10 Best Horror Movie Moments Of 2024
6. The Fingernail - Arcadian
Human beings have a natural fear of the unknown. A monster perfectly encapsulates this fear, since its abilities, intellect, and limitations are shrouded in mystery. And there's one moment in Arcadian that perfectly demonstrates this notion.
In this post-apocalyptic thriller, Paul is trying to protect his sons, Joseph and Thomas, in a world populated by hostile beasts. Like most monster movies, the creatures are kept in the shadows at first to build tension. However, the way they are teased is phenomenal.
While Joseph sleeps in a chair in his living room, one of the shaggy fiends manages to slide open the front door's peephole. Hoping to grab Joseph, the creature stretches its hand through the slit, although the boy doesn't seem to be in any danger since he's at least 15ft away. But then, the monster's fingernail suddenly grows, stretching across the room until it's mere inches away from the sleeping lad.
Rather than filling the scene with eerie music or a blaring sound effect, the whole sequence is done in mostly silence, ramping up the atmosphere.
Though the monsters' design is extremely creative and unsettling, it's this moment that's guaranteed to cause nightmares.