The Ritual is one of the best horror films in recent memory

shinobi602 · Oct 4, 2020

Originally found this on a whim on Netflix and surprisingly left a very lasting impression. I've rewatched it three times now and this one really just came out of nowhere for me.

The acting's actually pretty good given the cast, at least they're not anyone I've seen before but more importantly the premise itself is creepy as fuck. The forest has an exceedingly evil presence, the buildup from first entering the forest to everything that happens to each character is intense, the cinematography is fantastic, and the creature design is incredibly unique and menacing.

It's still on Netflix now so highly recommend if you're looking for some real scares.

Edit: The 2017 film.

Platy · Oct 4, 2020

I THINK you are talking about the 2017 one but you need to be more specific

Heynongman! · Oct 4, 2020

This is one of those movies that's really incredible for the first like 2/3 and then just completely falls apart for me at the end. All that tension built up in the forest was excellent, and the uncertainty and constant hallucinations leading you to not know what's real or not. Really good shit.

it's a shame the ending is really flat, the whole thing feels super rushed after the beginning takes its time. Also I thought the cult was lame and the creature design was straight up comical

shinobi602 · Oct 4, 2020

Platy said:
I THINK you are talking about the 2017 one but you need to be more specific

Yeah that's the one.

TheZynster · Oct 4, 2020

Platy said:
I THINK you are talking about the 2017 one but you need to be more specific

that is a LOT of rituals

RustyNails · Oct 4, 2020

Very, very good horror movie. It reminded me of the scariness of the forest again and it can be fucking scary.. The ending is batshit insane.

TheZynster · Oct 4, 2020

oh THIS movie, yes......this whole movie was fantastic. Was really hoping to them them dig even deeper into that lore and stuff. It clearly can be taken even further. The ending is amazing!

Jotunn

tellNoel · Oct 4, 2020

It was okay. I liked The Platform more in terms of Netflix horror and It Comes At Night more in terms of psychological horror

Dalek · Oct 4, 2020

Yeah it's very good for sure. Very well done.

Van Bur3n · Oct 4, 2020

That scene with the old lady sealed the deal with me enjoying it.

Heynongman! · Oct 4, 2020

Another Netflix horror movie worth checking out is Apostle, it's not a crowd pleaser but boy did I enjoy the hell out of it - a horror movie from the director of the Raid movies. A nice slow burn, Wickerman-esque thriller with some very crazy supernatural shit

Rendering... · Oct 4, 2020

The movie's like a 6.5 or 7/10 but the creature design is a solid 9.5.

Fancy Clown · Oct 4, 2020

I wouldn't go that far, but it was surprisingly entertaining for how cliche riddled it was. Enjoyable 6/10. Neat monster, too.

Heynongman! · Oct 4, 2020

Rendering... said:
The movie's like a 6.5 or 7/10 but the creature design is a solid 9.5.

I must be in the minority with hating the creature design. I thought it was just wildly silly looking, like a giraffe made of corpses

Fhtagn · Oct 4, 2020

I'll vouch for this one being totally solid and also Rituals (1977) is a great post-Deliverance "rich assholes in the great outdoors get more than they bargained for" thriller.

Polioliolio · Oct 4, 2020

I watched it twice, thought it was one of the best horror movies I watched in a long time.

Timeaisis · Oct 4, 2020

It was alright.

Huncho_Houdini · Oct 4, 2020

It was great, a welcome surprise. Creature design was awesome.

Deleted member 33571 · Oct 4, 2020

Rendering... said:
The movie's like a 6.5 or 7/10 but the creature design is a solid 9.5.

Yeah for real. I remember someone posted the still in the spoiler below in some thread on here and it immediately made me want to watch it and that ended up being the only aspect I particularly enjoyed. Some of the parts where you see it moving through the trees are great too...but the movie kinda sucks as a whole lol

NinjaGarden · Oct 4, 2020

Incredible creature design. I should rewatch it tonight.

Rendering... · Oct 4, 2020

Heynongman! said:
I must be in the minority with hating the creature design. I thought it was just wildly silly looking, like a giraffe made of corpses

I think it's the strange combination of elements that does it for me.

(creature spoilers) You've got that big giraffe body and it's like OK, fine. Then you look up where its head should be, and you get a human torso with its head chopped off and antlers for arms. And the actual head is down low between the forelegs, peering at you like a creature in a cave and dangling a set of arms.

I think the moment where it does that weird pose, when the guy is pretending to surrender or whatever in the forest, really sells it. It rears up and spreads those humanoid arms on his giant midsection like some demonic totem pole.

It's a good and weird design that incorporates a number of unsettling elements into one bizarre mythical creature with freakish but plausible anatomy.

"Chance of rain" said:
Yeah for real. I remember someone posted the still in the spoiler below in some thread on here and it immediately made me want to watch it and that ended up being the only aspect I particularly enjoyed. Some of the parts where you see it moving through the trees are great too...but the movie kinda sucks as a whole lol

I forgot how crazy it looks in profile. Definitely a super memorable creature design.

grang · Oct 4, 2020

Rendering... said:
The movie's like a 6.5 or 7/10 but the creature design is a solid 9.5.

