10 Best Horror Movie Moments Of 2024

There are certain sequences in horror that affect moviegoers for years, even decades. Seeing the first Crawler in The Descent or the red-faced demon in Insidious gave viewers such a fright, it might still rattle them to this day even if they haven't watched the film in years.

With that in mind, horror veterans should be excited (and a little anxious) to learn the genre has a whole new batch of defining moments thanks to 2024's stacked roster. The year had something for everybody, including slashers, creature features, paranormal sagas, original IPs, potentially new franchises, long-awaited sequels, and a few unneeded but surprisingly solid prequels. 

Though several of these movies captivated the masses from beginning to end, one or two moments did something truly special, allowing them to leave a lasting impression. Sure, these entries contained hard-hitting stories and thought-provoking characters, but it's those jaw-dropping twists, creative deaths, nightmarish jump-scares, and WTF endings that stand the test of time. 

Whether these moments lasted an entire scene or less than a second, none of them will be forgotten anytime soon.

Alien: Romulus is arguably the best entry in this sci-fi horror saga since Aliens. Having said that, Fede Alvarez's direct sequel to the original has a few problems, including nostalgia-baiting, references to the much-reviled Engineers, and one very distracting cameo.

That said, Romulus needs to be commended for making the facehuggers scarier than ever. These parasitoids' only purpose is to plant embryos, which lead to the spawn bursting out of the host's chest and growing into the iconic Xenomorph. As frightening as that concept is, the facehuggers rarely appear for long in any of the movies. But in Alien: Romulus, the creepy-crawlies get a sizeable chunk of screentime. 

One major highlight of the movie is when our ensemble is being pursued by a dozen facehuggers, who keep launching themselves into the air, hoping to latch onto their victims. Even when these extra-terrestrials can't be seen, it's evident when they're near, since canisters, chairs, and desks are being constantly knocked over. The terror is heightened further by the sounds of scuttling limbs, whipping tails, and ear-splitting shrieks.

The Xenomorphs may be suitably terrifying, but it's the facehuggers that stole the show this time around.