The horror genre has given filmmakers tremendous flexibility when it comes to crafting stories. Horror movies span different eras, take place in a variety of unique settings, and have an interesting mix of characters. Some take risks.
However, many horror projects tend to follow standards. The formula of jump scares, clichés and moody lighting has proven to be very economically fruitful. So even horror movies with original and idiosyncratic plots default to standard tropes rather than making the most of a compelling script.
This article contains trailers with gun violence and gore.
10/10 The Winchesters’ gripping real-life story relies on typical horror tropes
2018
Various legends and stories are associated with the story behind Sarah Winchester. Sarah was the widow of William Her Winchester, CEO of her company, Her Repeating Her Arms, Winchester, and became famous for the way she spent her days after his death. 2018 winchester was Hollywood’s most significant attempt to bring an intriguing story to the big screen.
winchester Starring Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, and Sarah Snook, it promised to be a tense, supernatural horror movie. But instead of focusing on Sarah’s grief and her struggle with spirits in the haunted “Mystery Her Mansion,” winchester We resorted to having as many jump scares and horror tropes as possible. winchester Critically panned.
9/10 Antebellum couldn’t take advantage of the excellent superior performance
(2020)
Low-budget horror has skyrocketed in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020s Antebellum It was one of the horror films that benefited from this increased exposure. Starring Janelle Monae Antebellum It focuses on the past and present of racists in America. The film follows Veronica, who wakes up to find herself trapped in a modern-day slave plantation.
Unfortunately, despite Monae’s excellent lead performance, Antebellum It had a disjointed script that struggled to maintain a strong focus on any of its interesting themes. Antebellum It was criticized for not being able to demonstrate its potential.
8/10 Devil had a great setup
(2010)
There is nothing scarier than being trapped in an enclosed space.great movies like 10 Cloverfield Lane When buried It did a great job of tapping into people’s fear of being trapped. Bottleneck horror movies capitalize on people’s fear of enclosed spaces. 2010s Devil is a horror thriller that traps five characters in an elevator, one of whom is a demon. One by one, the residents are attacked by a mysterious entity.
M. Night Shyamalan’s flick was a moderate box office success, but failed to impress critics due to its weak characters and predictable plot points. Devil It has a great setup, but it never fully commits to its unique and potentially terrifying premise.
7/10 V/H/S: Viral doesn’t understand why previous entries were successful
(2014)
V/H/S is an anthology horror film franchise originally created by Brad Miska in 2012. The franchise has become a beloved cult hit among horror fans. 2014 V/H/S: Viral It was the third entry in the series and was highly anticipated. viral uses a series of found footage films to tell stories such as an illusionist who finds a magical object and a teenage victim of a cult.
Despite this potentially fun premise, many fans and critics viral As the worst entry in the franchise due to its weak script and over-reliance on horror clichés. Despite this, the franchise survived. V/H/S/94 Help keep the series on track.
6/10 Brightburn’s attempt to subvert the superhero cliché
(2019)
Since Superman was created in 1933, several artists have tried different interpretations of the hero’s origin story.Several different retellings of Superman have been widely successful, while others have been less successful. bright burn I tried to add a twist to the main character’s story.
bright burn It was written around an interesting idea: “What if Superman came to Earth and became a murderer?” The film features some fun moments and some strong performances, but ultimately misses the mark. bright burn Despite having an interesting premise, it fails to differentiate itself from a sea of other slasher films.
5/10 The Nun was a disappointing entry into the magical world of New Line Cinema
(2018)
James Wan magic trick It was both critically and commercially successful. New Line Cinema saw an opportunity to build his horror universe around James Wan’s successful vision. This makes a lot of sense. 2018, New Line Cinema released Nun.
Based on The Villains magic tricks 2, Nun Told the story of Satan’s origins in Romania in 1952. Unlike the first two magic trick movie, Nun It wasn’t directed by Wang, so it lacked his creativity and style. Nun It was criticized for its inconsistent plot.
4/10 The Chernobyl Diary Wastes A Unique And Rich Setting
(2012)
From the post-apocalypse, many movies and TV shows have seen radiation and nuclear fallout. world war z On HBO’s grim retelling of real-life disasters Chernobyl mini series. Released in 2012 Chernobyl Diarya horror film based on a group of characters visiting a famous illuminated city.
Conceptually, Chernobyl Diary It may have been one of the best and most engaging horror movies of the year. Sadly, the movie is full of predictable jump scares. was.
3/10 The paranormal became much more popular than it deserved
(2007)
One of the most commercially successful horror films ever made, paranormal activity It changed the horror landscape when it was released in 2007. paranormal activity The box office grossed about $200 million. This success story led to a number of low-budget horror films being released by the studio over the next few years.
Despite spawning a franchise that included several financially successful films, the first paranormal activity In recent years, it has not deteriorated.The franchise’s next film proves it paranormal activity I could have done more with this format. The movie can be tense in parts, but it relies heavily on jump scares, so paranormal activity It feels less creative than most horror movies.
2/10 Grave Encounters has a spooky vibe underneath some cheap scares
(2011)
One of the most popular forms of television programming is the ghost hunting show. It’s clear that many of these shows are fake, but millions of people still watch them. is a fun idea.
grave encounters is a found footage film that tells the story of a ghost hunt gone wrong. While the film does have some truly terrifying moments, it just can’t harness the found-footage format to the same level of success as other films. The Blair Witch Project, CloverfieldAlso troll hunterWith impossible characters and cheap jump scares, grave encounters It failed to impress critics upon its 2011 release.
1/10 The Purge turned an exciting setup into a quintessential home invasion flick
(2013)
The early 2010s saw the emergence of several low-budget horror films. paranormal activity performance income. purge When the first trailer was released in 2013, it stood out as something different in a sea of forgettable movies.
The Purges The main hook is America’s decision to host the Purge, an annual event that legalizes all crime. As silly as it is, the idea opened up a lot of unique and fun storytelling opportunities. Unfortunately, purge It resorted to being a standard domestic horror film, with The Purge’s unique idea essentially in the background.
