The Ritual Killer, directed by George Gallo, is a 2023 crime thriller that follows Detective Lucas Boyd (Cole Hauser) as he hunts down a ritualistic serial killer named Randoku (Vernon Davis).
Boyd teams up with Dr. Mackles (Morgan Freeman), an anthropology professor who is an expert on the ancient African practice of Muti that the killer seems to be following.
The film takes several twists and turns before reaching its shocking and ambiguous ending, leaving many viewers confused.
Who is the Killer?
Throughout the film, we learn that the serial killer is a witch doctor — a sangoma, as they call it in Muti — named Randoku. He uses “Muti,” a dark form of religion that provides believers with power through grotesque actions like harvesting body parts from living victims for use in rituals.
Randoku is initially killing on his own in Italy to gain personal power and strength. However, he is later hired by a wealthy businessman named Shelby Farner (Brian Kurlander) to continue his killing spree in America. Farner wants Randoku to target and kill an intelligent, hopeful young person, as he believes absorbing their essence will bring him even greater success and prosperity.
Who is the Final Target of Randoku?
As Boyd and Mackles close in on Randoku, they learn that his next intended victim is Katie Franklin (Destiny Loren), a brilliant high school student with a promising future. They race to Farner’s estate, where Randoku has lured Katie under the pretense of offering her a scholarship.
In a tense confrontation, Boyd is knocked unconscious, while Mackles faces off against Randoku. In a shocking turn of events, the elderly Mackles is able to overpower and stab the much younger and physically imposing Randoku, who flees bleeding heavily.
What Was the Connection Between Mackles and Randoku?
After this climactic event, several pieces start falling into place that hint at a deeper connection between Mackles and Randoku:
- Boyd learns from Italian Inspector Lavazzi that nine months prior, Randoku attended one of Mackles’ lectures in Rome on African culture, after which they met several times privately. This implies Mackles may have taught or initiated Randoku into the ways of Muti.
- When Boyd’s partner Maria is gravely injured by Randoku, she miraculously recovers after being visited by a mysterious man matching Mackles’ description, suggesting he may have performed a Muti ritual to heal her.
- Boyd receives a package containing Randoku’s eyeballs and a note from Mackles saying “I got him,” confirming he killed the ritual killer himself.
These revelations lead to the shocking implication that Mackles himself was likely a powerful sangoma who took it upon himself to stop his former student Randoku after his Muti teachings were used for evil.
Why Did Boyd Eat Randoku’s Eyes?
In the film’s bizarre ending, after finding Randoku’s eyeballs in the package, Boyd shockingly pops one into his mouth and swallows it with a menacing grin.
According to Muti beliefs laid out by Mackles earlier, consuming the eyes is said to grant farsightedness, clarity of vision, and the ability to see events for what they truly are. By eating Randoku’s eyes, Boyd is seemingly attempting to gain this power, either to become a better detective or perhaps even to follow in Mackles’ footsteps as a sangoma himself.
The Ritual Killer Ending Explained
The Ritual Killer’s ending leaves much up to interpretation regarding Mackles’ true nature and intentions. Was he simply an academic who was forced to stop a dangerous former student? Or was he a powerful sangoma himself who had been guiding or manipulating events all along? Mackles sending Boyd the eyes suggests he wants the detective to receive the “gift” of clarity through Muti’s ways.
Boyd’s decision to consume the eyes shows he has either broken free of his guilt over past tragedies (his daughter’s death) by embracing the darkness…or is heading down an even darker path himself. The film’s final moments leave Boyd’s ultimate motivations ambiguous and open-ended.
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The Ritual Killer ending raises as many questions as it answers, leaving viewers to ponder whether true justice or clarity was achieved, or if a cycle of darkness has just begun anew.
