10 Horror Movies Where The Monster Isn't The Villain
8. Before I Wake
Mike Flanagan's fantasy horror Before I Wake centres around an orphan, Cody, who can manifest his dreams into reality. When his foster parents, Jessie and Mark, learn about Cody's powers, they initially see it as a blessing.
Soon after, Cody manifests a skeletal creature called the Canker Man, who torments Cody, saying it will never leave him. When the Canker Man kills several people, including Mark, Jessie becomes convinced the child means her harm.
After investigating Cody's past, Jessie learns his mother died of cancer when he was a toddler, leaving him traumatised. The last time Cody saw her, she said, "I am always with you," while looking deathly ill.
Unable to process what was happening, Cody's subconscious created a nightmarish monster, based on this phrase and his mother's disfigured appearance. Jessie realises the name "Canker Man" is derived from the word "cancer," which Cody misheard during this period.
Despite the Canker Man's horrible actions, it was only trying to keep Cody safe. But after discovering the truth behind the nightmarish entity, Cody is able to overcome his grief, causing the Canker Man to disappear.