The Ritual

It’s not improbability that dooms this Al Pacino-headlined genre throwaway but a crushing lack of originality and a form that makes its clichés even harder to swallow.


I guess you could even say the devil is indeed in the details that this film puts on the back burner.

Ultimately, this is a work that could be useful for viewers fascinated by its subject matter, although others will find little offered in terms of horror and entertainment value. [Full review in Spanish]

“The Ritual” cuts a lot of corners on screen and in the story.

It’s a sin that the film itself falls so short of its moment.

A modest horror-drama that’s undone by some distracting stylistic choices.

Well, I finally saw a film shot and edited worse than “A Working Man” (2025), which is a low bar.

‘The Ritual,’ directed by David Midell, delivers competent performances across the board, and the sincerity of its cast is never in doubt. However, the film remains largely pedantic and struggles to truly terrify.

Overall, it’s hard to find aspects of The Ritual that are worth a watch, especially when there are other films with the same subject matter that excel in every aspect where this one fails.

Unlike Emma's contortions, Midell's film remains flat.