Horror Directors Love Netflix’s ‘The Ritual’: Guillermo del Toro, Mike Flanagan, and More Share Praise
Zack Sharf
Netflix is having an excellent 2018 when it comes to the horror genre. The streaming giant’s Spanish-language “Veronica” has everyone talking this month, and last month it was “The Ritual” that was turning heads. Over a month after “The Ritual’s” release, it’s clear the David Bruckner-directed horror movie is a new favorite among genre directors and actors. Horror favorites like Guillermo del Toro and Mike Flanagan have all shared praise for the film, which first premiered at TIFF last year.
“The Ritual” stars Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, and Sam Troughton as four friends who get together to honor the memory of one of their late pals by setting out on a hiking trip through Sarek National Park in northern Sweden. The forest, however, is hiding some dark secrets, and it doesn’t take long for the group to be put in jeopardy after they discovery something terrifying is lurking about.
While the movie earned positive buzz at TIFF, the reactions in the month since it debuted on Netflix have been incredibly enthusiastic. Most recently, Guillermo del Toro shared his love for the film on Twitter, saying “The Ritual” is “highly recommended” and both “amazing and scary.” Mike Flanagan, the horror favorite behind “Oculus,” “Hush,” and “Gerald’s Game,” shared similar praise last month, calling the film “seriously great” and “dripping with tension.”
Others weighing in on “The Ritual” include Wil Wheaton, Allison Tolman, and Chris Hardwick. “The Ritual” is now streaming on Netflix.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! “The Ritual” at NETFLIX. Amazing and scary. With a beautiful creature designed by frequent collaborator Keith Thompson. pic.twitter.com/OkWtDHvxCb
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) March 16, 2018
THE RITUAL on @netflix is seriously great. Wonderful performances and dripping with tension. Well done @bruckmachina
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) February 14, 2018
We got a great recommendation from @hardwick to watch The Ritual on @netflix. It’s just the right amount of scary, and worth a watch. 4 out of 5.
— Wil ‘Ban the Nazis’ Wheaton (@wilw) February 14, 2018
Scary, beautiful, sad, and powerful. I was also a fan- and that creature stayed with me something fierce.
— Allison Tolman (@Allison_Tolman) March 16, 2018
Camping trip is cancelled due to the excellent acting, sound design, killer visuals, unnerving throughout, and flourish of a finish…!… The Ritual on @netflix
— Barbara Crampton (@barbaracrampton) February 12, 2018
If you’re looking for a good scary movie, I recommend “The Ritual.” It just came out on Netflix and it’s pretty great and also one of the many reasons I don’t enjoy hiking.
— Shannon Purser (@shannonpurser) February 10, 2018
God damn, @bruckmachina. THE RITUAL is a fucking beautiful film. Performances, cinematography, tension are all top-notch, and those final twenty minutes are eye candy like I haven’t enjoyed in ages. Huge, heartfelt kudos across the board.
— Ted Geoghegan (@tedgeoghegan) February 14, 2018
Hey if you’re looking for a good horror flick “The Ritual” on @netflix is pretty rad
— ʞɔiwbɿɒH ꙅiɿʜƆ (@hardwick) February 13, 2018
