing them. Both Luke and Dom manage to make it to the old cottage, tumble into the open doorway, collapsing onto the floor and struggle to quickly shut the door behind them - only to be knocked unconscious by something or someone unseen. | |||
| Luke and Dom awake to find themselves restrained in a basement. An elderly woman inspects Luke's chest wounds, revealing she bears a similar marking. Two men drag Dom upstairs and later return him, beaten and bruised, to the basement. Dom says he will be ] to the creature and urges Luke to flee. Later, while Dom is tied up outside by the townsfolk, Luke begins freeing himself from the restraints. Amidst the ], Dom hallucinates his wife emerging from the forest, only to realize it is the creature as it picks him up and impales him on a nearby tree. | |||
| A young woman explains to Luke that the creature is the giant ]-like ] "Moder", an ancient god-like entity and offspring of ] that grants the ] ] in exchange for sacrifices. Luke is to either worship Moder or be sacrificed. After she leaves, Luke frees himself and ventures upstairs. Armed with a torch, Luke finds a congregation of ] worshipers that begin to move and sets them alight, burning the cabin, and attracting Moder. Luke finds a hunting rifle and heads downstairs, killing a cult member and taking an axe. The enraged jötunn kills the young woman while Luke shoots at it and escapes. | |||
| After she leaves, Luke fully breaks free and ventures to the upper floor. Armed with a torch and an axe, he finds a twisted congregation of mummified worshipers. He sets the worshipers alight, attracting the Jötunn. Enraged, the creature kills the young woman while Luke escapes, though not before he takes a shot at it. The Jötunn pursues him, crippling his mind with hallucinations before catching him and forcing him to his knees, offering him a chance to submit. Luke strikes the creature with the axe, briefly incapacitating it. Following rays of sunlight, he emerges in an open field. Unable to leave the forest, the Jötunn roars at him in anger while Luke screams back in triumph before heading towards a paved road. | |||
| Moder pursues Luke, crippling his mind with ]s of Rob's death before catching and forcing him to his knees. Luke refuses to submit, strikes it with the axe, then flees. He runs towards the hill, seeing rays of sunlight, and emerges in an open field. Unable to leave the forest, Moder angrily roars. Luke shouts back in triumph and heads towards a paved road. | |||
| == Cast == | == Cast == | ||
| Line 46: | Line 59: | ||
| * ] as Hutch | * ] as Hutch | ||
| * ] as Dom | * ] as Dom | ||
| * Paul Reid as Robert | |||
| * Maria Erwolter as The Host | |||
| * Hilary Reeves as The Curate | |||
| * Francesca Mula as The Witch | |||
| * ] as Junkie | |||
| == |
== Production == | ||
| The film was shot on location in the ] of ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shorehamherald.co.uk/news/horror-film-ritual-features-southwick-actor-1074836|title = Horror film the Ritual features Southwick actor}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | The |
||
| The film's score was composed by ]'s long-time friend and frequent collaborator, ]. Lovett also scored Bruckner's 2007 film ] and 2020's '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reeves|first=Rachel|date=2020-02-07|title= Composer Ben Lovett On THE NIGHT HOUSE, David Bruckner and His Deep Cut Connection to Alkaline Trio|url=https://nofspodcast.com/exclusive-interview-composer-ben-lovett-on-the-night-house-david-bruckner-and-his-deep-cut-connection-to-alkaline-trio/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-06|website=Nightmare on Film Street}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | ===Critical reception=== | ||
| {{expand section|date=February 2018}} | |||
| ⚫ | On ] website ], the film holds an approval rating of |
||
| ==Release== | |||
| ⚫ | Katie Walsh of the '']'' praised the film and said that it was "Efficient and highly effective in its style, relying on sound, creepy production design, and the men's own fear and |
||
| ⚫ | ''The Ritual'' premiered in September 2017 at the ], where its international distribution rights were sold to ] for $4.75 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/toronto-horror-film-ritual-sells-netflix-475-million-1037956|title=Toronto: Horror Film 'The Ritual' Sells to Netflix for $4.75 Million (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=23 January 2018|language=en}}</ref> The film was theatrically released in the United Kingdom by ] on 13 October 2017 and grossed over $1 million during its run.<ref name="BoxOffice" /> It was later released to Netflix on 9 February 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nofspodcast.com/ritual-heading-netflix-february/|title=THE RITUAL Heading to Netflix This February |date=13 January 2018|work=Nightmare on Film Street|access-date=23 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | ===Critical reception=== | ||
