Can't remember where I got this movie from, but it suddenly appeared off my DVD shelf, as it had been there for months and I always skipped over playing it. Anyway, moved by the hand of huge laziness, I decided to give it a chance and feed my tray with what I thought was a slice of pure digitalized boredom. The result was a nice surprise. Obviously, this is not the flick of the century, but the plot line is consistent enough to keep you in for the whole runtime long. Atmosphere is particularly dense and thrilling (3 phone calls during the viewing didn't manage to kick me off it !), highlighted by a really efficient soundtrack. The cast is just right as it should be, and the breathtaking beauty of Caro (Kristen Wilson) will do anything but spoil it. The machete/drums/ceremonial scheme, usually utterly heavy in this kind of film, is always kept on a due balance, which, I figure out, must be quite a challenge for the editors. I gave it a 6/10 which means, in my opinion, frames this movie as (at least) advisable/worth watching.
28 Reviews
Someone Get Jennifer Grey A Bra
garyrogers-674848 October 2019
Jennifer Grey stars as a troubled doctor who's just had her license revoked for accidentally killing a child patient she was trying to save with an experimental procedure. Desperate for work, she takes a job in Jamaica looking after a rich man who believes he's a zombie. From the minute she arrives, it's obvious that someone doesn't want her there and will do anything to stop her from saving her newest patient.
Ritual comes in stops and starts. Some scenes are exciting and some will bore you senseless. It's way too long at 106 minutes, when a 90 minute runtime would have easily done the job better, but there are some decent performances and even a few wild sequences of gore (the opening death scene is memorably gruesome). There's a bit too much reliance on spooky dream sequences as well.
I was most surprised that Jamaica seems so cold. At least that's what Jennifer Grey's nipples seemed to be telling us throughout most of the movie. Someone, get that poor woman a bra and turn on some heat. She looks like she's freezing.
Ritual comes in stops and starts. Some scenes are exciting and some will bore you senseless. It's way too long at 106 minutes, when a 90 minute runtime would have easily done the job better, but there are some decent performances and even a few wild sequences of gore (the opening death scene is memorably gruesome). There's a bit too much reliance on spooky dream sequences as well.
I was most surprised that Jamaica seems so cold. At least that's what Jennifer Grey's nipples seemed to be telling us throughout most of the movie. Someone, get that poor woman a bra and turn on some heat. She looks like she's freezing.
It is an average film, considering that it was designed for TV and DVD.
filipemanuelneto23 January 2022
"Tales from the Crypt" was a product that was very successful on radio and as a television series, but never found the formula for success in cinema. The first two releases, still in the 70s, remained faithful to the original product, with a succession of short stories, some better than others. The third film was much more audacious: "Demon Knight" really tried to give us a feature film, and to a certain extent it managed to respond well to that challenge. Then it all came crashing down with "Bordello of Blood", which was a real fiasco and shattered the producers' ambitions. Maybe that's why this movie never really adopted the franchise, and only in the physical versions do we see the opening, with a rigid, cheap and inelegant version of the Cryptkeeper introducing the movie.
Let's face it, this one is not within the parameters of what we could consider a good movie for the cinema. Even so, we are pleased to see that the production has learned something from past mistakes and that the film is committed to a solid story, a consistent and relatively well-structured narrative. It's not a good movie, but it's better than its predecessors and, honestly, it manages to be an average movie, within the quality standard of made-for-TV and DVD movies.
The script begins with Alice Dodgson's medical license being suspended after a medical error in which she was at fault. In order to support herself during the suspension period, she takes a job as a private caregiver in Jamaica to care for Wesley Claybourne, who has encephalitis but believes he is being targeted by voodoo magic. At the same time, she befriends Caro, an attractive, sexually intense young Jamaican woman, and begins to discover that Wesley's delusions may, after all, have some raison d'être.
The film has a very solid cast and some well-known names, but the material given to the actors was relatively weak, several characters were sexualized to the maximum and the director Avi Nesher proved incapable of guiding the actors and getting results. Jennifer Grey, the protagonist, is not an inexperienced actress, but we've seen her do better in "Dirty Dancing" or "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". The material received harmed her, in addition to the fact that the personage was quite sexualized, taking advantage of the physical attributes of the actress. Daniel Lapaine did an average job, committed, but histrionic and lacking in direction. Tim Curry has been underused and only appears once in a while. Craig Sheffer is as supportive as possible, but he's not a good villain. Lastly, Kristen Wilson appears to have been chosen solely on the basis of her svelte and sculpted body, almost entirely visible in the film, where she appears nude several times.
