Movies Like The Ritual

David Muir

2 min read

·

06-12-2024

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For those who enjoyed the unsettling atmosphere and creeping dread of The Ritual, Netflix's 2017 horror film, you're likely craving more movies that blend folk horror, psychological thriller elements, and a healthy dose of existential dread. Fortunately, the cinematic landscape offers a variety of options to satisfy that craving. This exploration delves into several films sharing similar thematic and stylistic elements with The Ritual.

Sharing the Woods' Dark Secrets: Similar Atmospheric Horror

The Ritual's success hinges on its ability to build tension through isolation, unsettling visuals, and the slow unraveling of its characters' sanity. These elements are mirrored in several other films, making them compelling alternatives for fans.

1. Midsommar (2019): Ari Aster's follow-up to Hereditary offers a vibrant, yet deeply disturbing, exploration of grief and cult rituals within the sun-drenched Swedish countryside. While visually distinct from The Ritual, the film shares a similar focus on psychological torment and the unsettling power of ancient traditions.

2. The Witch (2015): Robert Eggers' debut is a masterclass in atmosphere, showcasing a Puritan family's descent into paranoia and supernatural terror in 17th-century New England. Like The Ritual, The Witch builds its horror slowly, relying on suggestion and unsettling imagery to create a deeply unsettling experience. The focus on folklore and the disintegration of faith resonate strongly with The Ritual's themes.

3. The Wicker Man (1973): A classic of the folk horror genre, this British film features a police sergeant investigating a remote island community with unsettling pagan rituals. It remains a chilling and influential film, setting the standard for many subsequent works in the genre, including The Ritual. The sense of unease and impending doom are palpable throughout.

Beyond the Forest: Psychological Horror with Existential Themes

The Ritual is not just about monsters in the woods; it's also about the internal struggles and existential anxieties of its characters. Several other films explore similar themes, offering alternative avenues for horror fans.

4. Annihilation (2018): This sci-fi horror film features Lena, a biologist investigating a mysterious shimmering zone that alters the landscape and its inhabitants. The film tackles themes of identity, transformation, and the horrors of the unknown, echoing The Ritual's exploration of psychological breakdown under pressure.

5. The Thing (1982): John Carpenter's classic paranoia-fueled horror story takes place in Antarctica, where a group of researchers encounters a shape-shifting alien. The distrust and psychological tension among the characters mirror the paranoia and fractured relationships found in The Ritual.

A Final Thought

While no film perfectly replicates the specific experience of The Ritual, these suggestions offer a diverse range of cinematic options for viewers seeking similar chills and thoughtful explorations of horror's psychological depths. Each film listed provides a unique blend of atmosphere, suspense, and thematic resonance, ensuring a satisfying cinematic journey for fans of The Ritual's unsettling charm.