The Ritual is a 2018 British horror film directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton, based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Adam Nevill. The film stars Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton, Paul Reid, and Joel Fry.

The Ritual follows a group of four friends who hike into the Swedish wilderness to honor their deceased friend. However, when they take a shortcut through the woods, they find themselves stalked by a mysterious creature.

The Ritual is a slow-burn horror film that relies on atmosphere and suspense to create scares. The film is beautifully shot, with director Bruckner using the dense Swedish forests to create a sense of claustrophobia and dread. The cast is also excellent, with Spall giving a particularly strong performance as the lead character, Luke.

The Ritual is not perfect. The film's pacing can be slow at times, and the ending is somewhat divisive. However, the film's strengths outweigh its weaknesses. The Ritual is a well-made and genuinely scary horror film that is sure to please fans of the genre.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the film's strengths and weaknesses:

**Strengths:**

* Atmospheric and suspenseful
* Beautifully shot
* Excellent cast
* Some genuinely scary moments

**Weaknesses:**

* Pacing can be slow at times
* Divisive ending

Overall, The Ritual is a solid horror film that is sure to please fans of the genre. It is a slow-burn film that relies on atmosphere and suspense to create scares, but it is also well-made and genuinely scary at times. If you are looking for a horror film that is different from the usual fare, then I highly recommend checking out The Ritual.