Technically, the film is much more modest and poor than we could have expected, considering the list of actors present in the cast. Thought and produced as a film for TV and DVD, it lacks a cinematic notion, and budget or team to carry it out. Without the staff and money to make a film with a cinematic dimension, the production's options were limited in aspects such as costume design, visual and special effects, digital resources and the choice of filming locations. That's why the voodoo scenes are so few and concentrated. What's good here? We have good set construction (a good medical lab, the magic props, with crosses and herbs and strange objects mixed with candles etc.), we also have a good cinematography (for a TV movie) and, finally, an effective soundtrack.
Let's face it, this one is not within the parameters of what we could consider a good movie for the cinema. Even so, we are pleased to see that the production has learned something from past mistakes and that the film is committed to a solid story, a consistent and relatively well-structured narrative. It's not a good movie, but it's better than its predecessors and, honestly, it manages to be an average movie, within the quality standard of made-for-TV and DVD movies.
The script begins with Alice Dodgson's medical license being suspended after a medical error in which she was at fault. In order to support herself during the suspension period, she takes a job as a private caregiver in Jamaica to care for Wesley Claybourne, who has encephalitis but believes he is being targeted by voodoo magic. At the same time, she befriends Caro, an attractive, sexually intense young Jamaican woman, and begins to discover that Wesley's delusions may, after all, have some raison d'être.
The film has a very solid cast and some well-known names, but the material given to the actors was relatively weak, several characters were sexualized to the maximum and the director Avi Nesher proved incapable of guiding the actors and getting results. Jennifer Grey, the protagonist, is not an inexperienced actress, but we've seen her do better in "Dirty Dancing" or "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". The material received harmed her, in addition to the fact that the personage was quite sexualized, taking advantage of the physical attributes of the actress. Daniel Lapaine did an average job, committed, but histrionic and lacking in direction. Tim Curry has been underused and only appears once in a while. Craig Sheffer is as supportive as possible, but he's not a good villain. Lastly, Kristen Wilson appears to have been chosen solely on the basis of her svelte and sculpted body, almost entirely visible in the film, where she appears nude several times.
Technically, the film is much more modest and poor than we could have expected, considering the list of actors present in the cast. Thought and produced as a film for TV and DVD, it lacks a cinematic notion, and budget or team to carry it out. Without the staff and money to make a film with a cinematic dimension, the production's options were limited in aspects such as costume design, visual and special effects, digital resources and the choice of filming locations. That's why the voodoo scenes are so few and concentrated. What's good here? We have good set construction (a good medical lab, the magic props, with crosses and herbs and strange objects mixed with candles etc.), we also have a good cinematography (for a TV movie) and, finally, an effective soundtrack.
"It's a sickness of the soul."
Backlash0072 July 2006
First it's a Tales From the Crypt film, then it's not. Then it is, then it's not. Finally this film was given a decent release and they used the Cryptkeeper to try and sell it. Sadly, this will be the only thing under the Tales From the Crypt banner that I will never own. Ritual just wasn't up to Crypt standards. Demon Knight was one of the best horror films on the 90's and Bordello of Blood was a laugh riot. Ritual is neither of these things. It's basically a retelling of I Walked With a Zombie. It has no surprises and it's rather straight-forward in it's direction. I'm also not big on voodoo movies. There's just something about them, and they all tell pretty much the same story. So not much stands out and the film is a bit boring. The pace could have been tightened up a bit. It's a shame too because the acting is quite good. Jennifer Gray leads the cast and is up to the task. The new nose must be working out for her because she looks to be in the best shape of her life. Daniel Lapaine and Kristen Wilson, both of whom I'm not familiar with, also are admirable. And Tim Curry and Craig "I need to fire my agent" Sheffer show up to lend their credentials. Seriously, Sheffer is a way better actor than his filmography would have you believe. Another plus is the effects. What little gore there is is done expertly. Gotta love the doctor getting microwaved.
Nothing Special
gavin69421 October 2013
Dr. Alice Dodgson (Jennifer Grey) gets her medical license revoked after the death of one patient. She's facing the possibility of not get any job when she accepts to be the nurse for one young man who suffers of encephalitis called Wesley Claybourne (Daniel Lapaine).
