Have no fear, horror movie fans, there is still fear to be had. The oft-dismissed genre is alive and well. Despite many people’s criticism of the dreaded, cheap jump scare, there have been various titles that conjure genuine fear. Though many of the newest films tend to be oversaturated with the typical demon possession or serial killer, there are still some refreshing premises that take fans and critics by storm, such as the summer hit, Don’t Breathe.
Don’t Breathe is a prime example of a film that takes a familiar theme and turns it on its head. In it, three thieves break into the house of a blind Army veteran, deciding he is an easy target to steal from. The trio soon learns the man’s disability does not make him any less lethal after he kills one of them and hunts the remaining two through the film.
Even with refreshing takes on the genre, not all horror films within the past five years necessarily innovate or create something new. Moreover, the lack of these characteristics do not always equate to negative responses or disasters.
The Conjuring is one of the first titles that comes to mind. Hailed as a true story taken from the case files of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, it follows the pair through their investigation of a Rhode Island family’s farmhouse and the paranormal activity that becomes increasingly stronger in it.
This premise is familiar, but with the direction of genre veteran James Wan (Saw, Insidious) the film stirred up an authentic, haunted experience for filmgoers and critics alike.
Another recent title, It Follows, from director David Robert Mitchell, has become a modern horror classic with its blend of old horror movie tropes and fresh premise. The film revolves around the first sexual encounter of a teenage girl who’s given a curse from her partner. The curse can manifest itself into the form of any human being and does not stop hunting until the person afflicted is dead.
The film managed to utilize the classic theme of pursuit to keep viewers on the alert, never letting audiences get comfortable enough to write off a character in the background of a shot as merely an extra. Much like director John Carpenter’s classic The Thing, It Follows replicated the overwhelming paranoia and uncertainty where a threat resides, making the film much more uncomfortable than it initially seems to be. Mitchell’s effort earned the film a score of 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
You’re Next, from director Adam Wingard (Blair Witch) also treads familiar ground with its approach to the home invasion subgenre of horror. In the film, a typical family reunion turns into a bloodbath after a gang of masked killers breaks into the home and starts picking off the family members.
The film does not offer anything new in terms of a premise, but it is nonetheless blood-splattered fun that employs a unique twist and introduces one of the most badass female leads of modern horror, one who redefines the common trope of the Final Girl. Wingard’s direction and a fierce performance from Sharni Vinson (Step Up 3) earned the film a solid reputation.
Horror will be picked apart and reconstructed time and time again, but the essence of true terror does not always lie within unique stories or villains. Revisiting older horror movie formulas has become more commonplace and there is much proof they provide effective scares throughout modern horror films. The genre lives on.
