Four friends hiking the Scandinavian wilderness take a wrong turn and find themselves stalked by an ancient evil in the mysterious forests of Norse legend. A film by David Bruckner, starring Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton, and Paul Reid.

A film adaptation of a British horror novel of the same name by Adam Nevill. The novel, first published in the UK on October 7, 2011, was critically acclaimed and won the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel in 2012.

The August Derleth Award is one of the British Fantasy Awards bestowed annually by the British Fantasy Society. The award is named after the American writer and editor August Derleth. It was inaugurated in 1972 for the best novel of the year.

Luke (Rafe Spall), Phil (Arsher Ali), Hutch (Robert James-Collier), Dom (Sam Troughton), and Robert (Paul Reid) gather at a pub to discuss their annual group vacation. Robert proposes hiking the King’s Trail between Sweden and Norway, but his friends deem themselves too old for such an adventure.

Later that night, Luke seeks to purchase a bottle of vodka at a convenience store, and Robert volunteers to accompany him. As they enter the store, they realize that it is being robbed. Luke, fearing for his life, quickly hides behind a shelf. The thieves notice Robert and demand his valuables. Robert complies, but refuses to surrender his wedding ring when a thief asks for it. The thief, enraged, kills Robert instantly. Since then, Luke has been consumed by guilt, wondering if Robert could have survived had he intervened.

Six months later, Luke, Phil, Hutch, and Dom embark on the Kungsleden hiking trail in Sweden to memorialize Robert. During the trek, Dom sustains an injury to his knee, rendering him unable to walk the fourteen hours to the lodge. With no cell reception, they cannot call for help. Hutch consults the map and proposes a shortcut through the forest, but Luke disagrees, urging him and Hutch to return for assistance. Dom, however, refuses to wait stranded on the mountain, and the group opts for the quicker route.

Kungsleden (King’s Trail) is a hiking trail in northern Sweden, approximately 467 kilometres long, between Abisko in the north and Hemavan in the south.

Initially, the group enjoys taking photos along the way. However, their carefree mood dissipates upon encountering a freshly gutted elk suspended from a tree. Luke suggests that they continue on their journey, as the perpetrator could still be in the vicinity.

As darkness descends, a rainstorm forces them to seek refuge in an abandoned cabin. Bizarre phenomena begin to occur, portending a sinister reality that soon manifests in their ominous nightmares.

The director masterfully employs rustling leaves and endless trees to create one of the scariest scenes. Another notable scene is the juxtaposition of convenience store shelves appearing in the forest with lighting hanging in the air, blending the protagonist’s nightmare with reality in a simple yet creepily memorable way.

The film’s first half skillfully manipulates the audience, blurring the lines between reality and hallucination. Then, a character dies, but we remain unsure of the killer’s identity: is it human, a highly evolved animal, or a demon? The director maintains suspense until the climax, when the monster is finally revealed in a truly exceptional and satisfying design. I believe the film would be even more impactful if no one survived.

I also admire the screenwriter Joe Barton’s addition of the character Robert, who does not exist in the novel. Robert’s presence creates conflict and tension, providing a compelling reason for the group’s hiking trip.

THE RITUAL premiered at Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2017. The film was theatrically released in Belgium on October 11, and in UK & Ireland on October 13. Netflix acquired the international distribution rights to the film, which was released to its streaming service on 9 February 2018.