10 Greatest Horror Films That Don't Rely On Jump Scares
3. Saint Maud (2019)
One of the latest horror films that prove that the genre is far more interesting without jump scares, Saint Maud comes to us as the debut feature from award-winning writer-director Rose Glass.
After a traumatic accident sees her lose her job as a nurse, Maud (Morfydd Clark) finds a new life as a hospice carer with a new-found, devout religious belief. When she begins to care for Amanda (Jennifer Ehle) a former dancer suffering from terminal cancer, Maud believes that she’s been chosen by God to save Amanda’s soul – a job that she takes a little too seriously.
As Maud’s grasp on reality begins to slip, her relationship with Amanda becomes more tenuous. The film is constantly building towards something, and with every passing second the suspense becomes increasingly palpable.
While it’s easy to see Saint Maud as being an anti-religious allegory, it’s better understood as a film about loneliness. Maud has isolated herself from her former life while Amanda seeks for a way to confront the solitude of death.
With all suspense and no jump scares in sight, the climactic confrontation hits with devastating force that few will see coming. And from here, the finale further descends into untold chaos.