''Ritual'' ( id, Modus Anomali) is a 2012 Indonesian

psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting. In terms of context and co ...

film written and directed by

Joko Anwar Joko Anwar (born 3 January 1976) is an Indonesian film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, he worked as a journalist and film critic. Anwar first rose to prominence for co-writing Nia Dinata's 2003 hit ' ...

. It stars Rio Dewanto in the lead role and is Anwar's first English-language film. According to Anwar, he made the film in English simply to indicate that it does not take place in Indonesia.

Synopsis

The film opens with a man ( Rio Dewanto) waking up buried in a shallow grave in the middle of a forest with no recollection of what happened to him. He finds hints that he has a family and therefore travels the jungle trying to reunite with his wife and children. However, he soon finds out that he is not alone and there is someone trying to kill him and his family.

Cast

* Rio Dewanto as John Evans *

Hannah Al Rashid Hannah Al Rashid (born in London, United Kingdom on 25 January 1986) is an Indonesian actress, model, and activist. Of Bugis and French descent, she is mostly known for her works in Indonesian films and television. For her role in ''Aruna & Her ...

as Woman * Izzi Isman as Girl * Aridh Tritama as Boy * Sadha Triyudha as Older Son * Jose Gamo as Younger Son *

Marsha Timothy Marsha is a variant spelling of Marcia. Notable people with the name include: *Marsha Ambrosius (born 1977), former member of the English band duo Floetry *Marsha Arzberger (born 1937), Democratic politician * Marsha Barbour, first lady of the U ...

as Wife *

Surya Saputra Surya Saputra (born in Jakarta, Indonesia on July 5, 1975) is an Indonesian actor, singer, and model. He is the husband of Indonesian actress and singer, Cynthia Lamusu. He is also a former member of the Indonesian pop group Cool Colors. Care ...

as Husband

Production

Development

Anwar has stated that he first conceived the idea for the film in 2006. According to producer Sheila Timothy, Anwar first shared the story with her in 2009 while making ''

The Forbidden Door ''The Forbidden Door'' ( id, Pintu Terlarang) is a 2009 Indonesian psychological thriller film written and directed by Joko Anwar based on Sekar Ayu Asmara's novel of the same name. Despite disappointing box office receipts in Indonesia, the fi ...

'', which she also produced through Lifelike Pictures.

Filming

Shooting took place in Mount Pancar in Sentul, West Java, across 10 days in November 2011.

Release

''Ritual'' was released in

theaters Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

in Indonesia on 26 April 2012. It was also selected for screening at the 2012 South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, United States.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews upon release. Anton Bitel of ''Little White Lies'' gave ''Ritual'' a positive review, calling the narrative "disorienting" with an ending that "makes all the disparate elements in the film cohere in an ingenious, unsettling manner". In a lukewarm review, Cornila Desyana of ''

Tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...

'' called the film "absurd" and criticized the lack of dialogues even for the lead character. John Townsend of ''Starburst'' panned the film, saying "Instead of what could have been a taut, tense thriller, ''Ritual'' descends into a weary chase movie where you never really care who is chasing whom, or why.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * {{Joko Anwar 2012 films Indonesian horror films English-language Indonesian films 2010s English-language films Films directed by Joko Anwar