I miss enjoying horror movies.
Horror movies are a beloved genre of media for many film enthusiasts. They tap into our basic fears and give us a safe way to feel spine-tingling excitement and suspense. Unsettling visuals, intentional sound design, and unexpected jump scares keep viewers on the edge of their seats in an adrenaline rush.
While this is what a good horror flick should do, this is rarely the case in theatres today. Many horror movies suffer from a concept that stifles growth in any form of art—lack of originality.
The unexpected nature of horror movies is the biggest determinant of how much terror I experience when watching a film. Imagine being on the edge of your seat, the theatre filled to the brim with silence as the protagonist is in danger, waiting for the scare to happen. When executed skillfully, and, most importantly, unexpectedly, the result is a guaranteed sense of unease, marking the movie’s success at what it set out to do.
Instead, it’s becoming increasingly easier to predict when jump scares happen and even exactly how they happen. This repetitive formula undermines the genre, robbing it of the unpredictability crucial to delivering genuine terror.
Predictable jump scares reduce the long-lasting psychological effect horror movies are meant to have. Rather than experiencing the slow burn and dread typically associated with the horror genre, the one that leaves you checking under your bed for weeks after watching, we’re bombarded with meaningless scares and imagery.
This repetition is exacerbated by the recycling of successful franchises, such as the Nun, Sinister, Halloween, Scream, and Saw, the latter of which boasts a staggering 10 film series. It’s nearly impossible to maintain originality without losing the audience over the course of so many films.
Fortunately, there are modern horror movies that still manage to haunt me to this day, going against all these fatal flaws. The best example is Hereditary, which redefined the horror experience for me.
Unlike the usual jump scares you can see coming a mile away, this film took a different route by employing unconventional scares and visceral imagery, catching me off guard in the most unexpected ways. The sudden seizure-like episode Peter has in class, or the father being set on fire spontaneously are scares I wasn’t expecting, which left me impressed when I left the theatre.
Instead of recycling tired tropes, Hereditary delved into uncharted territory, making each plot twist a surprise. It wasn’t just about jolting me out of my seat; it was about a gradual, psychological descent into fear as I followed Annie, slowly reaching madness and dragging her family along.
In a genre plagued by predictability, Hereditary was a breath of fresh, bone-chilling air that lingered long after the credits rolled.
As we choose amongst movies in a genre cluttered with repeated narratives, it’s films like this that reignite my hope for a horror masterpiece, proving the thrill of the unexpected can still send shivers down our spines.
Filmmakers should stop relying on cheap, predictable jump scares and renowned franchises to market and sell flicks, and instead focus on original concepts that impact viewers through slow burns and creative storytelling.
Only then can horror reclaim its status as a beloved genre for viewers like me.
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