Content Warning: The following article contains discussions of graphic violence, animal cruelty, sexual assault, and rape.Everybody loves a good scare, as the undying popularity of horror movies continues to prove. From unexpected jump scares and eerie atmosphere, to terrifying creatures and supernatural occurrences, a lot of fun can be had with the genre. However, these films aren’t always meant to be a pleasant experience, and there are some horror movies that are actually scary, truly disturbing, and twisted, that even the most seasoned enthusiast would struggle to sit through.
Whether it’s due to graphic violence, excessive gore, controversial subject matter, or unsettling imagery, these movies are hard to unsee. The scariest horror movies will definitely have viewers questioning the filmmaker’s intentions and leave them with no desire to revisit them in the near future. These most disturbing horror movies in cinematic history are full of controversial plots and genuinely nightmare-inducing sequences, which often end up becoming hot topics of discussion among fans and critics alike. Feel good family fun, this certainly is not.
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‘Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings’ (2011)
Directed by Declan O’Brien
The Wrong Turn franchise is notorious for its gratuitous and often sexualized violence, and as the series progressed, the movies seem to push the goalposts of extremity. By the fourth movie, there was no hope of survival for the protagonists, and the jeopardy lies in how and when the Hillicker Brothers are going to intercept and dispose of them.
As the central antagonists are not just brutal killers but also cannibalistic, their victims are often consumed after their death. However, one scene involving the brothers’ mealtimes in particular within Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings earns it a spot on this list. Of all the cast within the movie, Daniel (Dean Armstrong) is easily the most relatable and least abrasive, so watching him get the most stomach-churning death shows the cruel nature of the movie. After being captured, he is fastened to a table and kept alive as the Brothers chop off parts of his flesh and cook them in hot oil, turning him into a human fondue. It’s disgusting even by Wrong Turn’s standards and difficult to watch even once. —Gaby Shedwick
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‘Pledge’ (2019)
Directed by Daniel Robbins
Pledge dives headfirst into the brutal world of fraternities and college hazing, showing the dark side of masculinity. It follows a group of excessively awkward pledges who wander into the most twisted initiation. However, the group appears so desperate to fit in, they are gaslit into believing these actions are the norm and are pushed to their limits in order to feel accepted. It shows the danger of power and control in the wrong hands and examines the masculine desire to be successful no matter the cost.
At times, Pledge feels like Jackass if you removed every single element of humor and played it completely straight, which is as utterly terrifying as it sounds. From the group being forced to eat a blended thick soup made of rotten food and dead rodents to one member being tied to a table whilst rats burrow into his stomach, Pledge pushes the boundaries of jurisdiction and manipulation. —Gaby Shedwick
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‘Misery’ (1990)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Misery is a psychological nightmare that had a script so sickening, multiple actors pulled out of the project. In an era of surveillance and heightened fan culture, Misery’s core themes of obsession and entitlement are more scarily prominent than ever. Kathy Bates puts in an Oscar-winning performance as Annie Wilkes, who captures and entraps author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) after she is dissatisfied with him killing off his main character.
Annie’s maternal behavior turns more and more sinister and eventually violent as she threatens Paul, who is helpless to the situation. One scene involving a sledgehammer and a plank of wood serves as one of the most disturbing scenes in horror history and shows the slow spiral from adoration to madness. —Gaby Shedwick
Misery
- Release Date
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November 30, 1990
- Runtime
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107 minutes
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‘K-Shop’ (2016)
Directed by Dan Pringle
K-Shop is a modern adaptation of Sweeney Todd, swapping the pie shop for a late-night takeaway. Salah (Ziad Abaza) is left feeling helpless after his dad is accidentally killed by a drunk customer, and as his rage and apathy build, he unconsciously gets violent and sticks a customer’s head in the fryer. At a loose end as to how to amend the predicament, Salah reveals he can use the meat as a form of revenge in his kebabs.
The act of cannibalism on unsuspecting customers is stomach-churning in itself; however, it is the social aspect of K-Shop that makes it most disturbing. As a representation of the unpredictability of British nightlife, it captures that dangerous erraticism with deadly accuracy. The way Salah is physically and verbally abused by drunken patrons is emotionally distressing and creates this authentic and tangible sense of fear. —Gaby Shedwick
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‘A Cure for Wellness’ (2016)
Directed by Gore Verbinski
A Cure for Wellness is a twisted analysis of the medical rehabilitation industry. The set-up is purposefully ambiguous as protagonist Lockhart (Dane DeHaan) explores this large, clinical complex. There is a blending of a gothic tone with this clean, modern aesthetic that feels particularly unnatural and discomforting.