The story is that those involved removed references to "Tales From the Crypt" after their second movie bombed. This was probably a wise idea, although the same sensibility and tone is obvious in this picture.
I loved seeing Jennifer Grey in a leading role, and appreciated that they tried to update "I Walked With a Zombie". Not sure they actually succeeded, though. Despite a good cast and some decent scares and kills, I just did not find myself all that interested in this one.
The story is that those involved removed references to "Tales From the Crypt" after their second movie bombed. This was probably a wise idea, although the same sensibility and tone is obvious in this picture.
I loved seeing Jennifer Grey in a leading role, and appreciated that they tried to update "I Walked With a Zombie". Not sure they actually succeeded, though. Despite a good cast and some decent scares and kills, I just did not find myself all that interested in this one.
I just watched Ritual
Nixonbrian423 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
It was one of 8 films on a spooky movie collection on 2 discs. I never knew it existed until just now. After I watched it I visited this site and seen quite a lot of high scoring reviews. This puzzled me.
It's a horror movie about voodoo oriented zombies. Who could be responsible for such evil? Just how in the world could anyone be so cruel? (....money might have something to do with it). There is two main stars. Both are hot babes. One is Jennifer Grey who plays the Doctor seeking answers, the other is a Jamaican Playboy bunny who may as well remain nameless (.....although it's questionable as to whether or not she's really Jamaican). Since it is Jamaica the blazing heat demands the least amount of clothing as humanly possible from both chicks.
I personally thought Jennifer was the hottest of the two since the biggest "spoiler" in the whole movie is that unlike her Jamaican co-star she proudly teases every male viewer with just panties and a tight shirt.
Now, back to the horror. There's lots 'n' lots of voodoo stuff going on that are all hallucinations like Jennifer being tied up and tortured by spiders crawling on her. A bunch of tree branches attacking some dude in a car. A ceiling caving in on a guy. Definitely sure fire acts of voodoo (.....or they're smokin' too much dope). Oh yeah, I almost forgot, every Jamaican carries a machete and stares at Jennifer with clearly the intent to KILL. All of them carrying a machete is verbally mentioned so of course you get the idea that it will be difficult to figure out who's responsible for the voodoo zombies.
The shocking elements that will be testing your courage as a horror movie fan so boldly displayed here climaxes sweetly with Jennifer getting married to the American guy that the film centered around that was voodooed.
My favorite scene that made me feel more relaxed because I was so scared was when Jennifer did her voodoo dance.
It's a horror movie about voodoo oriented zombies. Who could be responsible for such evil? Just how in the world could anyone be so cruel? (....money might have something to do with it). There is two main stars. Both are hot babes. One is Jennifer Grey who plays the Doctor seeking answers, the other is a Jamaican Playboy bunny who may as well remain nameless (.....although it's questionable as to whether or not she's really Jamaican). Since it is Jamaica the blazing heat demands the least amount of clothing as humanly possible from both chicks.
I personally thought Jennifer was the hottest of the two since the biggest "spoiler" in the whole movie is that unlike her Jamaican co-star she proudly teases every male viewer with just panties and a tight shirt.
Now, back to the horror. There's lots 'n' lots of voodoo stuff going on that are all hallucinations like Jennifer being tied up and tortured by spiders crawling on her. A bunch of tree branches attacking some dude in a car. A ceiling caving in on a guy. Definitely sure fire acts of voodoo (.....or they're smokin' too much dope). Oh yeah, I almost forgot, every Jamaican carries a machete and stares at Jennifer with clearly the intent to KILL. All of them carrying a machete is verbally mentioned so of course you get the idea that it will be difficult to figure out who's responsible for the voodoo zombies.
The shocking elements that will be testing your courage as a horror movie fan so boldly displayed here climaxes sweetly with Jennifer getting married to the American guy that the film centered around that was voodooed.
My favorite scene that made me feel more relaxed because I was so scared was when Jennifer did her voodoo dance.
