The Ritual (2017)
Excellent creeping round the woods film that sees Rafe Spall, Downton's Robert James-Collier, and two mates lost on a Swedish hiking holiday as a menacing presence begins stalking them.
Creepy and unsettling, i was straining my eyes along with Spall as he peered into the dimly lit woods. Director David Bruckner (The Signal, Southbound, Hellraiser) builds the film slowly allowing it's characters to grow, meaning by the time the horror kicks in you really care for them which is how horror should be - believable and scary and thankfully this isn't a found footage shaky cam movie either.
Although largely gore free, the film slowly develops a sense of creeping dread with dead deer splayed apart in the trees and signs of ritualism and witchcraft. Whilst the denouement when we get to see what exactly is hunting them (Superb creature design) and what the ritual actually comprises is nicely horrible and shocking.
I really enjoyed this and even on a third watch it retains it's power.
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