Jeff Reviews 'The Ritual' (2017)

Reuniting after the tragic death of their friend, four college pals set out to hike through the Scandinavian wilderness. A wrong turn leads them into the mysterious forests of Norse legend, where an ancient evil exists and stalks them at every turn.

Not to be confused with 'Ritual' (2002) or 'The Ritual' (2009),  'The Ritual' (2017) is directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton. It is based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Adam Nevill, and stars Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, and Sam Troughton. The film premiered in September 2017 at the Toronto International Film Festival, where its international distribution rights were sold to Netflix who quietly scooped it up for $4.75 million. The film was theatrically released in the United Kingdom by eOne Films on October 13th, 2017 and grossed over $1 million during its run. It was later released to Netflix on February 9th, 2018.

Bruckner burst upon the horror scene during the short film anthology craze that brought us 'V/H/S' with his offering the segment "Amateur Night", which lead to the feature-length 'SiREN' which further dug into the history of the shorts protagonist. Prior to this, he scrambled our brains into zombies with 'The Signal' (2007) and later took us to hell with 'Southbound' (2015). So, though not an amateur when it comes to creating mind-boggling horror, 'The Ritual' does showcase much of what he's learned over the last decade. Many of the same experiments from his previous works are on trial here and pulled off with experienced precision. 'The Ritual' is an 80's style cult creature film. It feels like a Hammer film, almost 'Wickerman' like, with plenty of friendly elements to help you feel at home. In a way its 'Blair Witch' (2017) without the found footage, very Wingard/Moorehead and Benson (Resolution) or even Ti West like. Which makes sense they all come from the same school of horror thinking. These guys are the future of horror and strongly keeping the genre alive.

As far as buddy films go we don't really get a sense of how these guys are tight, to begin with. Maybe its the cloak of death and guilt of the friend that died in the robbery, or maybe we just don't have enough time to fully develop, but the characters seem to be trapped too deeply in their own remorse or whiney disdain for this memorial hike. Still, by the climax of the film, and with the rise of the final guy, you will actually grow to like them and appreciate their quirks. A couple moments of dark levity, mostly during the film's climax, helps a lot. 'The Ritual' is not about the sacrifice, as you might want to believe, it is about the moment one becomes a follower. It is about being marked by guilt, living with regrets, seeking redemption, and ultimately maturing beyond the faults. Luke is marked by cowardice and must rise above, or grovel at the feet of a new god and become one of the villagers. It's truly a reflection of society and how we want to be seen in it.

Obviously, we want to take a moment to talk about the creature. The monster is an old god seeking worshippers and sacrifice. Its reveal is actually well done in Cloverfield fashion, with plenty of off-camera build up, to finally seeing the monster in the closing craziness, as more of a silhouette, of an amalgamation of animals in the firelight rather than an in your face CGI nightmare. Although there is still the in your face moment. It is mostly due to the director feeling it would be shirking his duty by not providing the final reveal. Thankfully this reveal mostly results in glowing eyes and Grim Reaper cowled emptiness.

The Ritual is currently available on Netflix

Warning: HERE THERE BE SPOILERS

If you haven’t seen The Ritual (now streaming on Netflix), go watch it now before continuing any further. If you have and want to know more about the Norse monster that wants your worship, continue to the information below provided by Horror Freak News ...

"In the recent creature horror The Ritual, a group of hikers in Sweden run afoul of a 'Jötunn', a somewhat ambiguous term for forest giants (also referred to as 'Risis', 'Thurs', and 'Trolls'). Despite being thoroughly grounded in Norse lore, director David Bruckner incorporated British mythology and completely original elements. The result is the coolest genre demon since Pumkinhead!" (Joshua Millican - HFN)

my thoughts on.... 'The Axe Murders of Villisca'

As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....

With the recent shift in horror film making and the dawn of 'Deathwave', we've seen a change in the narrative that makes up our beloved genre. It's no longer just about the most franchisable masked madman or how disgusting our special effects can be. We're seeing smarter and more emotional story lines. Characters are more drawn out and there is a deeper meaning behind all the murder and mayhem. There is also a stronger focus on the acting contained in these films and the desire to tell a story that may not even end up much bloodshed. Does this still qualify as horror? Absolutely. It merely is taking the groundwork, that was laid by our forefathers, and building a new addition onto an already towering structure. This new direction may have its detractors and naysayers, but that doesn't make it any less of a viable addition to the genre. You still have plenty of slashers, monsters and zombies roaming the celluloid cinescape to satisfy all of your blood lust and fiendish desires. For me, however, being a fan of the beauty in the grotesque. I'm always looking for something more behind the darkness. I have a passion for tales of love and longing and there's a certain poetry in the misunderstood monster. For too long, we've focused on scaring each other and avoided the most frightening part of the entire story, what lies beneath our heroes and villains. Sometimes, the darkest part of what creates the terror, is the reality that brought it to life. So, brings us to 'The Axe Murders of Villisca'.

