Horror is an incredibly popular genre, which is strange considering people continue to watch films whose sole purpose is to scare them. Whether it’s the shocking deaths, like Charlie’s in Hereditary, or because they are based on true events like The Strangers, people tune in for the thrill that comes from watching a scary movie.
For some, it’s the gore-filled scenes and the use of special effects that help make a scary movie too scary. For others, low-budget horror films like Terrifier and Lights Out can incite enough fear. Most can appreciate an impactful final scene like in The Blair Witch Project. Whether you like seeing your phobias played out on screen or you just enjoy a good scare, here are 20 of the scariest films that people have dubbed too scary to watch more than once.
Updated August 17, 2024: This article has been updated by Rachel Johnson with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
Warning: Entries may include potential spoilers.
25 Sinister (2012)
Sinister is an aptly named horror movie starring Ethan Hawke. The 2012 horror film placed Hawke as a true crime writer who moves his family into a new home where the previous owners were murdered, but he doesn’t tell his family that part. He finds a box of Super 8 tapes in the attic that depict murders that date back to the 1960s, causing him to go on an investigative journey to discover the cause.
Sinister Contains a Demon That Preys on Children
He becomes obsessed with the tapes and with solving the murders, which brings him unknowingly face to face with a sinister force that uses children to murder their families. Thanks to the nature of children committing murders and the gruesome nature of the tapes, this film is often considered too scary to watch more than once, even though you would already know what happens. Stream on Max.
24 Audition (1999)
Takashi Miike’s brutal psychological horror film Audition left audiences squirming in their seats as they watched widower Shigeharu Aoyama concoct a bizarre mock casting audition to find a new potential wife, though his ultimate choice proves to be a menacing and unhinged young woman named Asami with nefarious motives. The deeply unsettling movie focuses on Aoyama as he becomes caught in Asami’s barbaric and violent web of lies and deceit, leading to a deadly grand finale.
Viewers Are Subjected to Mental Torture Through Audition
Audition is definitely a film you can only watch once, as the disturbing imagery and suffocating feeling of dread consume viewers while Aoyama is subjected to unfathomable torture and horrors. Audition builds to a horrific climax that will leave people wondering just who they should have sympathized with, with the final act leaving a lasting impression. The Japanese picture has appeared on numerous lists of best horror films ever made and went on to have a profound impact on Western cinema and director Eli Roth.Stream on Tubi.
23 Funny Games (2007)
An English-language remake of the Austrian psychological horror flick, Funny Games is a deeply unsettling film that centers on a married couple and their son, who, while vacationing at a lake house, become targeted by two sadistic young men who proceed to taunt and torture the family in horrific ways. Original director Michael Haneke returned to write and direct the shot-for-shot remake, setting out to criticize the violence depicted in the media.
Audiences Are Unwilling Accomplices in Funny Games
Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet were downright petrifying as the demented criminals targeting the couple, who take great pride in inflicting perverse pain upon the family, leaving shocked audiences on the edge of their seats. Haneke has the violent strangers break the fourth wall frequently, making viewers feel as though they are in on their psychotic crusade and thus leaving them sick to their stomachs. Rent/Buy on Apple TV+.
22 The Descent (2005)
The Descent is a 2005 horror film with an almost entirely female cast. The women go on a caving expedition a year after Sarah’s husband and daughter are killed in a tragic accident. The semi-professional group is used to caving, but even they were unprepared for what they found in the depths.
Audiences Are Lost in the Depths of Darkness with The Descent
When the group gets stuck in a new cave without a map, they find that they’re not the only ones down there. Between the creatures stalking them and the tension of some revealed secrets, The Descent is often called one of the scariest films of the 2000s and is sure to make courageous viewers claustrophobic due to the tight and dark spaces the women find themselves in as they are terrorized by unfathomable evil. Stream Free on Prime Video with Freevee.
21 Mother! (2017)
Undeniably one of the most shocking and polarizing films in recent years is Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror spectacle Mother!, which led to a heated debate about whether or not the movie was a terrifying triumph or a disturbing dud. It follows a young wife and muse as she peacefully lives in a sprawling country home with her poet husband, only to find their serene existence compromised by the arrival of a strange couple.
Mother! Is a Dizzying & Grizzly Roller Coaster Ride
Brimming with biblical allegories and unapologetic depictions of violence, Mother! takes audiences on a heartbreaking emotional roller coaster ride as the main heroine is plagued by unfathomable horrors and gruesome visions, with her sanity being challenged as the film amps up the blood and carnage. It is without a doubt a controversial and horrific picture that can only be stomached for one viewing. Stream on Pluto.
20 Evil Dead (2013)
Iconic horror aficionado Fede Álvarez directed the hair-raising remake of the ’80s horror classic Evil Dead, which centers on a young woman attempting to overcome her drug habit as she heads off to a secluded cabin in the woods with supportive close friends. When the group finds the ominous Book of the Dead, they unwittingly unleash an ancient malevolent demon that targets them one by one after the recovering addict becomes possessed by the evil entity.
