Ritual in the cinema: ‘Handsome police thriller that highlights Brussels’ film potential’
Choice stress in the cinema? Film fanatic Gerd helps you on your way and reviews his Film of the Week every Wednesday at BRUZZ radio. Today is that Ritual by Hans Herbots.
It doesn’t happen every week that two Belgian films arise in the cinema: today that is Tori and Lokita of the Dardennes and Ritual by Hans Herbots.
In the latter, everything starts with a severed hand that is found in the Canal in Molenbeek. The police see a link with the drug environment, but ultimately seek the solution in the dark colonial past of our country.
Ritual is a police film in the tradition of hits like The Alzheimer’s Caser and File K. Director Hans Herbots has taken a good look at American thrillers and Scandinavian series. It is original, but he does not know how to stage broadcast and atmosphere.
However, the story is originally set in Brussels and the film makes excellent use of locations that you have never seen on the silver screen before, such as the canal and the famous dance Mirano.
The lead roles are played by Geert Van Rampelbergh as an inspector and Marie Vinck as a forensic diver. Van Rampelbergh is solid as always, but Vinck in particular is impressive. She portrays a complex character who struggles with trauma, but also outdoes the men as an action woman and idiosyncratic sleuth.
Despite a lesser opening and closing scene Ritual an original police film that mixes the thriller aspect of publication with the decolonization problem and the cinema potential of our capital.
Ritual is in cinemas from September 7.