Rainey Dawn The Creeper aka Rituals is a surprisingly good slash adventure-horror film. The movie is easily comparable to the 1972 movie "Deliverance". And really would make a great double feature together.Five men on a simple fishing and relaxation trip turns into a deadly game of survival. Although the film has a basic and typical plot, the way the movie plays out is actually makes for a really good thriller.The Creeper does have quite few thrilling and chilling moments to keep the viewer engrossed. It does have some gore in the film but it is done a way that it's not a total blood-and-gore-fest. As I mentioned, the film is more like "Deliverance" - it's less like Friday the 13th or similar slasher flicks.9/10

Red-Barracuda The Creeper, or Rituals as it's more commonly known, is a very good Canadian backwoods thriller. It's about five doctors who go on a camping trip in a remote woodland area; very quickly they become prey to an unseen murderous presence. For some reason, this film isn't particularly well-known. It's difficult to understand why because this is a very well directed and acted affair, with a good amount of effective suspense maintained throughout. The film it is most often compared to is, unsurprisingly, Deliverance. Both films share the basic idea of a group of city men coming unstuck in the back of beyond. But Rituals a more horror-orientated, as it has an unseen villain whom we witness stalking his victims from various POV shots. Furthermore, the men are picked off one by one in a variety of macabre ways, including a scene where the unfortunate men awake to discover one of their friend's decapitated head's stuck on a pole in the ground. Nevertheless, I wouldn't quite put this into the slasher bracket but its story definitely pushes into the realms of horror with this focus on the stalker and the succession of nasty murders. Interestingly the killer does remain unseen until the end, except for a creepy shot of him seen from afar atop a hill watching. His presence is continually felt throughout though as he leaves little mementos along the way such as military medals and x-rays, both of which serve as clues as to his motivations. Keeping the maniac off screen is particularly effective here though, as when we do see him in the explosive finale it's pretty haunting stuff to say the least.There is a welcome realism to proceedings on account of the very good acting. Of particular note is Hal Holbrook and Lawrence Dane, the latter of whom was the producer too and would go on to star in another classic Canadian horror film, Scanners. The characterisations of the men in general are well done and it was very interesting to see that one of these middle-aged men was portrayed as an openly gay character in a commendably matter-of-fact fashion; it's rare enough today for this to ever happen, never mind back in the 70's and it is worthy of some praise for this alone. In a general sense, this production is worthy of a great deal of respect. It's tense, well-acted and surprising. An unheralded gem.

AaronCapenBanner Hal Holbrook stars as one of five friends(all doctors) who are taking their usual outdoor vacation, only this year they fly into a secluded wilderness, where their rest is disrupted by a sinister and unseen figure who first steal their boots, then escalates things with terror then murder...Well directed by Peter Carter in real Canadian locations, this film creates an effective atmosphere of suspense and fear, aided by a capable cast that really involve you in their plight, leading to a harrowing climax.Best to see this on the restored DVD, which has the best picture quality possible, since the original negative was damaged, which makes the ending quite(literally) too dark. Otherwise, this is much more than just a "Deliverance" rip-off, which isn't a fair description.Haunting final scene is memorable.

qormi Very good, intelligent Deliverance-type backwoods catastrophe flick. The simple fact that they got their boots stolen changed everything. From here, they had to back track to find help. Along the way, they are being stalked and toyed with by a sadistic fiend. The dialogue is interesting and authentic - these are doctors speaking and the script makes this clear. All too real. These men begin to unravel as the toll continues. The suffering is laid bare and is not for the squeamish. The ordeal continues day after day and the suspense is unrelenting. It was filmed on a shoestring budget and it showed. Had it benefited from better direction, editing, and cinematography, it would have been a classic. As is, it's still a very good film.