Netflix Originals have gotten better and better, as more time has passed. Streaming services are the new movie theaters in a way and once and a while, there are films that just stick with the audience; in the horror genre, The Ritual fits the bill. When a group of male college friends gets together after the death of their friend, they head into the forest for a "trip of a lifetime." As they head deeper and deeper into the woods to take a supposed shortcut, they encounter a sinister presence that isn't your typical Sasquatch.
The Ritual was directed by David Bruckner, who is known for his expertise on all things campy and gore and has a line-up that includes Southbound, V/H/S, and the upcoming reboot of Hellraiser. He has a unique sense of direction when it comes to the horror genre, which is hard to match or beat. If viewers are fans of The Ritual and are searching for the next best thing, the films below have similarities when it comes to the creepy atmosphere that fans of this genre crave.
10 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project is perhaps the best found-footage documentary to date. Not only was it one of the first most successful films of its kind, but the eeriness it unveiled is still relevant today. It starts when three film students travel to a forest into Maryland to get more intel on a local legend called the "Blair Witch." They realize that the legend may be real and before they get a chance to warn anyone, they up and vanish. The only thing found, later on, was the footage they left behind.
Of course, the film was purely for entertainment, but the way the cast blended together, paired with the authentic shifty footage, it seemed genuine and well-made. There was a sequel made in 2000 and somewhat of a reboot in 2016, but they couldn't quite live up to the original.
9 The Witch (2015)
The Witch came out in 2015 and terrified viewers with its approach to the slow-burn/gothic era while being paired with beautiful film shots. It was set in the 1630s and focused on a New England family that is cast out by its village because of strange events surrounding the oldest daughter.
Once they move to the country, they couldn't have prepared for the loss, paranormal forces, and black magic that awaited them. Or perhaps, was it always with them and now it has the family exactly where it wants?
8 The Evil Dead (1981)
Throwing it back to the 1980s, a good cabin-in-the-woods horror movie list wouldn't be complete without The Evil Dead. This film paved the way for horror movies involving cabins, demons, and the woods for many years to come and has remained a beloved film ever since.
When five friends decide to drive out to a cabin in the woods, they unknowingly release an ancient pack of demons that have a thirst for possession. Starring the iconic and goofy-to-a-fault Bruce Campbell, he leads this movie with comedy, fear, and a braveness he continues throughout the series. This is one of Bruce Campbell's best movies to date, along with the other iconic role he's played.
7 The Cabin In The Woods (2011)
Speaking of cabins, if horror fans haven't sunk their teeth into this gem, they're missing out. The Cabin in the Woods plays into the stereotypes of a typical horror movie, complete with a cast that plays their parts perfectly. Starring Thor's Chris Hemsworth, viewers know they are in for a treat that involves action and thrill; in fact, Cabin in the Woods is among one of Hemsworth's best films to date.
So when five friends put down their college books and decide to get out of dodge for the weekend, they get more than they bargained for when they unleash an evil, thanks to a few trinkets in the basement. There's also an underlying reason they were brought to this cabin in the woods, which is a whole other situation. Filled with comedic relief, some of the scariest monsters in the film history, and a race to maintain humankind, this film is one to see immediately.
6 The Hallow (2015)
When a family moves to a remote area in Ireland, they find out they aren't the only ones in their area. From then on, they must fight for survival against demonic creatures in the woods.
The Hallow combines the fantasy, horror, and thriller genres together to make a relatively scary movie in the woods. This was director Corin Hardy's full-length movie debut and he did it well with the creepy undertones and portraying the supernatural bit in a "realistic" way.
5 The Shrine (2010)
The Shrine tells a story about two female journalists and a photographer traveling to Poland. In Poland, they investigate a series of mysterious disappearances, only to stumble upon a next-level type of evil they could've never seen coming.
Their travels take them to a village that has many secrets and not-so-friendly locals. Now stuck in this village, they become aware of the ritualistic practices these people believe in and realize they are ripe for the picking. Even though it's not among the best foreign horror films ever made, according to IMDb, it still proves just how scary this forest is.
4 The Forest (2016)
Still, into the thick of filming scenes for Games of Thrones, Natalie Dormer plays the main female lead, Sara Price. The story is mainly located in Aokihagara Forest, a forest in the base of Mount Fuji in Japan, known as "The Suicide Forest." Japanese police contact Sara and let her know that her troubled sister when in there alone and may need help.
When Sara arrives in Japan, she retraces her sister's steps and stops at nothing to find out what happened to find her. While in the forest, she realizes that she and the reporter that's helping her aren't the only ones in the dark and dense woods.
3 The Descent (2005)
After the death of her daughter and husband, widow Sarah, goes on an expedition with her friends after the year anniversary of their passing. The women have extensive knowledge of caverns, so makes it seem like all is fine until unusual things start happening within the cave system. While The Descent is technically set in a forest, most of the movie takes place in a North American cave.
Sarah and her friends come face-to-face with a strange breed of predators that live in the caves and have been for hundreds of years. These creatures hunt outside the cave, but in this instance, they don't have to look far for their next snack. Because these creatures are so scary and perhaps among some of the best sci-fi monsters in years, it makes the film that much scarier. It's a terrifying and refreshing storyline and the "found footage" aspect at times makes it more real than it is.
2 A Lonely Place To Die (2011)
The Amityville Horror and 30 Days of Night's Melissa George plays Alison, one of five mountaineers that are hiking in the Scottish Highlands, that stumbles upon a young Serbian girl in a small chamber. As they try to help the poor girl, they find themselves right in the middle of a cat and mouse game as the kidnappers are still chasing after her.
The acting is solid, especially Melissa George, and the various action points in the movie blend well together.
1 Dark Was The Night (2014)
When the 2000s hit, it was proven quickly that some of the creepiest monster movies are from that era. When 2014 rolled around, Dark Was the Night came out. When an evil force is threatened in the woods, it takes its anger out on a nearby small town of Maiden Woods. As sheriff, Paul Shields must try to overcome the evil and protect the locals, as well as the people he loves.
While some monster movies tend to lack strong character building, this one did not. Viewers got to see who the main characters were and the storyline wasn't too jam-packed with jump scares that it ruined the movie.
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