This movie is horrible. Granted, I only got about two minutes into it, but it was the longest two minutes of my life. It felt like twenty. The heavy-set man that Wayne Montgomery was talking to at the beginning reminded me of my son-in-law, which was a good thing for him. It made him likable for me. However, the milquetoast sounding 'serial killer' just rubbed me the wrong way. The effort to make him sound like 'every man' was a pathetic attempt to gain some sympathy for the 'antihero', and it failed abysmally. Then they throw in some young, smug looking punk as the new 'protege', and it all slides downhill from there. For a 'found footage film', it had no interesting shots, no real flow, and no realism. The black and white filming was intended to make the film, and therefore the subject matter, seem bleak and ugly, and they succeeded, at least with the ugly part. Not worth the time or effort, in spite of the fact that I got it for free through Prime.

This follow-up to Head Case is quite impressive. Spadaccini took a completely different direction in The Ritual and I like it. The Ritual takes the disturbing horror elements from its predecessor and adds some depth to the story. This film introduces some new characters. Jared, played by Joey Garrison, is one of my favorite characters. His performance was stellar. We also got to see more from Brinke Stevens, whose performance was also outstanding. She had such an intense presence in the film, even with little screen time. The characters all meshed together so well. The cinematography and editing improved dramatically in comparison to Head Case. Head Case was gritty and raw, while Ritual has a more elegant feel, yet maintains its realism.

Serial killer Wayne Montgomery was inadvertently "outed" in December 2006, after DNA evidence linked him and his wife Andrea to a series of brutal unsolved murders in the small town of Claymont, Delaware - as well as the disappearance of their own daughter Monica. However, Andrea was the only one arrested. Authorities were unable to locate Wayne, who had simply vanished. Countless hours of Wayne & Andrea's home footage, allegedly depicting several of these vicious acts being committed, had also vanished. Recently discovered footage recorded by Wayne in 2007 details his activities in the months following his wife's arrest - adjusting to his life as a fugitive...and beginning a sadistic, twisted relationship with a teenage male hustler named Jared, whom Wayne has selected to groom as a successor. However, things will soon become unraveled when outside influences threaten to destroy the foundation that Wayne has created for his young student. This movie is not a horror movie. It's a talking head movie and boring beyond belief. Slow, tedious, talkie. And oddly directed. Don't bother. Unless you want a new version of Lunestra.

The Ritual is a sequel to the 'found footage' horror film Head Case. It isn't what I was expecting. I wouldn't even consider it to be a horror film. It's more of a serial killer drama. The story, about a fugitive serial killer and his teenage accomplice, is engrossing. It's beautifully shot and well-acted. Paul McCloskey returns as serial killer Wayne Montgomery, whose even-keeled demeanor and matter-of-fact delivery make him a very endearing character. Joey Garrison plays his teenage accomplice Jared with a frightening (and all-too-realistic) blend of angst and glee. The chemistry between the leads is one of the strongest parts of the film. The Ritual (much like Head Case) isn't for all tastes. It's a character-driven film with improvised dialogue and a low body count. But it's very entertaining and stuck with me long after it was over.