Ritual Maldito

What a waste.

The story is pretty good.

The acting is excellent.

The effects excellent.

And its all ruined by a pacing that would make a grown snail cry!

I'm sorry to say that it appears as though many of the reviewers didn't grasp Messrs. Charbonier and Powell's intent and that's a shame because this movie is better than it wants to be. It is ambitious and layered.

The actors did a fine job, especially Ezra Dewey. The kid has quality. Rob Brownstein was very convincing as a concerned and loving father.

The 'trauma responses' aspect of the movie is what motivates Ezra's character and that storyline is very nicely tied up at the end.

The ambition is crossing the genres of Horror and Psychological Drama with a bit of Mystery. It's not so much Thriller nor slasher Horror (though there are a couple slashes).

The lore of the Djinn is almost always underscored by the 'be careful what you wish for' maxim, which is hinted at very subtly and uniquely in a delicate philosophical exchange between father and son fairly early on.

Personally, I loved the very contained element of the small apartment for the setting of the majority of the film. You can almost imagine this being done as a stage play.

I'm sorry that there are so many negative reviews for what is clearly something slightly askew from the common fare thrown about as modern Pop Horror; this is a solid 7...

...it's just not for everyone.

Let me just say that Ezra Dewey can act!! I don't think that there are to many kid actors out there that can carry a whole movie like Ezra does. It also had great directing. I don't know all the technical lingo but I enjoyed the cinematography with the angles and close up's. It's a shame the writing was subpar, very boring but somewhat enjoyable.

Independent and low-budget productions like this will save the horror movie. The history of horror cinema started with such films. Directing, sound design, cinematography, scenario deserve appreciation. A special greeting; Ezra Dewey. He's backed the whole movie. Big responsibility for that age.

There was a time when camera angles, framing skills, direction, sound, and editing were more important than al the CGI of the today. David Charbonier and Justin Powell have done a low budget indie which is technically perfect and deserves a much wider audience.