TheHorrorgenre is home to many dark and disturbing pieces of media. From masked serial killers to hauntings that go back hundreds of years, It’s safe to say that horror fans are attracted to the mysterious and the unexplained. Of course, it wouldn’t be a trip into the realm of the terrifying without a few jump scares.
Sure, jump scares can be overused or come off as corny if used without thought. However, good ones also exist, and they can get you even if you’re expecting it. So, which horror movies have the best jump scares and which ones offer you the most unique experiences? Here are some movies that might just make you jump out of your seat.
8Scream
Catches The Horror Experts By Surprise
Scream has excellent jump scares that play on the fact that the characters and the viewers are familiar withcommon horror tropes. This knowledge gives you a sense of security by making you expect one thing but then you receive another.
The characters also rely on this knowledge and even make some smart moves when dealing with the Ghostface killer. However, the killer beneath the mask is also well-versed in horror movie clichés and trivia, resulting in some clever twists and murders that will genuinely catch viewers by surprise. Even the way Ghostface runs while chasing the latest victim may seem silly at first, but the franticness adds to the panic and unpredictability of the killer and the jump scares.
7Hell House LLC
A Hidden Gem
Hell House LLC is a film franchise that gave up all its best scares in the first film. However, this just means that the first entry in the series has the best moments. The film takes you through the days leading up to the opening ofa haunted house attractionthat goes terribly wrong.
The film uses a found footage style to emulate the feeling that the events might have occurred in real life. From possessed clowns to props that move by themselves, HellHouse LLC makes viewers expect the unexpected before the big night reveals an even more sinister presence within the abandoned Abaddon Hotel.
6The Conjuring
The Start Of A Franchise
Many film franchises try to have interconnected stories and often fail at it. The Conjuring tries it too, and it doesn’t always pan out. Regardless, the original Conjuring film is by far the best in the series and one of the best films with jump scares in them.
The film contains many horror elements, including a haunted house, an evil witch, and demonic possession. This film hits you with jump scare after jump scare while still conjuring up a gripping narrative as the evil of the house tries to claim its latest residents as fresh victims.
5Insidious
Unpredictable Jump scares
The ingredients to cook up a good jumpscare include; psychic children, ghosts, and humans with trauma. Insidious follows a family whose son has fallen into a coma. However, this coma is only the start of the terrifying events that unfold. It turns out that their son is actually psychic and has Astral traveled into a hellish world called The Further.
What makes the jump scares so good at catching the viewer off guard is how unpredictable they can be. First-time viewers will be tormented relentlessly, while even continuous viewings cannot dampen the blow of each scare. If you love jump scares, the film spawned an entire series, so there are plenty of entries to indulge in.
4Alien
No One Can Hear You Scream
The original Alien has plenty of good jump scares. Once the face hugger and its victim are taken into the Nostromo, you know all hell is about to break loose. Once the danger makes itself known with the famous chest-burster scene, it only becomes more terrifying from there.
While some would say the chest-burster scene is the best jump scare in the film, the search for the Xenomorph in the vents is even more terrifying. This is a jump scare where the characters tell you that the Alien is in the vent. You are fully aware that the jump is coming, but even this level of forewarning isn’t enough to stop the brief seconds that the Alien is on-screen from making you jump.
3The Babadook
Getting Jumped By An Imaginary Monster
The Babadook has become a staple in horror culture for the reaction images it has produced. However, it is still a powerful horror film with jumpscares that will genuinely leave you shocked and unsettled.
What makes this film so unique is that the Babadook himself is rarely seen throughout the film. There are hints that the being might be present and premonitions that lead to more jump scares. However, it is ultimately up to the viewer to decide what exactly the Babadook is. Could it be an actual entity or is it something more human and down-to-earth? Regardless, the film will try to scare your pants off.
228 Days Later
Silent Jumpscares
28 Days Later has a particular approach to jump scares that go against the traditional formula. The scares don’t go in loud at first but will show you a silent montage from the infected’s point of view. The jump scare is already happening before your eyes but because the film goes silent, you get a delayed response before the scare finally hits.
This makes the horror that the survivors feel happen at the same time as the audience can react to it, giving you only moments to brace yourself and makes the impact hit harder. It is a unique technique that is lost in the sequel, 28 Weeks Later.
1Skinamarink
Scares That Make You Feel Like A Child
Skinamarink is another film that gets experimental with its jump scares. Rather thanthrowing a monster at you, it plays on your childhood fears and the way children see the world as bigger in the dark.
One example of a great jump scare formula is hiding something familiar in the shadows and letting the viewer react to it out of fear that it might be something worse. The camera doesn’t move much within a shot, so all sudden movements and changes to the setting turn into jump scares. This is an effective way of making the viewer more susceptible to being taken by surprise, as even the mundane becomes horrifying.