Written by Owen Egerton and Kevin Abrams, along with co-writer and director Tony E. Valenzuela, 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' is more than a ghost story. It's more than a slasher film with paranormal ties. This is a deeper meditation on longing, loss and forgiveness. Not necessarily of someone else, but of yourself. The story begins with the origin of the house itself. Based on a true, unsolved, series of murders, we find the good Reverend Kelly (played by the iconic Sean Whalen) murdering an entire family as they slept. Fast forward to modern day, we meet Caleb (played by Robert Adamson), Denny (played by Jarrett Sleeper) and Jess (played by Alex Frnka). Three wounded high school students, who through a series of events, end up at the Villisca murder house to take a haunted tour. Caleb and Denny are old friends and part time paranormal YouTube investigators. Jess is recovering from the stigma created by a video of her having sex, that is being circulated among her fellow students. After Caleb sticks up for Jess, she returns the favor by coming to his home to thank him. When she arrives, Caleb and Denny are about to go on their last paranormal investigating together, before Caleb leaves town. He invites Jess to go along, as they head out to the Villisca house. While they are being taken through the home by Greg (played by Jon Gries), they learn about the horrific events that took place back in 1912. When Jess crosses one of the roped off areas, they are quickly ushered out of the home. Not too be the one to have ruined the investigation, Jess offers to help them break in, for a late night tour. While attempting to communicate with the victims of the Reverend Kelly, they awaken and evil that never left the premises and to fight to make it out alive themselves.

While on paper, the story may sound like something you've seen several times before, what you actually get with 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' is so much more. Yes, there are murderous spirits and possession. Yes, there are actual axe murders that take place. Yes, there is a haunted house aspect to this film. However, all of those things are merely a tool and a device to help our main characters come to terms with their own personal demons. It's not a film that is without flaws. There are some rather cliched tropes that are used as a means to an end, but that can be forgiven because the end result is a very satisfying one. Each character has their moment of clarity, where they have to look down the darkness inside themselves or be destroyed by it. Although, they all have to fight what's haunting them at the moment of truth, they each have each other to rely on as a pseudo support system. Teaching us that we don't have to be alone in our struggles with the past. We are not the sum of one event that seems to define us. Instead, we are a composite of all of the things we've done in our lives and all the things we have yet to do still. No one person is perfect or without flaws. It's how we take that pain and guilt and turn it into something positive. How we use it as a force for change or take on the burdens of others, who may not be as strong as we are at that moment in their lives. That's the resounding message that seems to come through in the end. All carried out through a tale of darkness, sadness and death.

If there was one thing I could change about this film, it would be the introduction of Rob (played by Kellan Rhude) and Connor (played by Riley Bodenstab) in the third act. It allowed for a slightly higher body count and a rather tacked on end sequence, but for me, it didn't really drive the plot forward. What positive things it allowed for, were some interactions with our main protagonists and allowed them to confront some of the subjects that might not have been touched upon otherwise. I'm assuming that was the reason they were included in the finale, but even with leaving all of their final sequences in place, we didn't need the last shot of them in the film. It left the overall tone with a bit of a bad taste in our mouths. That's a minor complaint among a lot of very positive things that did happen in it's, slightly shorter than average, run time. This film also contained some beautiful establishing shots and a very compelling score. All of these moving parts, made for a very moving and thought provoking journey. While I still have some misgivings about the picture as a whole, I can't deny that it made me think about things that play heavily in all of our lives. As not only teenagers, but as adults as well. 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' is a film that may not strike a chord with every viewer that sees it, but it's a solid addition to the ever growing lexicon of intelligent horror. Everyone involved in this film should feel proud of what they accomplished and I look forward to seeing what they bring to the table next. A solid 4 out of 5 star film, that could have spent a lot more time building up the back stories of our three main characters, but in the end.... didn't have too. What stands at the end of the day, is a solid piece of film making that should be viewed by those who like their films to be more than just another attempt at creating a new franchise.