| ⚫ | On ] website ], the film holds an approval rating of 74% based on 96 reviews, and an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's critical consensus states: "Director David Bruckner makes evocative use of the Scandinavian setting and a dedicated cast to deliver a handsome — if familiar — horror story."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_ritual_2017|title=The Ritual (2017)|work=]|publisher=]|accessdate=October 29, 2022}}</ref> On ], the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Ritual Reviews |work=]|url=https://metacritic.com/movie/the-ritual|publisher=]|accessdate=14 February 2018}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | Katie Walsh of the '']'' praised the film and said that it was "Efficient and highly effective in its style, relying on sound, creepy production design, and the men's own fear and misjudgments to create the sense of pervasive doom."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-capsule-the-ritual-review-20180208-story.html|title=Primal and visceral horror haunts 'The Ritual'|last=Walsh|first=Katie|website=]|date=8 February 2018|access-date=2018-03-12}}</ref> '']'' writer Simon Abrams scored the film a 2/4, saying "The most disappointing kind of bad horror movie: the kind that's too smart to be this dumb."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-ritual-2018|title=The Ritual Movie Review & Film Summary (2018) {{!}} Roger Ebert|last=Abrams|first=Simon|website=www.rogerebert.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-12}}</ref> Kyle Kohner of '']'' gave the film a negative review, saying "David Bruckner had all the ingredients for a horror masterpiece - deceptively scenic wilderness shots, great character camaraderie, dreadful atmosphere/setting- but ''The Ritual'' winds up a missed opportunity."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://theplaylist.net/ritual-review-20180213/|title='The Ritual' Conjures Up Familiar, Forgettable Horror |date=2018-02-13|work=The Playlist|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
| == References == | == References == | ||
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| {{David Bruckner}} | {{David Bruckner}} | ||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Ritual}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Ritual, The}} | ||
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Latest revision as of 14:49, 26 November 2024
2017 horror film by David Bruckner
| The Ritual | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | David Bruckner |
| Screenplay by | Joe Barton |
| Based on | The Ritual by Adam Nevill |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Andrew Shulkind |
| Edited by | Mark Towns |
| Music by | Ben Lovett |
| Production company | The Imaginarium |
| Distributed by | |
| Release dates |
|
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1.3–1.6 million |
The Ritual is a 2017 British supernatural psychological folk horror film directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton. Based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Adam Nevill, the film stars Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, and Sam Troughton as four friends on a hiking trip through a Swedish old-growth forest, where they encounter an ancient evil presence.
Following its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September, The Ritual was released by eOne in the United Kingdom on 13 October.
Plot
In a pub, five friends—Phil, Dom, Hutch, Luke, and Rob—discuss plans for a holiday. Rob suggests hiking in Sweden but gets rebuffed. Afterward, Luke and Rob leave to purchase alcohol but get involved in a robbery which soon turns violent. While Luke hides, the robbers harass and eventually kill Rob.
Six months later, the remaining four start a hiking trip along the Kungsleden in northern Sweden in memory of Rob. After Dom injures his knee, Hutch suggests cutting through the forest rather than following the marked trail. Luke is against it but Dom insists that if there's a shortcut, they should use it. Upon entering the forest, the group comes across a gutted and hanged elk, and mysterious symbols carved in the trees.
At night, a torrential rainstorm forces them to take shelter in an abandoned cabin. They find necklaces bearing similar symbols and an effigy of a decapitated human torso made of twigs, with antlers for hands. During the night, Luke has a nightmare about the robbery. The next morning, they awake to find Luke's chest bleeding from puncture wounds, Hutch screaming in terror and having wet himself, a catatonic Dom screaming for his wife Gayle, and a naked Phil praying to the effigy. Disturbed, the group tries to leave the woods through a side trail not shown on the map, despite Luke's protests. While discerning their location, Luke spots a large figure amongst the trees, but Dom doubts him. In their ensuing argument, Luke claims they wouldn't be in the forest if it weren't for Dom and Dom calls Luke a coward for letting Rob die.
As they continue hiking, they find an abandoned tent overgrown in foliage, with a backpack and wallet that has a credit card that expired in 1984. Everyone but Hutch sees it as a bad sign, but Hutch says they must be close to the lodge and on a path that others use. Later that night, the group is awakened by Phil's screams. Hutch is missing and his tent has partially collapsed. The remaining three search for him, but by dawn, they realize they are lost. Eventually, they find a gutted Hutch impaled on tree branches and give him an impromptu burial. Around sunset, Phil is attacked and dragged away by an unseen creature. Luke and Dom flee. They find a torch-lined path leading to a small settlement. Upon rushing into a cottage, they are knocked unconscious.