Álvarez’s Bone-Chilling Evil Dead Remake
Evil Dead is downright pulse-pounding from start to finish, as the crushing terror the unsuspecting group endures delivers blood-curdling frights and grisly blood and gore for moviegoers. Deemed by critics as “the most unrelenting and bloody horror film to come out of a major studio in a very long time”, the remake stunned audiences with its never-ending gore, violence, and nightmare-inducing visuals. Stream on Max.
19 The Conjuring (2013)
Loosely inspired by the alleged real-life case that paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren researched in 1970s Rhode Island, The Conjuring chronicles the disturbing haunting of the Perron family at their remote farmhouse, which escalated so violently that the renowned demonologists were called in to help. After the Perrons uncover the dark history of their new home, a malicious supernatural presence plagues the frightened family.
The Conjuring Is Wan’s Dread-Filled Masterpiece
Horror master James Wan expertly crafted a foreboding, tension-filled atmosphere that left viewers frozen in fear throughout the entirety of the film, with the potential threat of what’s lurking around every corner proving to be more unnerving than the demonic entities themselves. The taut pacing of The Conjuring paired with the chilling build-up to the electrifying scares and purported real-life element helped make the horror hit one that fans of the genre will not be able to forget. Stream on Netflix.
18 Train to Busan (2016)
Yeon Sang-ho brilliantly blended adrenaline-pumping action with terrifying horror with his smash hit Train to Busan, a powerful and devastating film that primarily takes place on a speeding train from Seoul to Busan where a workaholic father is accompanying his estranged daughter to her mother’s. When a zombie apocalypse suddenly strikes, the man is in the fight for his life as he becomes trapped with infected fellow passengers.
Train to Busan’s Unrelenting Horror & Anxiety
Not only is Train to Busan a gripping, electrifying film that will have you holding your breath out of fear for the father and his young daughter, but it will also leave audiences emotionally drained as the main character attempts to make up for his shortcomings as a parent as he struggles to keep his child safe from gruesome zombies. The disquieting visuals, anxiety-filled chase scenes, and gut-punch ending are just some of the reasons watching Train to Busan more than once is a difficult task for viewers. Stream on Peacock.
17 The Strangers (2008)
The Strangers is famously based on true events, which increases its overall scare factor. The 2008 film takes place in an isolated summer vacation home where a young couple is stalked by three assailants in masks, simply “because they were home.”
The Strangers Is an Unsettling Slow Burn
As the taut film progresses, the masked individuals become increasingly more violent and ultimately deadly. This progression of thrill and the limited dialogue by the stalkers makes The Strangers one of the most terrifying and downright ominous horror films ever made. You really only need to watch it once. Stream on Max.
16 Goodnight Mommy (2014)
The dark and deeply violent Austrian horror film Goodnight Mommy tells the story of inseparable twin brothers who begin to grow suspicious of their mother and her true identity after she returns to their secluded home after undergoing facial surgery. The siblings decide to take matters into their own hands and subdue the woman, leading to a series of shocking revelations and events.
Tension & Terror Slowly Build in Goodnight Mommy
Goodnight Mommy is perhaps best described as a massively unsettling, slow-burn psychological picture that is certain to make audiences squirm as the twins terrorize their vulnerable mother and amp up the warfare. It is an abstract horror film that is hard to watch more than once, if not for the unnerving performances of the young lead actors. Stream on Freevee.
15 Hereditary (2018)
Hereditary uses the supernatural as its backing to create a scary movie that is extremely hard to watch more than once. It follows a family who has ties to a sinister presence that threatens to tear the family apart after the passing of a grandmother, setting off a series of terrifying and deadly events.
Hereditary Shows a Matriarch’s Dark Side
They discover more about the grandmother’s dark beliefs and connection to an ancient cult. However, the accidental death of their daughter, Charlie, sets the Grahams into a downward spiral of possession, family values, and extreme violence. Toni Collette delivered a career-defining performance as a grieving mother, and both her relentless intensity and the film’s unnerving screenplay make it difficult to view Hereditary more than once. Rent/Buy on Apple TV+.
14 Hell House LLC (2015)
We guarantee that if you watch Hell House LLC more than once, the second time, you will probably be among friends, or all the lights will be on. This found footage gem from the 2010s tells the story of a group of friends who decide to get together and set up a haunted house for Halloween.
Hell House LLC Is a House of Horrific Horrors
However, they do it in a location that’s actually haunted. Survivors suddenly have to deal with murderous clowns, a terrifying lady with white eyes, and a purely frenetic third act. Hell House LLC is pure nightmare fuel, which is made even better with the Director’s Cut. Stream on Tubi.
