Ritual (2012 film)

2012 Indonesian horror-thriller film

Ritual

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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

* April 26, 2012 (2012-04-26)

Country| Indonesia
Language| English

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]

## Synopsis

[edit]

The 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

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* 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

[edit]

### Development

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Anwar 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

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Shooting took place in Mount Pancar in Sentul, West Java, across 10 days in November 2011.[4]

## Release

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Ritual 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

[edit]

The 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

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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]

1. ^ "Kenapa "Modus Anomali " Joko Anwar Pakai Bahasa Inggris?". archive.tabloidbintang.com. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
2. ^ a b Desyana, Cornila (26 April 2012). "Film Modus Anomali: 24 Jam yang Absurd". Tempo. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
3. ^ 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.
4. ^ Media, Kompas Cyber. ""Modus Anomali" Ditonton 1200 Orang di AS". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 January 2021.
5. ^ 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.
6. ^ "Discover the amnesiac chills of this Alice in Wonderland-esque thriller". Little White Lies. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
7. ^ "RITUAL". STARBURST Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

## External links

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* Ritual at IMDb
* Ritual at Rotten Tomatoes

* v
* t
* e

Joko Anwar

* Acting credits
* Short films
* Accolades
* Television

Films|

| Written and directed|

* Joni's Promise (2005)
* Dead Time: Kala (2007)
* The Forbidden Door (2009)
* Ritual (2012)
* A Copy of My Mind (2015)
* Satan's Slaves (2017)
* Gundala (2019)
* Impetigore (2019)
* Satan's Slaves 2: Communion (2022)
* Grave Torture (2024)
* The Siege at Thorn High (2025)

|

Written|

* Arisan! (2003)
* Jakarta Undercover (2007)
* Quickie Express (2007)
* Fiksi. (2007)
* Stip & Pensil (2017)
* Orang Kaya Baru (2019)
* The Queen of Black Magic (2019)
* Sri Asih (2022)

Television|

* Halfworlds (2015-2016)
* Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams (2024)

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