10 Terrifying Horror Films That Exploit Your Everyday Fears

3. Fear Of The Young - Eden Lake (2008)

Vampires, werewolves, zombies: all these things can be used to represent something we fear, but Eden Lake skates past allegory and simply offers up something it knows we€™re all afraid of: hoodies. Laugh all you want, but if you don€™t feel a trickle of fear when your walk home at night takes you past a gang of teens, you€™ve probably never read a newspaper. Yes, teenagers have been wrongfully demonised in many cases, but even without sensationalised tales of beatings and stabbings, we know what teenagers are like; after all, we€™ve all been one. Curious, rebellious and ultimately convinced they€™re untouchable, it isn€™t so hard for any of us to believe that these traits could tip over into something brutal and terrifying. This film perfectly preys upon this fear, no matter how absurd it might be, showing us a world in which all our pearl-clutching over the youth of today is absolutely warranted.
Contributor
Contributor

Jen is an actor, writer and clown, living and working in London.