13 Shutter (2004)
The underrated Thai film Shutter leans heavily into the supernatural and offers a unique take on the horror genre, following a young couple as they are stalked by a nefarious, unseen presence after accidentally running over a woman with their car. The photographer boyfriend starts to see an ominous, shadowy figure appearing in the background of his photos, and they begin to believe the victim is a vengeful spirit seeking retribution.
Shutter Has a Pulse-Pounding Premise
The eerie concept of having to rely on a camera and photos to know where the spirit is is chilling, and the spine-tingling imagery and gruesome appearance of the ghost only add to the fear factor of the flick. Shutter is full of plenty of thrills and twists, and will leave moviegoers looking over their shoulder long after the credits stop rolling. Stream on Hoopla
12 Terrifier (2016)
The Terrifier franchise, whose success has continued to grow since the All Hallows’ Eve films, uses a murderous clown to develop its concept. The use of clowns in films is not a new concept, but what helps the Terrifier franchise stand apart from the other horror films are the completely sadistic and gore-filled acts by Art the Clown.
Terrifier Is Not For the Faint of Heart
He not only enacts horrific deaths, but his overall demeanor is enough to make the film hard to watch more than once. And if the first Terrifer film proved to be too much for horror fans, then it’s likely that Terrifer 2 will push those fans past the rest of their limits for gore and violence. Stream on Peacock.
11 [REC] (2007)
The Spanish found footage horror film [REC] is widely regarded as one of the greatest and creepiest examples of its genre, masterfully weaving a terrifying tale that will leave viewers holding their breath in fright. It follows an ambitious reporter and her cameraman as they become trapped inside an apartment building where a grisly infection spreads, causing its inhabitants to become ravenous cannibals.
[REC] Is Full of Jump Scares & Dread
Audiences brave enough to watch [REC] are in store for quite the hair-raising ride, as they are plunged into a dark and dreadful nightmare full of heart-stopping jump scares and brutally shocking scenes. The shaky, first-person camerawork only adds to the sinister atmosphere and the gory grand finale is truly a spectacle to behold (and impossible to forget). Rent/Buy on Prime Video.
10 Smile (2022)
Smile is one of the most recent horror films on this list that has taken moviegoers across the world by storm. While the film received mixed reviews, they all concluded that the use of a spiritual entity and the unsettling grin plastered on the faces of those who are forced to end their lives is downright haunting.
Smile Has an Alarming Grand Finale
This entity attacks those who have witnessed trauma, another unsettling feeling that most people can relate to. Each possessed victim crafts a dark new grin that will haunt viewers of the sure-to-be modern classic. However, it’s the final gut-wrenching scene that will keep fans from rewatching the 2022 hit. Stream on Paramount+.
9 The Ring (2002)
The Ring used a popular recreational item as a portal for a sinister entity to stalk its victims for a week before killing them. Of course, we’re talking about VHS tapes. When the tape falls into the hands of an investigative journalist, she has one week to uncover the truth behind the urban legend.
The Ring Is a Spine-Tingling American Remake
Unfortunately, her investigation soon becomes personal when her son watches the tape, and she has to try to save his life before time runs out. The 2002 film is a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ringu but with a bigger focus on the horror aspect. The Japanese film is considered more of a mystery, but it’s also incredibly scary and has become an influential horror classic for a reason. Stream on Paramount+.
8 Lights Out (2016)
Lights Out is another low-budget film that did not expect to gain such a large following. The 2016 film stars Teresa Palmer as Rebecca, a woman who’s been tasked with taking care of her brother after he is terrorized by an entity attached to their mother.
Lights Out Exploits the Fear of Darkness
This same entity used to scare Rebecca when she was younger. This film uses people’s fear of the dark to entice its thrilling experience. When it comes to jump scares, this one will chill you to the bone. Lights Out is actually based on a short feature about a ghost by the night table lamp that some fans might have seen online first. Buy/Rent on Prime Video.
7 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project is the greatest found footage film ever made. The film is actually a supercut of the footage filmmakers shot when doing a documentary about a local legend. From the start, audiences know the students who filmed the footage have been missing for a year.
Moviegoers Know the Tragic End of The Blair Witch Project
This allows the viewers to watch the events unfold with the knowledge that it won’t end well for the filmmakers. As the students start to go missing, viewers lose any hope of them ever being found alive. This one is downright terrifying, but it’s the final scene that burned itself into the collective consciousness of the ’90s. Stream on Peacock.
6 Insidious (2010)
2010’s Insidious features one of the best jump scares in horror film history. When the Lambert family is about to learn the truth about their son’s potential possession, Insidious takes things a step further and allows the viewers to get an up-close look at the entity that is actually plaguing Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson).
Insidious Is an Unforgettable Horror Experience
This not only foreshadowed the ongoing plot of the sequels that involved the Lambert family, but it also effectively terrified everyone watching and convinced them to put the film on the shelf for good once it was finished. Insidious has since gone on to spawn a popular franchise, although the original is often regarded as the best and the scariest in the series. Rent/Buy on Prime Video.
