10 Best Performances From 2024 Horror Movies
The horror movie performances from this past year that stuck with us all.
2024 has been quite the banner year for horror, again proving itself to be one of cinema's healthiest and most adventurous genres, with one hell of an enthusiastic fanbase to boot.
Whether you were in the mood for glossy, big-budget studio horror or a more low-key indie surprise, the past year has served up a ton of excellent horror flicks. But more than that, it's also given innumerable actors the floor to deliver some of their finest acting work to date.
It's fair to say that horror films are continually underestimated on the acting front, evidenced by the tendency for awards bodies to near-totally ignore them, despite the unique opportunity they provide actors to let loose. And over the past 12 months, the following were the best and most memorable performances from the genre to grace screens both big and small.
From savage antagonist roles to barnstorming heroes, these parts were all made totally unforgettable by the extremely talented actors who gave it their all throughout. For those misguided few who still think horror can't be a fertile ground for incredible acting, these fantastic performances categorically proved otherwise.
10. James McAvoy - Speak No Evil
Even those who decried the very existence of the Hollywood remake of Dutch-Danish psychological horror film Speak No Evil couldn't deny that the entire enterprise was held firmly together, even in its most sanitised moments, by James McAcoy's utterly electrifying performance.
McAvoy plays the central antagonist, serial killer Paddy, and brings an unnerving intensity to the part far above that of his counterpart, Fedja van Huêt, in the original film.
Beyond cutting one hell of an imposing physique, McAvoy does a marvellous job bouncing chaotically between simmering calm and explosive psychopathy. It is a performance that balances on a razor's edge, boasting just enough psychological plausibility while being a whole ton of terrifying fun to watch.
Needless to say, McAvoy's swinging-for-the-fences performance ensures you'll never think of the songs "Cotton Eye Joe" or "Eternal Flame" the same way ever again. His work here is so good it basically solely justifies the remake's existence.