Yep, this is where I'm at.

Infernostew · Oct 4, 2020

Rendering... said:
The movie's like a 6.5 or 7/10 but the creature design is a solid 9.5.

This is where I'm at too. Nowhere near the top recent horror films but a pretty neat film nonetheless.

Keikaku · Oct 4, 2020

It was pretty good. Better than Midsommar for sure.

Kuribo’s Shoe · Oct 4, 2020

I love it too. Amazing design work and solid performances. Like a male version of the Descent. Kinda.

Uncle Squingis · Oct 4, 2020

I liked it. The dialogue between the characters always seemed very realistic.

Heynongman! · Oct 4, 2020

Kuribo's Shoe said:
I love it too. Amazing design work and solid performances. Like a male version of the Descent. Kinda.

The Descent is on another level compared to this one, IMO. It's one of the all time greats

LanceX2 · Oct 4, 2020

love it.

isnt it a son of Loki?

another Loki son movie coming out too. Antlers?

LanceX2 · Oct 4, 2020

Heynongman! said:
The Descent is on another level compared to this one, IMO. It's one of the all time greats

The Descent is probably my favorite horror movie. So damn good.

2 was good but not needed.

Heynongman! · Oct 4, 2020

LanceX2 said:
love it.

isnt it a son of Loki?

another Loki son movie coming out too. Antlers?

Oh Christ I forgot Antlers was coming. Wasn't that supposed to be out already?

LanceX2 · Oct 4, 2020

feb 21 now.

Kuribo’s Shoe · Oct 4, 2020

Heynongman! said:
The Descent is on another level compared to this one, IMO. It's one of the all time greats

Yeah. It's great.

BlueTsunami · Oct 4, 2020

I really liked the buildup. Felt truly as if they were meddling with forces far beyond them that, initially, didn't require a whole lot of suspension of disbelief.

Edit: Damnit I'm thinking about another film. One where a woman hires a dude to perform an occultic ceremony so she could be with her dead child or something.

bill crystals · Oct 4, 2020

Excellent modern horror movie

Rocket Man · Oct 4, 2020

Started good, ended up being horrible. Giant moose wasn't scary at all.

poptire · Oct 4, 2020

Yes, The Ritual is fantastic. It's what a non-found footage Blair Witch Project should've been.

Nakenorm · Oct 4, 2020

It's an enjoyable film, but with a masterpiece of a creature design.

Oh damn, I should definitely rewatch the descent. Haven't seen it since it came out but remember really loving it.

Scarface · Oct 4, 2020

Nakenorm said:
It's an enjoyable film, but with a masterpiece of a creature design.

Oh damn, I should definitely rewatch the descent. Haven't seen it since it came out but remember really loving it.

great movie! avoid the sequel tho.

kai3345 · Oct 4, 2020

the first half was really good but like others have said it kinda loses steam in the second. the final chase sequence with the forest blending with the liquor store was incredible though

Landawng · Oct 4, 2020

I love the movie. Sickest movie monster I've seen in a long time

TrueSloth · Oct 5, 2020

It was a ok. Definitely some of the hallucinations were cool and the monster design was spectacular.

RoninRay · Oct 5, 2020

OP if you haven't watch the wailing from 2016 you should . It's a horror masterpiece and will keep you guessing untill the end.

Khanimus · Oct 5, 2020

Rendering... said:
The movie's like a 6.5 or 7/10 but the creature design is a solid 9.5.

Yeah this. I think they find really cool and interesting ways to integrate the memories into the set, and visually tease out the monster.

But the movie itself... it's fine.

Uncivilized Elk · Oct 5, 2020

I thought it was an amazing creature design in a mediocre and unremarkable movie. I was disproportionately disappointed because the monster deserved to be in something better. I didn't care for the first half of the film whatsoever either, and I usually really dig people hiking through forests.

Sunster · Oct 5, 2020

LanceX2 said:
The Descent is probably my favorite horror movie. So damn good.

2 was good but not needed.

2 ruined the ending of 1. Best to pretend there never was a 2

Conal · Oct 5, 2020

Rendering... said:
I forgot how crazy it looks in profile. Definitely a super memorable creature design.

Looks a bit like the 'I dont know' emoji lol

Great design though.

The Nightsky · Oct 5, 2020

It bothered me that the forest looked nothing like forests in the location they're supposed to be in (northern sweden).

Otherwise it was solid.

Fishsnot · Oct 5, 2020

Ohh I've been meaning to check this out.
might watch it tonight if I can.

Conciliator · Oct 5, 2020

I definitely wouldn't say it's bad, but i'd also say that the monster design was by far the coolest thing about it

Dog · Oct 5, 2020

One of my recent faves.

The Ritual is one of the best horror films in recent memory

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