Review: Ritual (2017) is what happens when you tell Nordic people about the Blair Witch

A long time ago in a theater far away, I sat down and and watched a freaky little movie called The Blair Witch Project. In a quiet and dark theater, with the camera shaking and the people on screen giving real screams, that movie elicited a visceral response. Then it had some sequels that I can't talk about. Now there's this movie and it's set in The Old World.

    Four British guys are super sad their bro died in a robbery gone wrong, so they decide to honor his last wish and go on a hike. Tired of walking, one of them has the great idea to go off trail and get lost. They do. A cabin in the woods causes them to go super crazy and the rest of the time is them attempting to find a way out of the woods and whatever is menacing them.

    Part of me feels like I have given the wrong impression of this movie. The atmosphere, acting, and general look are really well done. It's almost cathartic in a way after years of "lost in the woods" movies to see one executed so well. But in the end, I just wanted it to end.

    Check out this movie on that streaming service most people use. It's a really well done horror with some genuine twists that could have been cheesy but feel organic. The only knock I can give is the movie does not foreshadow it's main reveal. One guy talking about "stay on the path, don't go in the moors" or whatever might have set up the payoff much better.