Ritual (Indonesian: Modus Anomali) is a 2012 Indonesian psychological thriller film written and directed by Joko Anwar. It stars Rio Dewanto in the lead role and is Anwar's first English-language film.[1] According to Anwar, he made the film in English simply to indicate that it does not take place in Indonesia.[2]
| Ritual | |
|---|---|
| Modus Anomali | |
| Directed by | Joko Anwar |
| Written by | Joko Anwar |
| Produced by | Gadin Fajriani Tia Hasibuan Sheila Timothy Luki Wanandi |
| Starring | Rio Dewanto Hannah Al Rashid Izzi Isman Aridh Tritama Sadha Triyudha Jose Gamo Marsha Timothy Surya Saputra |
| Cinematography | Gunnar Nimpuno |
| Edited by | Arifin Cuunk |
| Music by | Bembi Gusti Aghi Narottama Gascaro Ramondo |
| Distributed by | Lifelike Pictures |
Release date |
|
| Country | Indonesia |
| Language | English |
Synopsis
editThe 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
edit- Rio Dewanto as John Evans
- Hannah Al Rashid as Woman
- Izzi Isman as Girl
- Aridh Tritama as Boy
- Sadha Triyudha as Older Son
- Jose Gamo as Younger Son
- Marsha Timothy as Wife
- Surya Saputra as Husband
Production
editDevelopment
editAnwar has stated that he first conceived the idea for the film in 2006.[3] According to producer Sheila Timothy, Anwar first shared the story with her in 2009 while making The Forbidden Door, which she also produced through Lifelike Pictures.[3]
Filming
editShooting took place in Mount Pancar in Sentul, West Java, across 10 days in November 2011.[4]
Release
editRitual was released in theaters in Indonesia on 26 April 2012. It was also selected for screening at the 2012 South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, United States.[5]
Reception
editThe 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".[6] In a lukewarm review, Cornila Desyana of Tempo called the film "absurd" and criticized the lack of dialogues even for the lead character.[2]
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.[7]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 32nd Citra Awards | Best Sound | Khikmawan Santosa Yusuf A. Patawari |
Nominated |
| Molins Film Festival | Best Director | Joko Anwar | Won | |
| South by Southwest | Midnight Audience Award | Ritual | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Fantasporto | Orient Express Grand Prize | Joko Anwar Lifelike Pictures |
Nominated |
| Orient Express Special Jury Award | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Kenapa "Modus Anomali " Joko Anwar Pakai Bahasa Inggris?". archive.tabloidbintang.com. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ a b Desyana, Cornila (26 April 2012). "Film Modus Anomali: 24 Jam yang Absurd". Tempo. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ a b VIVA, PT VIVA MEDIA BARU- (27 July 2012). "VIDEO: Serunya di Balik Layar 'Modus Anomali'". www.viva.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ Media, Kompas Cyber. ""Modus Anomali" Ditonton 1200 Orang di AS". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ developer, medcom id (24 March 2020). "Modus Anomali, dan Tiga Film Produksi Lifelike Pictures Tayang di Netflix". medcom.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "Discover the amnesiac chills of this Alice in Wonderland-esque thriller". Little White Lies. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "RITUAL". STARBURST Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
External links
edit- Ritual at IMDb
- Ritual at Rotten Tomatoes