However, the movie becomes unwatchable when the truth about the medical procedures becomes clear, and a calm Dr Volmer (Jason Isaacs) lectures Lockhart on the impurity of the human condition. The doctor shoves a large tube viciously down Lockhart’s throat and proceeds to let leech-infested waters flow through in an incredibly sickening and claustrophobic scene. It blends the uncomfortability of medical and surgical horror with elements of extreme torture, which culminates in a deeply disturbing viewing experience. —Gaby Shedwick
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‘In a Violent Nature’ (2024)
Directed by Chris Nash
Acting as a complete deconstruction of the slasher genre that goes beyond simply featuring ultra-violent kills, but relishes in the monotony and process surrounding them, In a Violent Nature is an engaging, terrifying, and sometimes comical take on a slasher. While the plot is relatively simple, following a dangerous undead killer as he lays waste to a group of teens that awoke him, what makes the film stand out is its unique perspective and execution. The film entirely follows the perspective and viewpoint of the killer, Johnny, showing his entire process and viewpoint during his murderous rampage.
In a Violent Nature certainly delivers when it comes to gruesome, wince-inducing, and creative kills, but its greatest strengths and most terrifying aspects come from the slow monotony in between the carnage. The film does an excellent job of letting the killer’s fractured and animalistic mindset simmer between kills, allowing the audience to sit in silence and dread as he goes through the motions of walking from victim to victim. It manages to make each kill hit much harder, and while the film’s experimental approach won’t be for everyone, it will surely leave a pit in your stomach.
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‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ (2017)
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Director Yorgos Lanthimos is known for his unique movies, like The Favourite and Poor Things, which usually feature an offbeat tone, quirky characters, and deadpan delivery. However, the director’s darkest film to date is the horror-thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which still retains the director’s signature elements, but in a far more sinister manner. Colin Farrell plays Steven Murphy, a wealthy surgeon and family man who has a seemingly perfect life.
When Steven meets the strange and awkward teen Martin (Barry Keoghan), he takes him under his wing. Martin then infiltrates his family home, and violent and unsettling occurrences begin to take place. While The Killing of a Sacred Deer isn’t as graphic as some traditional horror movies, it has an eerie and uncomfortable tone that is hard to stomach, making for an uncomfortable viewing experience.
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‘Longlegs’ (2024)
Directed by Osgood Perkins
One of the biggest independent horror hits of recent memory that made massive waves for being considered by critics to be one of the scariest horror movies in decades, Longlegs found immediate worldwide success. The film follows FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) who is assigned to uncover the mystery surrounding the terrifying serial killer known as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage), who is responsible for a connected string of family murder-suicides. As she delves deeper into the case, the risk of danger finds itself slowly increasing as Longlegs begins to toy with Harker’s psyche in a game of cat and mouse.
While it may not be the neverending display of gore and jumpscares that the marketing campaign led some audiences to believe, Longlegs is still unchallenged in its ability to build tension and dread throughout numerous harrowing sequences. Much like the great horror crime procedurals that came before it, the film finds great success in establishing unnerving terror from the unknown, letting the aura of mystery fuel the horror itself. Cage’s performance also finds an effective line between disturbing, comedic, and sorrowful, creating a new horror villain icon that will be remembered for the ages.
Longlegs
- Release Date
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July 12, 2024
- Runtime
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101 Minutes
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‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
Directed by William Friedkin
Arguably the most iconic demonic possession horror movie, The Exorcist is a classic within the genre, and influenced a whole new generation of horror movies. The film follows Regan (Linda Blair), a young girl who becomes possessed by a demonic entity, and her mother, Chris (Ellen Burstyn), who enlists the help of two priests to save her.
At the time of release, The Exorcist was the scariest horror movie audiences had ever seen, with viewers even fainting. While some of the film’s scare factor has become outdated thanks to the evolution of filmmaking and effects, and almost seems tame compared to other movies, The Exorcist is still scarier than some horror movies released today. It is striking and unnerving, with visceral imagery that has become legendary in the horror pantheon.
The Exorcist
- Release Date
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December 26, 1973
- Runtime
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122 minutes
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‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
The face of found footage horror that revolutionized what was possible with a low budget in the digital era of filmmaking, The Blair Witch Project succeeds thanks to its grounded approach, feeling more real than any other horror movie before it. The film follows a trio of student filmmakers who disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland in October 1994 while shooting a documentary. The film is presented as surviving footage that was found after the fact, with the whereabouts of the students still unknown.
It speaks volumes that The Blair Witch Project proved to be so effective in its storytelling and execution of a realistic story that many audiences still believe that the film is a true documentary and captures real events. While some audiences may find the constant close-ups and experimental filmmaking style to be distracting, it creates an alluring energy and discomfort that is undeniable, methodically building up tension until its iconic final act.