Luke and Dom awake to find themselves restrained in a basement. An elderly woman inspects Luke's chest wounds, revealing she bears a similar marking. Two men drag Dom upstairs and later return him, beaten and bruised, to the basement. Dom says he will be sacrificed to the creature and urges Luke to flee. Later, while Dom is tied up outside by the townsfolk, Luke begins freeing himself from the restraints. Amidst the ritual, Dom hallucinates his wife emerging from the forest, only to realize it is the creature as it picks him up and impales him on a nearby tree.
A young woman explains to Luke that the creature is the giant deer-like jötunn "Moder", an ancient god-like entity and offspring of Loki that grants the cult immortality in exchange for sacrifices. Luke is to either worship Moder or be sacrificed. After she leaves, Luke frees himself and ventures upstairs. Armed with a torch, Luke finds a congregation of mummified worshipers that begin to move and sets them alight, burning the cabin, and attracting Moder. Luke finds a hunting rifle and heads downstairs, killing a cult member and taking an axe. The enraged jötunn kills the young woman while Luke shoots at it and escapes.
Moder pursues Luke, crippling his mind with hallucinations of Rob's death before catching and forcing him to his knees. Luke refuses to submit, strikes it with the axe, then flees. He runs towards the hill, seeing rays of sunlight, and emerges in an open field. Unable to leave the forest, Moder angrily roars. Luke shouts back in triumph and heads towards a paved road.
Cast
- Rafe Spall as Luke
- Arsher Ali as Phil
- Robert James-Collier as Hutch
- Sam Troughton as Dom
- Paul Reid as Robert
- Maria Erwolter as The Host
- Hilary Reeves as The Curate
- Francesca Mula as The Witch
- Matthew Needham as Junkie
Production
The film was shot on location in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.
The film's score was composed by David Bruckner's long-time friend and frequent collaborator, Ben Lovett. Lovett also scored Bruckner's 2007 film The Signal and 2020's The Night House.
Release
The Ritual premiered in September 2017 at the Toronto International Film Festival, where its international distribution rights were sold to Netflix for $4.75 million. The film was theatrically released in the United Kingdom by eOne Films on 13 October 2017 and grossed over $1 million during its run. It was later released to Netflix on 9 February 2018.
Critical reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 74% based on 96 reviews, and an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's critical consensus states: "Director David Bruckner makes evocative use of the Scandinavian setting and a dedicated cast to deliver a handsome — if familiar — horror story." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times praised the film and said that it was "Efficient and highly effective in its style, relying on sound, creepy production design, and the men's own fear and misjudgments to create the sense of pervasive doom." RogerEbert.com writer Simon Abrams scored the film a 2/4, saying "The most disappointing kind of bad horror movie: the kind that's too smart to be this dumb." Kyle Kohner of The Playlist gave the film a negative review, saying "David Bruckner had all the ingredients for a horror masterpiece - deceptively scenic wilderness shots, great character camaraderie, dreadful atmosphere/setting- but The Ritual winds up a missed opportunity."
References
- ^ "The Ritual (2017) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- "The Ritual". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- "Horror film the Ritual features Southwick actor".
- Reeves, Rachel (7 February 2020). "[Exclusive Interview] Composer Ben Lovett On THE NIGHT HOUSE, David Bruckner and His Deep Cut Connection to Alkaline Trio". Nightmare on Film Street. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- "Toronto: Horror Film 'The Ritual' Sells to Netflix for $4.75 Million (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- "THE RITUAL Heading to Netflix This February". Nightmare on Film Street. 13 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- "The Ritual (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- "The Ritual Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- Walsh, Katie (8 February 2018). "Primal and visceral horror haunts 'The Ritual'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- Abrams, Simon. "The Ritual Movie Review & Film Summary (2018) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- "'The Ritual' Conjures Up Familiar, Forgettable Horror [Review]". The Playlist. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
External links
- The Ritual at IMDb
| Films directed by David Bruckner | |
|---|---|
|
- 2017 films
- 2010s monster movies
- 2010s supernatural horror films
- 2017 horror films
- Folk horror films
- British monster movies
- Lionsgate Canada films
- Films about cults
- Films about human sacrifice
- Films about witchcraft
- Films based on British novels
- Films based on horror novels
- Films based on Norse mythology
- Films directed by David Bruckner
- Films set in forests
- Films set in Sweden
- Films shot in Romania
- 2010s English-language films
- British supernatural horror films
- 2017 directorial debut films
- 2010s British films
- Films scored by Ben Lovett