10 Best Jump Scares In Sci-Fi Horror Movie History

2. Arnold Offers A Helping Hand - Jurassic Park

Event Horizon
Universal

Although jump-scares are incredibly effective, filmmakers have to be careful about using them excessively, or the audience could become desensitised to them.

However, Jurassic Park gets away with its relentless scares, since every one of them feels earned. Rather than having dinosaurs jumping out unsubtly, Steven Spielberg uses misdirection, unleashing the biggest frights at the exact moment viewers let their guard down.

One moment which perfectly demonstrates this notion is when Dr. Ellie Sattler reactivates the electric fences. She reassures John Hammond that they're "officially back in business," allowing viewers to figuratively breathe a sigh of relief.

While the paleobotanist is enjoying her small victory, a velociraptor comes out of nowhere and leaps towards her. As she momentarily seals the dino behind a mesh door, Ray Arnold's arm plops on Ellie's shoulder. At first, Ellie is relieved at the prospect of seeing a familiar face.

But as she swings around, she notices Arnold's arm is all that's left of him. As she looks on in horror at the disembodied limb, she momentarily forgets about the raptor, allowing the snarling lizard to scare the hell out of her (and viewers) for a third time in a row.

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James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows