The Ritual

The atmospheric but threadbare male bonding horror flick "The Ritual" is so well-directed that you can't help but groan at its lightweight script's many little inadequacies. This story, about a hike in the Swedish wilderness that goes horribly awry, doesn't need much polish or depth to be effectively moody. Indeed, director David Bruckner (the better segments in horror omnibii "Southbound," "The Signal," and "V/H/S") deserves praise for conjuring a moody atmosphere throughout this otherwise inert genre exercise.