A lot can be said about the recent state of the horror genre. It's disaster-prone life in the last 5-10 years has viewers forever setting their bar of standards lower just to find the odd film that might contain the odd interesting element or character, but overall contains a forgettable narrative that feels all-too-similar to others.
The Ritual, recently owned and distributed by Netflix, feels like a breath of fresh air with its story that ignores many of the annoying tropes often found in modern horror films, but uses some existing ones well enough to convey an unnerving setting without relying on them too much.
In the case of The Ritual, the narrative is its main focus. The characters aren't just there to be scared and provide excuses to get you all scared and waiting for the inevitable jump scares, they're smart and considerate of the possibilities that sit ahead of them; questioning what moves are best and what are plain stupid. This allows the film's suspense to take over and have the viewer take in the moments that really matter.
Avoiding the concept of stretched-out faces and supernatural threats, The Ritual stays grounded with its connection to Norse mythology, having its horror remain psychological and very much physical. I preferred this style a lot more, as it felt a lot more unique compared the endless sea of Paranormal Activity-esque disasters that don't place the characters in an environment that is a genuine threat to them; and I think this is where The Ritual works fundamentally, with its approach to genuine threats and hurdles that are taken smartly into consideration.
We aren't just watching a group of idiots run around a forest, conveniently making every wrong move possible that further places them into worse situations. We see genuine confusion and fear take over their minds, watching them discover truths on their own while remaining helpless due to the density and limited sunlight of a mountainous, forest-ridden landscape. For that reason, it allows the narrative to remain enjoyable, and questionable for the viewer as it presents itself. It makes for a great experience overall.