Lousy horror movie
PeterRoeder21 March 2004
This turned out all right and looks interesting. However, as it goes on the attempts at creating emotions between the characters is so inept that it really turns the horror off and is an insult to serious viewers. The story this is based on "I walked with a zombie" is probably much better although unfortunately I haven't seen it yet. "Ritual" looks so exciting and could have been a great movie about zombies and voodoo but in reality it has turned out very poorly which is a shame. It's hard to say what is wrong with it. I guess there are just too many inept scenes and it is hard to believe, for example, in the lovestory between Alice (who is called Alice Dodgson like the girl who supposedly inspired Lewis Carrol to call his heroine Alice) and the younger brother. Absolutely nothing has been built up between them and then in the end they get married. Anyway, this looks great, and it was worth a look - but the movie is just so poorly performed. 3/10.
Not Bad...
Metfan35392 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I have mixed feelings about this movie as I recently saw the newly released R1 edition. FIRST IT DOES HAVE THE CRYPTKEEPER IN IT!!! I was surprised that it didn't feature the all out action of Demon Knight or trashy fun of Bordello of Blood. Instead, it was a smartly written and even somewhat classy by "Tales" standards as it never goes for the over the top gore or even sex for that matter. It does have the TFTC feel and any fan most likely won't disappoint. It is truly a fitting end, if the series has to go. I just wish the TFTC feel was more prevalent in the CryptKeeper scenes. If you are a fan buy this and we can hope to see more from the Cyypt in the future.
Incredibly stupid and derogatory
Kurt_Wright25 May 2008
I can barely find the words to describe how much this piece of trash offended me. Why is it that American filmmakers always go out of there way to portray Jamaicans as a bunch of backwards ass bush babies and worse yet, cast people to play Jamaicans who sound utterly ridiculous when they try to imitate the accent? We are not all extremely dark, we do not all walk around carrying machetes whether for work OR PROTECTION, we do not walk around naked in our homes and we do not practice VOODOO!! We are doctors, lawyers, architects, Businessmen and women, musicians, actors AND FILMMAKERS. I am sick and tired of watching all of these portrayals of Jamaicans as a bunch of dreadlock wearing Rastafarians who do nothing but sit around all day smoking weed on a beach or shooting guns in the air (When we're not living in our tree houses). YES, we wear clothes. YES, we have electricity. No, weed is not legal on the island AND CHANCES ARE WE SPEAK BETTER English THAN YOU! The worst part is, this isn't just me being angry and bitter, these are actual answers to questions that most Jamaicans who have traveled overseas have been asked at some point. Read a book before you assume what's it's like in another country and worse yet, decide to make a movie about it.
WELCOME TO JAMAICA! The land where all we do is murder white people and beat our bongos drums...Tales from the Crypt has officially sickened me, along with the entire crew of people who worked on this garbage, especially the writer.
WELCOME TO JAMAICA! The land where all we do is murder white people and beat our bongos drums...Tales from the Crypt has officially sickened me, along with the entire crew of people who worked on this garbage, especially the writer.
Not excellent but still funny
bellino-angelo201427 July 2021
I have loved the TV show TALES FROM THE CRYPT. It's one of those shows that despite a few losers never disappointed me because I am one of those folks that love the twisted humour for which this show is famous. I had to watch the movies: DEMON KNIGHT was great. It had great performances by Billy Zane and William Sadler and it looked like a prolonged version of a great episode of the show itself. BORDELLO OF BLOOD was awful because it looked like an excuse for the filmmakers for using disgusting special effects just for the sake of shocking viewers. When I arrived to RITUAL I was afraid because I thought it must have been awful considering its score of 4,8 and the fact that in the US was released direct to video. Instead this time I was wrong. It wasn't great like DEMON KNIGHT or awful like BORDELLO OF BLOOD, just somewhere in the middle.
This film is set in Jamaica. After an introduction by the Crypt Keeper that has his hair in ''deadlocks'' and lots of gorgeous women around him, we go to our story. Dr. Alice Dodgson (Jennifer Grey) is fired from the hospital where she works because she is involved in the death of a patient. She then decides to go to Jamaica and become a nurse there. A local girl named Caro looks very suspicious and Alice will soon find out why: she is seeking revenge against a guy named Wesley because their father killed Caro's mother and rejected Caro as his daughter leaving her without the inheritance. Will Caro manage to turn Alice into a zombie? See the movie.
At times the movie was very surprising because of its twists and turns (just like those in the best episodes of the show) and the performances were good especially by Tim Curry (who guest starred in the original show) and Stephen Tobolowsky in a small but notable cameo. Not to be missed if you are a fan of the show like me (and don't let the score and reviews fool you!).
