The Ritual

Main Plot

"The Ritual" is a horror film directed by David Bruckner that follows a group of old college friends from Britain who reunite for a hiking trip in the Swedish wilderness, aiming to honor their recently deceased friend. As they venture deeper into the forest, they decide to take a shortcut through the woods, despite the eerie and foreboding atmosphere. The group soon discovers a mysterious abandoned cabin, where they encounter strange symbols and nightmarish visions that hint at ancient, mystical forces at play. As they proceed, tensions rise, and the friends find themselves lost and increasingly paranoid. They realize they are being stalked by an unknown presence that seems connected to the Norse mythology and pagan rituals they've stumbled upon. The forest becomes a terrifying labyrinth, and they must fight for survival against the psychological and physical horrors that assail them. The film explores themes of guilt, trauma, and the primal fear of the unknown, culminating in a chilling confrontation with the entity haunting them.

Characters

• Rafe Spall plays Luke, a man haunted by guilt who faces supernatural forces during a hiking trip with friends in the Scandinavian wilderness.
• Arsher Ali plays Phil in "The Ritual," a character who is part of a group of friends encountering supernatural forces while hiking in Sweden.
• Robert James-Collier plays Hutch in "The Ritual," acting as the pragmatic, group leader during a hiking trip in Sweden that encounters supernatural forces.

Ending Explained

In the conclusion of the film "The Ritual," directed by David Bruckner, the remaining character, Luke, confronts both his personal demons and the literal monster that has been stalking him and his friends in the Scandinavian forest. Throughout the movie, the group of friends, reeling from the tragic death of their friend Rob, are hunted by a mysterious creature linked to ancient Norse mythology, specifically a Jötunn, a type of giant or troll considered an offspring of the god Loki. As the film progresses, it is revealed that the creature has been worshipped by a local cult who sacrifices outsiders to it in exchange for immortality. Luke's friends are killed one by one, and he is eventually captured by the cult. However, he manages to escape and confronts the creature in a final showdown. Luke faces his guilt over Rob's death, symbolized by his repeated visions of the liquor store where Rob was killed. By standing up to the creature and breaking out of the forest, Luke symbolically overcomes his guilt and grief. The ending signifies Luke's personal transformation and his overcoming of past traumas, as he is seen stepping out into the open landscape, finally free from the forest that represents his fears and the haunting past.