If you enjoy this film, check out: 'Spring', 'The Battery' and 'Darling'

my thoughts on.... 'They're Watching'

As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....
I legitimately had no idea what I was getting into, when I turned on 'They're Watching'. I knew very little about it and had intentionally kept it that way, so as to enjoy it with untainted eyes. What I'm going to say now is, if you want to experience it the same way I did, then stop this review now and go watch it. Currently it's streaming on Netflix and is only about an hour and a half. I'll be here when you get back.
* There may be minor spoilers ahead *
Okay, so if you're reading this, you've either watched the film or don't mind a little bit of spoilers. 'They're Watching' is strongly based on several different HGTV programs about people buying homes for the first time or fixer uppers or haunted mansions or whatever. There was no question what the basis for the overall premise was. This gave the film a grounding and logical explanation for the near found footage style or film making. However, they offer a bit more reasonable excuse why we're seeing the film at the end, since almost every involved is dead, but we'll get to that. Written and directed by Jay Lender and Micah Wright, this film isn't entirely sure what it wants to be. Jay Lender has primarily worked in television on such shows as 'Phineas and Ferb' and 'Spongebob Squarepants'. Micah Wright has mainly worked in video games, so right off the bat, you know you're in for something different. A horror movie with that pedigree has to have something to prove. Starring a slew of fairly unknown actors, sans Dimitri Diatchenko, whom you may not recognize his name, but look up his credits and you'll know the man. All of this actually works in the films favor, as it makes you care more about the characters, than the people who play them. The locations feel very genuine and you get nice sense of xenophobia throughout the film. All good things to have going on, if you're a film maker, right? Keep reading.

The movie begins with the ending. You literally see the death of at least one, possibly two main characters before the credits even begin to roll.... if there were credits. This entire film plays out exactly as though it was an episode of this home buying show, 'Home Hunters Global'. Once the initial shock of the violent deaths has passed, we skip back to before the film crew had arrived, as we see the original episode that started the whole journey. A young couple, Becky and Goran, are looking to purchase a small fixer upper in Goran's home town, a remote Eastern European village of 200 people called Moldova. The host, Kate Banks, shows them a run down and decrepit cottage on the outskirts of town that has seen better days. Surprisingly, Becky leaps at the chance to turn it into her dream home. Fast forward to 6 months later, as Kate and her crew are gearing up to go back and see how Becky has progressed with her project. We meet Sarah, a fresh out of film school intern type. Greg, a long time cameraman who had served in Afghanistan. And finally, Joe, a rather hap hazard producer who really doesn't like the idea of having to go back to this backwoods little town overseas. When they arrive, they surprised to be greeted by staring villagers everywhere they go and are even more surprised when they show up at the cottage and it's beautiful. Goran is out of town, but Becky welcomes them with open arms. Proud to show off all of the hard work she's put into remodeling her home. Upon further inspection, things start to turn a little strange as there are paintings of a witch burning and frogs in the cellar. They start to have stranger and stranger run in's with the locals as nobody seems to want them there, except Becky. From there, you're on your own. I'll have a bit more to say in a bit about what happens, but I'm hoping you'll have already seen the film by that point.
'They're Watching' isn't your standard found footage style film. From the basic use of the home remodeling show premise to the remote foreign location, it feels more like a regular movie than anything else. There are brief moments where you're reminded that it's all being filmed by the characters themselves, but it's never overwhelming or shoved down your throat. It's a subtle approach, let's call it. This may not be the most original take on the subject of witches and film crews stumbling on to something terrifying, but I have to admire the way that Jay Lender and Micah Wright have handled it. They made a very kinetic film going experience that kept me more than interested throughout the entire run time. I felt like I had a good grasp on what was going on and what would eventually happen (especially considering we saw the ending at the beginning), but I wasn't fully expecting the twist that happened in the third act. I wish that I could say that it endeared me to the film and made me want to see it again, however, it kind of turned me off. I don't want to give away the shift in tone and shocking moment that twisted the story around, but it's hard to not talk about it because it influences the viewers final feelings on the whole spectacle.

Let's just say this, after something specific happens, things go really sideways. Not in terms of the films plot, but in terms of the films special effects and the reality of what's happening. It's at this point, that I could start to see the film makers backgrounds starting to bleed through into the main plot. It's so cartoonish and somewhat silly that I started to wonder what the hell happened? Because we had such a strong first two acts, it made the ending have much less impact. I've never had a thing for films about witches, except for Rob Zombie's slow burner the 'Lords of Salem'. This movie reminded me why I feel that way. I honestly think that if the directors had just toned down the special effects more and maybe had a bit more humor sprinkled throughout the first half, the ending would have made more sense. Perhaps it was budgetary constraints or maybe just a desire to be a little bat crap insane at the end? The audience may never know.
Before I sum everything up that I'm feeling and give you my final rating of the film, I should say that I didn't hate this movie and in fact, I rather enjoyed it. There was some great homages paid to other films, along the way. Including my favorite, which was directly pointed at Sam Raimi's 'Evil Dead' franchise. There was also some really great moments of shock and surprise and some good character development. I really grew to hate Kate, mainly because of the script and the choices Carrie Genzel made in flushing her out. There was a lot to really love about 'They're Watching'. However, it just never felt like it knew what kind of movie it wanted to be. Was it a horror film? A comedy? Perhaps a little of both? Which, when it's done right, can be amazing. (I'm looking at you 'Cabin in the Woods') This just never happened, in my opinion. It's almost as though the idea was to throw everything in, including the kitchen sink, and hope for the best. All in all, I'd give it a solid 3 out of 5 stars. A really strong outing for these film makers and I hope that it allows them to continue to make movies. They have a strong voice and plenty of real world experience to work from. If they can just harness it and focus that energy on a better overall film from start to finish, we may be seeing something pretty fantastic from them down the road. I would recommend checking this one out, if you're looking for something a little different and don't mind jumping the shark at the end.