This film is set in Jamaica. After an introduction by the Crypt Keeper that has his hair in ''deadlocks'' and lots of gorgeous women around him, we go to our story. Dr. Alice Dodgson (Jennifer Grey) is fired from the hospital where she works because she is involved in the death of a patient. She then decides to go to Jamaica and become a nurse there. A local girl named Caro looks very suspicious and Alice will soon find out why: she is seeking revenge against a guy named Wesley because their father killed Caro's mother and rejected Caro as his daughter leaving her without the inheritance. Will Caro manage to turn Alice into a zombie? See the movie.
At times the movie was very surprising because of its twists and turns (just like those in the best episodes of the show) and the performances were good especially by Tim Curry (who guest starred in the original show) and Stephen Tobolowsky in a small but notable cameo. Not to be missed if you are a fan of the show like me (and don't let the score and reviews fool you!).
Not horrible, but not good either. My review of the DVD version.
TOMNEL30 June 2006
Stars: Jennifer Grey, Craig Sheffer, Tim Curry, Daniel Lapaine, Ron Taylor and John Kassir as the Cryptkeeper.
I am glad that when this was theatrically released it didn't have the Cryptkeeper segments, because this film wasn't good enough to hold the Tales from the Crypt name. It's a movie about a nurse who travels to Jamaica to watch a patient and all kinds of weird, voodoo-y, gross stuff happens. It had some OK effects, but the camera work really isn't very good. It might amuse you, as it did me. The DVD includes a pretty stupid Crytpkeeper opening and outtakes with the Cryptkeeper. See it if you enjoy Crypt, but it really has nothing to do with it.
My rating: 2 out of 4 stars. 107 mins. R for Violence.
I am glad that when this was theatrically released it didn't have the Cryptkeeper segments, because this film wasn't good enough to hold the Tales from the Crypt name. It's a movie about a nurse who travels to Jamaica to watch a patient and all kinds of weird, voodoo-y, gross stuff happens. It had some OK effects, but the camera work really isn't very good. It might amuse you, as it did me. The DVD includes a pretty stupid Crytpkeeper opening and outtakes with the Cryptkeeper. See it if you enjoy Crypt, but it really has nothing to do with it.
My rating: 2 out of 4 stars. 107 mins. R for Violence.
Not an awesome movie, but definately not utter-crap!
kfelon7 March 2004
This film was meant to be the third & final film in the Tales From The Crypt movie trilogy. Why it wasn't made official? None of us may ever know. In my opinion though it definately had the Tales From The Crypt feel to it. It had all the right elements & I had a great time watching it. As with all Tales movies & episodes don't watch it expecting to get the crap scared out of you, expect some good ole fun. The main element missing that would've made this a complete Tales movie however is The Cryptkeeper. If you're a fan of Tales From The Crypt, you like zombie/voodoo films like The Serpent & The Rainbow, or you like horror in general then I definately recommend giving this film a look. That is if you can find it.
I'LL PUT ON SOME COFFEE
nogodnomasters30 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The film had a nice Jamaican crypt keeper opening, but then falls flat after that. Dr. Alice (Jennifer Grey) comes to Jamaica to take care of a patient and show off her high beams. Seems there is some Jamaican voodoo afoot that is fairly a bore. The only real reason to watch this film is Kristen Wilson's butt.
Parental Guide: F-bomb. Nudity
Parental Guide: F-bomb. Nudity
Tales from the Crypt: Ritual
phubbs30 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The third and last Tales horror flick which is a bit disappointing but judging by this effort I can see why. This time we are introduced to the Crypt Keeper with a Jamaican flavour complete with dreadlocks and bikini clad women at his beck 'n' call. Already the whole feel is wrong.
Good cast for the film can't deny that, a solid quirky trio including Tim Curry, Jennifer Grey and Craig Sheffer. There are just a few problems, firstly you know who the bad guys are in the film right from the start, since when does Sheffer ever play the good guy?. Curry who is a marvellous character actor has nothing to do here in any way, complete waste, whilst Grey looks cute but doesn't quite seem comfortable in this genre.
The plot is pretty damn near dull as hell actually, its all about voodoo and creating zombies naturally, what else seeing as its set in Jamaica. The thing is nothing much happens in this, lots of flashbacks/dreams with Grey walking around looking all serious trying to find out what's causing an illness that drives people loopy (zombies).
