THE RITUAL KILLER – Review

Any time Morgan Freeman is in the cast, a film is going to be worth considering. In the RITUAL KILLER, he’s second banana but still key to the proceedings. The crime drama opens with a grisly killing and dismemberment in Rome before an immediate switch to the Southern U. S. of A., where similar slayings start occurring in what may be some sort of occult ritual style. Cole Hauser stars as , Detective Boyd, the lead detective on the domestic cases, soon turning to a nearby professor of African cultures and historical practices, Professor Mackles (Freeman) who might understand why the bodies are piling up. Not because he’s the prime suspect. It’s just that aspects of the murder scenes seemingly relate to his slice (inadvertent pun) of academia. Hauser is right, and Freeman starts contributing to the task of ending the spree.

We see the perpetrator (Vernon Davis) before they do. The dude has exceptional skills, bordering on the mystical, in evading capture while he continues his conspicuously gruesome mission. Hauser’s investigation ties Davis to the Rome murder, helping I.D. the guy, while making that early scene shift less disjointed than it felt at the time. There is method to this seeming madness. No need for the whodunit component, as sufficient suspense lingers on the why, and whether they’ll be able to catch this elusive, prolific killer.

Director George Gallo, whose diverse resume spans many genres, spares little of the gory details of Davis’ acts and their results. He also wastes no time, completing the package with admirable efficiency. This film is for the strong of stomach, not the faint of heart. The script from veteran actor and first-time screenwriter Bob Bowersox and a handful of other credited penners is mainly a by-the-numbers procedural, upgraded by a few unusual and intriguing variations along the way. The three leading actors carry the load, with the rest of the cast, including gifted character actor Peter Stormare, called upon for little more than dutifully filling the standard roles for such tales.

Though not yet MPAA rated as this is written, the gore factor would warrant at least an R, and possibly an NC-17, depending on who’s doing the job. You’ve now been warned about the yucky parts. If that’s not a deal-breaker, then step right up for this solid crime drama. And Morgan.

THE RITUAL KILLER opens Friday, Mar. 10, in theaters and video on demand.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars