10 Most Terrifying Horror Movies Released In 2021 So Far

1. The Power

Saint Maud
Shudder

Taking things back to 1974 and throwing in an eerie hospital setting, Corinna Faith's The Power is a minimal, thoughtful and utterly chilling supernatural offering headlined by Rose Williams, who is on phenomenal form as Val.

Having hit the Shudder streaming platform earlier this year, The Power finds poor Val being hit from all angles when she starts a new job as a nurse at London's Royal Infirmary.

Brimming with eagerness and a positive outlook, Val is forever browbeaten and discouraged for any glimmer of positivity or enthusiasm. So much so, she finds herself punished for this by being put on the unenviable night shifts that take place while scheduled blackouts occur - as in, not only is the hospital itself a creepy enough place, but now Val has to roam its corridors during pitch black darkness.

Scared of the dark and yet to get a grip on the layout of the hospital, it's no surprise that Val is easily startled. And for the audience, you find yourself watching through your fingers as every inch of your oft-darkened screen threatens to throw up something terrifying.

Of course, there are plentiful terrifying things on display in The Power, yet this haunting story doesn't solely rely on ghosts and ghouls to get the job done, as the larger picture of the movie tells a tale of sexism, repression and elitism - all things that are often still scarily prevalent here in 2021, 47 years after this film is set.

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Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.