I really was quite bored during the entire film, no action, no gore, no monsters or mutants etc...It is also played as a semi serious thriller with no laughs or comic horror like the previous two films. Easily the worst of the trilogy despite the nice cast and nowhere near as cool as the last two films.
2/10
Good cast for the film can't deny that, a solid quirky trio including Tim Curry, Jennifer Grey and Craig Sheffer. There are just a few problems, firstly you know who the bad guys are in the film right from the start, since when does Sheffer ever play the good guy?. Curry who is a marvellous character actor has nothing to do here in any way, complete waste, whilst Grey looks cute but doesn't quite seem comfortable in this genre.
The plot is pretty damn near dull as hell actually, its all about voodoo and creating zombies naturally, what else seeing as its set in Jamaica. The thing is nothing much happens in this, lots of flashbacks/dreams with Grey walking around looking all serious trying to find out what's causing an illness that drives people loopy (zombies).
I really was quite bored during the entire film, no action, no gore, no monsters or mutants etc...It is also played as a semi serious thriller with no laughs or comic horror like the previous two films. Easily the worst of the trilogy despite the nice cast and nowhere near as cool as the last two films.
2/10
O Keeper, Where Art Thou?
toxiemite12 February 2004
If you've read any of my other reviews you will know that I am somewhat partial to the Tales From the Crypt movies.... who am I kidding?..... I LOVE THEM!
Way back when Demon Knight came out it was apparent that there would be a series of three movies. Bordello of Blood followed on shortly after and then there was a massive lull.... nothing. Finally after a couple of years it was made official that the third movie was ready! And it was going to be a 'Voo-Doo' movie...... Hmm, I dont really like Black Magic movies but the excitement remains!!
So then I saw it...... WTF? Hmmm, yes sure it was a good movie. I really did enjoy it. It had all of the key eliments of a "Tales from the Crypt" movie.... all except for the one VITAL factor.... The Crypt Keeper??....... No sight of Him.
I can only wonder why the hell these guys (Gilbert, Zemekis, Silver, Donner etc etc) would have the audacity to release this movie without The Crypt Keeper? Surely they know that they are cheating the audience. What is the point of calling it a 'Tales' movie when there is no obvious connection?
With that massive qualm aside, this is a good movie. It seems to me that they may not have had much of a budget, and if that is the case... then they pulled it off excellently. It is not entirely gory or gruesome but it is still packed with the typical comic relief that makes a 'Crypt' movie so fun to watch.
So come on guys.... make us some MORE Tales From the Crypt movies!! We can't get enough of them. And bring back the 'Keeper'... pleeeeease??
I give this one 6.5 out of 10.
Way back when Demon Knight came out it was apparent that there would be a series of three movies. Bordello of Blood followed on shortly after and then there was a massive lull.... nothing. Finally after a couple of years it was made official that the third movie was ready! And it was going to be a 'Voo-Doo' movie...... Hmm, I dont really like Black Magic movies but the excitement remains!!
So then I saw it...... WTF? Hmmm, yes sure it was a good movie. I really did enjoy it. It had all of the key eliments of a "Tales from the Crypt" movie.... all except for the one VITAL factor.... The Crypt Keeper??....... No sight of Him.
I can only wonder why the hell these guys (Gilbert, Zemekis, Silver, Donner etc etc) would have the audacity to release this movie without The Crypt Keeper? Surely they know that they are cheating the audience. What is the point of calling it a 'Tales' movie when there is no obvious connection?
With that massive qualm aside, this is a good movie. It seems to me that they may not have had much of a budget, and if that is the case... then they pulled it off excellently. It is not entirely gory or gruesome but it is still packed with the typical comic relief that makes a 'Crypt' movie so fun to watch.
So come on guys.... make us some MORE Tales From the Crypt movies!! We can't get enough of them. And bring back the 'Keeper'... pleeeeease??
I give this one 6.5 out of 10.
Not a particularly interesting voodoo movie...
paul_haakonsen15 January 2021
Right, well I was lured in to watch this 2002 movie for two things; first and foremost because it was a Tales from the Crypt movie, and secondly, it had Tim Curry in it.
Okay, well as for it being a Tales from the Crypt movie, well that might very well be so, but don't expect too much from the movie itself, because it feels nothing like the series, and there is absolutely nothing to tie it to the franchise, aside from a short appearance of The Cryptkeeper. Yeah, that was about it.
