In his later years, Hal Holbrook had a charming teddybear quality. In his Oscar nominated performance in Into the Wild (2007), his character showed a sincerity that was touching as well as damn-near heartbreaking. That was my introduction to the actor, so to see him in a movie this wild and gritty was notable. We even get to see him in his tighty whites. But don't worry. It's very brief.
Hal and his buddies play urban doctors who wanna get in touch with their rugged side. The cinqos amigos wade thru water, whack through the bush and suspiciously find their boots stolen hundreds of miles from civilization. Could it be that they're being stalked and robbed or did their sex doll come alive in the night and throw their footwear into the water? Yes, they bring a sex doll with them.
As the circumstances turn more dire and urgent, the friends contemplate out loud why their fates have taken a dive. This is when you come to realize that Rituals was meant to be more of a sophisticated film, despite how it may have been marketed at the time. It manages to avoid the over-the-top tropes of violence and gore that u see in other Hicksploitation features like Southern Comfort (1981) and Trapped (1982). It's not thriller escapism as much as it is survival realism. It's a more relatable adventure as the high-stress predicament turns tragic and even surreally comical in a disturbing way.
The film is flawed but it has its own identity. Even the sadism feels unique, which is no easy achievement. The slow burn quality is apparent as the unknown danger closes in. Unfortunately, the tension and animosity between the friends gets old very quick. When they argue over how to cross the river, you may be thinking, SHOW US THE MOUNTAINFOLK ALREADY! Mind you, that's when the anxiety hits a high note with a particularly wince-inducing riverbed surprise. It's as if the film knows that your attention may be waning.
Ultimately, this movie cannot be written off as a pale imitation of Deliverance.
Hal and his buddies play urban doctors who wanna get in touch with their rugged side. The cinqos amigos wade thru water, whack through the bush and suspiciously find their boots stolen hundreds of miles from civilization. Could it be that they're being stalked and robbed or did their sex doll come alive in the night and throw their footwear into the water? Yes, they bring a sex doll with them.
As the circumstances turn more dire and urgent, the friends contemplate out loud why their fates have taken a dive. This is when you come to realize that Rituals was meant to be more of a sophisticated film, despite how it may have been marketed at the time. It manages to avoid the over-the-top tropes of violence and gore that u see in other Hicksploitation features like Southern Comfort (1981) and Trapped (1982). It's not thriller escapism as much as it is survival realism. It's a more relatable adventure as the high-stress predicament turns tragic and even surreally comical in a disturbing way.
The film is flawed but it has its own identity. Even the sadism feels unique, which is no easy achievement. The slow burn quality is apparent as the unknown danger closes in. Unfortunately, the tension and animosity between the friends gets old very quick. When they argue over how to cross the river, you may be thinking, SHOW US THE MOUNTAINFOLK ALREADY! Mind you, that's when the anxiety hits a high note with a particularly wince-inducing riverbed surprise. It's as if the film knows that your attention may be waning.
Ultimately, this movie cannot be written off as a pale imitation of Deliverance.