Horror boasts an assortment of subgenres with each one having its own unique charms and despicable, unsightly scenes.

One which has sprouted up considerably more since the 1990s is cryptid-based horror movies. A cryptid is defined as any animal or beast which may or may not exist. Think Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, the undoubted king Mothman, or any assortment of things with antlers.

One Redditor in search for the best of cryptid horror has posed the question, and one film in particular has gotten immense love from those who seek the unimaginable in their horror. The Ritual released in 2017 on Netflix to positive reviews, and it’s fair to say it’s boasting a space in the minds of audiences.

Following four friends who seek to do their recently deceased friend’s final wishes by hiking through the dense forestlands of Sweden’s Kungsleden, they soon find out unimaginable horrors await them. Their descent into the madness comes with truly horrific moments, and a cryptid which will last long in your memory.

The big cryptid in The Ritual is a Jötunn, a mythological Nordic being who comes from none other than the trickster god Loki. Stacked with legs, antlers, and a suitably spiky spine, the Jötunn sticks firmly in the memory of viewers.

The monster is scarcely shown in The Ritual, adding a lot to the intrigue around the creature, as well as keeping it special for viewers when they do get their first proper glimpse. Best yet, the Jötunn was done with a good mixture of practical and special effects.

The Ritual is currently available to stream on Netflix, and was based on a book of the same name.

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