The storyline in "Ritual" was adequate, but it was just something that had been done and seen before. I mean, voodoo rituals are hardly something new and innovative. But the storyline just felt too rigid and mundane actually, which lead to "Ritual" being a less than mediocre movie to sit through. The pacing of the storytelling was just so horribly slow. And it didn't help that nothing worthwhile happened most of the time as the story trotted on and on.
The acting in the movie was adequate, but it was restricted given the fact that the storyline was so slow and mundane. The character gallery, however, had so much potential, but I just feel that the majority of the characters in the storyline just weren't utilized for what they could have. It was nice, though, to see the likes of Craig Sheffer and Tim Curry in the movie, but they just weren't given enough time on the screen, and they could otherwise have brought the movie so much more worth.
All in all, "Ritual" was by no means a grand piece of cinematic history, and it seemed that I hadn't been missing out on anything grand here from director Avi Nesher. My rating of "Ritual", once the Obeah dust settles, is a mere three out of ten stars. There are far better voodoo-based movies out there.
Okay, well as for it being a Tales from the Crypt movie, well that might very well be so, but don't expect too much from the movie itself, because it feels nothing like the series, and there is absolutely nothing to tie it to the franchise, aside from a short appearance of The Cryptkeeper. Yeah, that was about it.
The storyline in "Ritual" was adequate, but it was just something that had been done and seen before. I mean, voodoo rituals are hardly something new and innovative. But the storyline just felt too rigid and mundane actually, which lead to "Ritual" being a less than mediocre movie to sit through. The pacing of the storytelling was just so horribly slow. And it didn't help that nothing worthwhile happened most of the time as the story trotted on and on.
The acting in the movie was adequate, but it was restricted given the fact that the storyline was so slow and mundane. The character gallery, however, had so much potential, but I just feel that the majority of the characters in the storyline just weren't utilized for what they could have. It was nice, though, to see the likes of Craig Sheffer and Tim Curry in the movie, but they just weren't given enough time on the screen, and they could otherwise have brought the movie so much more worth.
All in all, "Ritual" was by no means a grand piece of cinematic history, and it seemed that I hadn't been missing out on anything grand here from director Avi Nesher. My rating of "Ritual", once the Obeah dust settles, is a mere three out of ten stars. There are far better voodoo-based movies out there.
Bad for Jamaican tourism, for sure
Rogue-3222 August 2003
Tim Curry was the reason I wanted to see this film, and while of course his appearance is always entertaining, he's basically wasted in it. The rest of the cast doesn't fare too well either, in this remake of an early zombie movie that has extremely graphic effects that are totally unnecessary. To quote a popular axiom, sometimes less is more.
A mediocre voodoo-themed horror film.
HumanoidOfFlesh13 July 2006
Alice Dodgson,a New York doctor gets her license suspended when she treats one of her patients with an unapproved drug,resulting in the patient's death.Without a job,Alice is forced to go to Jamaica,where she tends to the brother of a wealthy white landowner.The brother thinks he's a zombie and is deeply involved in the local people's voodoo practices and rituals."Ritual" is a mediocre horror flick.The action is pretty dull,the plot twists are silly and there is no suspense.There is a bit of gore as someone is killing off white people with a machete,but not too much.The cinematography is decent,however the acting is truly woeful.Definitely one to avoid.4 out of 10.
One of the things I love about Jamaica is the eye popping honeys.
lastliberal11 August 2008
It is always interesting to see movies with voodoo. This one has Jamaican Voodoo combined with Haitian Hoodoo and, of course, zombies walk the Earth. In fact, the film is a remake of the 1943 film, "I Walked With a Zombie," which is in development to be remade again with the original title next year.
Jennifer Grey is hot! She walks through the steamy Jamaican countryside with tight tees that show a very nice body. She does a very good job as a discredited doctor who takes a job that her employer really doesn't want to see her succeed at.
Now, talk about hot, Dr. Dodgson (Grey) befriends Caro (Kristen Wilson), who appears in one scene totally starkers, and we see her bodacious booty when she turns around. Wilson is hot! In fact, I can state with some certainty that Dr. Doolittle is gay, as I wouldn't spend time talking to animals if Wilson was my wife! The only problem with the movie is that it moves too slowly and there is not enough Voodoo/Hoodoo action.
