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The Ritual (2018)

The Ritual is about a group of friends who go on a hiking trip in Sweden only to get lost and encounter something sinister in the woods.

Hylophobia plays a big part in David Bruckner's film. He has done horror before with V/H/S and Southbound. This is easily his best work and best direction. Also, the writing and dialogue are much better than his previous work. The way the friends talk to one another and how they each feel different and layered is textbook writing. He's a relatively new director and with this film, I could see him getting work on a major production company's horror film.

The main character is named Luke and played by Rafe Spall. At first, I couldn't shake the reminder that he was one of the "Andy's" in Hot Fuzz, but he was also in Shaun of the Dead, you know the one who says "You've got red on you." at the beginning of the film. I remember watching the director commentary on that film and hearing Edgar Wright say that Spall had a career ahead of him. He was wright right. Onto his acting in the film, the trailer spoils that his best friend dies but there is more to it and I won't spoil that for you, but he captures that pain throughout the film and has his own character arch because of that event.

For a horror movie though there aren't very many scary moments, although you get drawn in by the wanting to know more and see more of whatever is out there in the woods. The ending is expected but the way a certain thing happens is odd but interesting enough to not make the film bad.

Result: B (There are elements of the movie I really enjoyed, but it doesn't make up for some of the pitfalls to be a recommended horror film.)

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