If you'd like to see some other films about witches, check out: 'Lords of Salem', 'The Witch' or 'The Wizard of Oz' (I'm just saying, there's witches in that film)

my thoughts on.... 'Last Shift' (an original Creepercast site review)

As with all of my reviews of the independent films that we get sent here at The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....
Netflix is like that annoying friend that seems to know better than you. However, no matter how many times they tell you to watch something, you ignore them. Almost out of the desire to not do what you're told, good old fashioned spite. Eventually, they either convince you and you don't want to admit it or you ignore it until 8 years later, once the statute of limitations is past and you finally watch. 'Last Shift' is one of those movies that Netflix kept telling me to watch. All of the Facebook groups for horror films and for Netflix streaming movies, kept telling me to watch. It just kept popping up left and right, it was non stop. I kind of hated it. The cover art really turned me off, but deep down.... the concept fascinated me. I really wanted to keep putting it off and to just let it slip into oblivion, however.... I gave in last night and finally watched it. I hate to admit it, but all the pushing was somewhat justified. Maybe it's not going to change the face of modern horror, but it's above average for sure.

The story line focuses on our heroine, Jessica Loren (played very smartly by Juliana Harkavy), who's a rookie cop that's been assigned to babysit a police station on it's last night before closing down. The entire police department has moved to a new location, but it's kind of a mystery as too why. Little does Jessica know, that she's about to find out the truth.... about the police station, the secrets contained within and how she's tied to it all. Over the course of the evening, she idle's away her time alone, in anticipation of earning the respect of her captain. Things start out slowly at first, but soon more and more things start to happen and quickly take a violent turn. Jessica pieces together that a cult leader and two of his devoted followers had killed themselves after a murderous spree had left a trail of dead in it's wake. It seemed that in their death, they had been resurrected and had come back to destroy anyone in their way. Unfortunately, Jessica happened to be the last victim on their list.
Directed and co-written by Anthony DiBlasi, 'Last Shift' is an exercise in minimalism horror. I don't know if that's a real thing, but that's what I'm going to refer to it as. Simple sets, story line and very few actors. That's not a bad thing. Sometimes, less is more. In the case of 'Last Shift', it worked in it's favor. Not unlike the incredibly creepy and amazingly underrated remake of 'Nightwatch' (1997), starring Ewan McGregor and Patricia Arquette. It's a similar set up and very similar feel, but they are not even remotely the same films. Where 'The Late Shift' succeeds is in it's build up of tension and it's lack of blatant exposition. It allows the viewer to learn what's happening as the characters in the film learn what's happening. You're never entirely sure where the reality ends and where the supernatural or imagined parts begin. It sets you on edge and makes you question what you're seeing going on around you. Where this film fails, is primarily in the last 5 minutes. Up to that point, it's a solid story line, that holds the viewers attention and keeps you guessing. Sadly, it's as if someone was reading a book on cliched third acts and they took a page out of that book and pasted it to the script and called it good. It's just lazy writing and for a film that had such promise, it ended up being a rather big letdown. I wouldn't tell people to stay away entirely. The film has it's merits and is worth the hour and half of your life. I mean, if you've got nothing else to do over the weekend, this would make a great Saturday night popcorn flick.

All in all, I give 'Last Shift' a solid 3 out of 5 stars. It has room for improvement, but with all of the garbage that gets made and then pushed on us by streaming services, it's nice to find a little diamond in the rough. If you like your horror a little bit claustrophobic, with a dash of cop shock, some culty type shenanigans and a hobo pissing on a police station floor.... then this is the movie for you. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one and think there's a little something in it for every creep out there. I'd be curious to find out if anyone else felt as let down by the ending, like I did? Maybe I've just become too much of a jaded horror fan, in my older years. I can't say that I've seen everything, not even close. However, I've seen a lot and at this point I like to wined and dined a little before my date makes their big move. 'Last Shift' got to third base, only to strike out while heading for home plate. I also have a feeling it won't call in the morning. You've been given fair warning, for better or worse.

If you like this film, also check out: 'Nightwatch' (1997), 'Maniac Cop' and 'Let Us Prey'