10 Recent Horror Movies That Hooked You Instantly
These horrors had us completely invested within the first few minutes.
Although there are horrors that take their time setting up character motivations and conflicts, certain features jump into the real juicy stuff from the get-go. Looking at recent slashers, creature features, and psychological thrillers, there are quite a few that were utterly captivating within a matter of minutes.
Some of these entries used eerie music or sickening imagery to pull us in before we have a chance to settle. Silence can also be powerful, since it urges us to anticipate the first scare. Alternatively, a creepy film may kick things off with a mystery, hooking us with unanswered questions. When we're overcome with curiosity and fear straight away, we become emotionally fixated, even if we have little understanding of the characters or the plot.
Horror movies also have a better chance of leaving an impression if they quickly tap into universal fears. Being abandoned or encountering an unknown figure doesn't need a long-winded explanation, as we can put ourselves in those frightening circumstances.
Though it can take a while to get invested in a horror story, these recent entries had little trouble leaving us enthralled right away.
10. Milk & Serial
Milk & Serial knows how to start with a bang, which is remarkable considering the indie hit was made for a measly $800.
This found-footage B-movie centres around roommates, Milk and Seven, who run an online prank channel. When Seven organises a birthday party for Milk, things take a dark turn when a guest shoots one of their friends dead. However, the murder is exposed as a prank, which Milk takes in his stride.
When somebody knocks on the door, Milk wonders if it's the landlord or the cops. But when they open the door, their drunk neighbour bursts in and leers at the guests before storming out. Although Seven and the others are spooked, Milk scoffs at them, believing it's another gag.
Due to the roommates' dark sense of humour and obsession with one-upping each other, it's impossible to tell whether the neighbour poses a real threat or not, especially when he continues to appear. And just when it looks like the mystery is revealed, another curveball is thrown in, then another and another.
Even though the initial fake-out demonstrates nothing is as it seems, Milk & Serial is sure to repeatedly catch viewers off guard.