Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- eerie
- foreboding
- oppressive
- late night horror marathon
- rainy night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the evocative Scandinavian setting, atmosphere, sound design, and committed cast while finding the horror formula and screenplay uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The hikers encounter a supernatural creature and ritualistic practices connected to the Swedish forest.
Remote northern Swedish woodland, heavy rain, darkness, and difficult terrain trap the group away from help.
Luke's grief and guilt over Robert's death shape his relationships and psychological ordeal during the hike.
The group's route through the forest progressively exposes signs of a stalking monster and an organized ritual culture.
Films like The Ritual, and why
The Wicker Man
shared folk horror atmosphere, isolated wilderness setting, psychological dread, and an ominous encounter with an ancient community
The Blair Witch Project
shared found-in-the-wilderness terror, disoriented hikers, escalating paranoia, and unseen monster threat
The Descent
shared survival horror, woodland isolation, group conflict, and a relentless creature stalking the protagonists
Midsommar
shared Scandinavian setting, pagan folklore, ritualistic menace, and oppressive atmospheric horror
Movie Details
- Director
- David Bruckner
- Release Date
- 2017-10-11
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (3584)
Cast
- Rafe Spall
- Arsher Ali
- Robert James-Collier
- Sam Troughton
- Paul Reid
- Matthew Needham
- Jacob James Beswick
- Maria Erwolter
- Hilary Reeves
- Peter Liddell
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Ritual about?
- Four estranged friends seeking a shortcut through Sweden's wilderness stumble into a ritualistic nightmare that turns grief and guilt into monstrous terror.
- What is The Ritual like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ritual as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Ritual violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Ritual as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Ritual?
- Critics broadly praised the evocative Scandinavian setting, atmosphere, sound design, and committed cast while finding the horror formula and screenplay uneven.
- Which films are like The Ritual?
- Films with a similar feel include The Wicker Man, The Blair Witch Project, The Descent, and Midsommar.
- How long is The Ritual?
- The Ritual runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Ritual?
- In United States, The Ritual streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
