10 Folk Horror Movies To Lead You Astray

It seems Sweden is the place to go for folk horror.

This 2017 production, directed by David Bruckner, could’ve been just another spooky movie set in the woods. But the backstory elevates it into an emotional, thoughtful horror.

We start the film seeing the protagonist, Luke, cowering and hiding in fear as his friend, Rob, is killed during a robbery. Luke and his friends decide to take a hiking trip to Sweden in order to honour Rob’s memory. Throughout the film, the horror is tinged with Luke’s guilt towards Rob’s death – shown in one fantastic scene where fluorescently-lit supermarket aisles begin to form in the dark woods as Luke runs for his life.

The scares have feeling because behind them, is grief.

The creature design is also pretty special. A horrific Euro-version of a Wendigo, with a horned torso for a… “face.” If you can’t imagine how odd that is, you’ll have to watch and see for yourself.

There’s also the classic folk horror trope of the creepy cult. However, there’s something different about these people, their community being so-far removed from society, and so focused on pain and sacrifice that they almost don’t emotionally resemble humans at all.

Everything you could want from a folk horror, The Ritual delivers in a well-paced, interesting, and (obviously) scary way – while also producing an emotional character arc that leaves a lasting impact with the audience.