Jennifer Grey is hot! She walks through the steamy Jamaican countryside with tight tees that show a very nice body. She does a very good job as a discredited doctor who takes a job that her employer really doesn't want to see her succeed at.
Now, talk about hot, Dr. Dodgson (Grey) befriends Caro (Kristen Wilson), who appears in one scene totally starkers, and we see her bodacious booty when she turns around. Wilson is hot! In fact, I can state with some certainty that Dr. Doolittle is gay, as I wouldn't spend time talking to animals if Wilson was my wife! The only problem with the movie is that it moves too slowly and there is not enough Voodoo/Hoodoo action.
a gem of the B film
kelticman13 August 2006
i rarely give a 9 but at a B film, this film ROCKS! by straight to DVD standards this is a must see. i did not see some things that happened coming at all. Jennifer Grey is a vision in this film. TIm curry was underutilized but with the exception of his last scene his acting was GREAT. i was very surprised by this film. it is not a typical tales of the crypt film, but don't hold that against it. i thought the locale was great. the cinematography was top notch. not everyone gave a stellar performance but overall most of the actors were believable in their roles. no one seemed to be sleepwalking through their act. i recommend this for fans of horror and thrillers.
Garbage direct-to-video Dimension crap.
b_kite20 July 2022
This should have stayed in the crypt
Freebirda9 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
As a kid, I was rabid for all things tales from the crypt. I collected all the old issues if the comic book, and the reprints, and would stay up past my bedtime to watch the series in HBO. I even remember watching ABC'S Saturday morning cartoon version, and the game show that was based on it.i loved demon knight and bordello of blood, and had all seven seasons of the series on DVD. Hell, I even liked the old 1970's movie version. I was at the grocery store a year or so ago, digging thru their five dollar bin, and became excited when I saw this in it, because I hadn't seen anything with the tftc logo in years. I bought it, went home, popped it in My DVD player....and was horribly disappointed. It was BORING. Nothing of tales from the crypt remained of what I remembered and loved as a kid. No suspense, no horror. Just boredom. The cryptkeepers intro was less then a minute long, and even he looked like he had seen better days. (even for an undead rotting corpse). A HUGE disappointment, and waste of my time and five dollars.
Seriously? Lol
Terrorformer3 October 2023
I saw some reviewer on here saying that he watched all three Tales from the Crypt movies and Bordello of Blood was the worst one...
...I hadn't seen Ritual because it honestly looked and sounded like it was gonna suck. I avoided it for the past 20 years and finally decided to check it out because this reviewer said they were a "huge horror fan" and was stating that it's far better than Bordello...
Well buddy... you're wrong lmao
This movie was so damn boring. Lacking gore, blood, FX and humor. All of which make it break a TFTC movie.
The only thing that was even remarkable about the flick was the cast. But even Tim Curry couldn't save it...
...I hadn't seen Ritual because it honestly looked and sounded like it was gonna suck. I avoided it for the past 20 years and finally decided to check it out because this reviewer said they were a "huge horror fan" and was stating that it's far better than Bordello...
Well buddy... you're wrong lmao
This movie was so damn boring. Lacking gore, blood, FX and humor. All of which make it break a TFTC movie.
The only thing that was even remarkable about the flick was the cast. But even Tim Curry couldn't save it...
Worst Tales from the Crypt film by far
noah-6573216 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Ritual is the sole Tales from the Crypt film that was never released in theaters. After watching this sloppy remake of I Walked with a Zombie, it's not hard to figure out why the producers were unable to find a distributor for this lousy film. Like the other TFTC films we get an intro from the crypt keeper which is amusing as always. The story follows a young doctor who loses her medical license & gets hired in Jamacia. The person she's helping is a victim of Voodoo who is convinced that he's a zombie. The overall story is an obvious ripoff of The Serpent & The Rainbow and is so poorly acted and so sloppily executed that it just ends up being an atrocious bore. Fans of Tales from the Crypt will be disappointed and anyone expecting to be scared won't be. Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood are both a lot better than this so if you wish to see a Crypt movie see one of those and avoid this one. If you want a good Voodoo Zombie flick, check out The Serpent & The Rainbow or Sugar Hill instead. I don't recommend this movie unless you have already seen everything Tales from the Crypt and want more but be warned, it's a horrible disappointment.
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