When you are in the mood for a good horror film, it is sometimes hard to decide what you want. Are you looking for an excellent psychological horror movie or as many jump scares as humanly possible? Well, if the latter is what you are craving, then the following list will include some of the best jump scare horror movies of all time. The films will be ranked from least scary to most frightening, focusing on the quality of the jump scares provided within the film over the quantity. The list will include a variety of subgenres such as found footage, psychological, supernatural and paranormal films. There will be minor spoilers contained below, but no major plot points or twists will be revealed. So, without further ado, here are some of the best jump scare horror movies ever made.
25. Hereditary (2018)
As Ari Aster’s first directorial debut, the film took the world by storm when it hit cinemas. And many horror fans may be confused as to why it is on this list, considering its primary strategy of scares comes from its unsettling atmosphere. However, there are some pretty good jumps near the end of the film, with one silently relying on the horror of the imagery on-screen to scare the viewer. This unexpected moment is an original take on the art and is one of the most effective jump scares to date. The film achieved universal acclaim due to its high score on Rotten Tomatoes. Will it get a sequel?
24. It Follows (2014)
This is another excellent horror film that many fans of the horror genre may be familiar with. Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, it follows the story of Jamie Height (played by Maika Monroe) as an evil entity then targets her. This is the result of participating in sexual intercourse with a random guy she met on a date. The entity can only be passed on through intercourse and will slowly follow the victim until it catches and kills them. It Follows has plenty of jump scares, but the best comes with the Tall Man in one of the scariest sequences ever.
23. The Ring (2002)
This psychological horror is the American remake of the Japanese film Ring (1988). The original movie was based on a novel of the same name and directed by Hideo Nakata. Although the original is one of the best scary movies to date, the remake features one of the best jump scares in its opening scene. The movie follows the story of Rachel Keller (played by Naomi Watts), a journalist and single mother, who watches a cursed tape that kills its viewers after seven days. She attempts to hunt down the source to break the curse before her time runs out, resulting in some of the best jumpscare horror movie scenes.
22. The Grudge (2004)
Due to the success of the aforementioned film, the Japanese horror, Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) was also greenlit for an American remake. This supernatural horror film was directed by Takashi Shimizu (the original director) and written by Stephen Susco. It also saw Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Takashige Ichise in the producer’s seats. It follows a series of individuals haunted by an evil spirit called Kayako in Japan after entering a cursed home. The film focuses on Karen Davis mainly as she figures out the source of the curse and tries to end it. While the movie does contain some cheap scares, it has some outstanding ones, too.
21. The Visit (2015)
Found footage movies tend to take advantage of the art of the jump scare. However, this fun found-footage horror is another of the best jump scare movies. Written, co-produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the film follows the story of two siblings as they reunite with their grandparents. Becca (played by Olivia DeJonge) and her younger brother Tyler (played by Ed Oxenbould) spend a week at their estranged grandparents’ house while their mother goes on a cruise with her boyfriend. This sets up some of the most unsettling chain of events, especially when one finds out why the kids aren’t allowed to leave their bedroom after 9:30 PM.
20. Mama (2013)
Based on the Argentine short film Mamá (2008), the film sees Nikolaj Coster-Waldau play two characters as a set of twins (Lucas and Jeffrey) alongside Jessica Chastain (Annabel). As Andy Muschietti’s directorial debut, he co-wrote and directed the film to an astonishing degree. The film follows Jeffrey as his daughters are abandoned in the woods after he is killed. Five years later, Lucas finds them, and they are sent to live with him and his girlfriend. A mysterious maternal figure called ‘Mama’ follows suit. The young couple begins to experience some intense supernatural occurrences with good jump scares that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
19. The Descent (2005)
This British horror film was written and directed by Neil Marshall and featured the most claustrophobic cinematic experiences on-screen. It follows the story of a group of friends who decide to go cave exploring after one of them had a traumatic experience. The entire cast is female-led, which is a refreshing take on the horror film genre. The group ends up trapped in the underground cave system and soon discovers something is down there with them. The jump scares are the best seen in a long time, and the ending will haunt you for days after. This is easily one of the best jump scare horror movies released in the 2000s.
18. REC (2007)
This found footage Spanish film was co-written and directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, who used the shooting style to their advantage. Manuela Velasco plays reporter Ángela Vidal, who accompanies a group of firefighters alongside her cameraman, Pablo. The firefighters receive an emergency call to an apartment complex where the entire group gets trapped inside. They quickly discover a mysterious, infectious disease spreading within the complex and must figure out how to escape with the survivors. This is considered one of the best horror movies of all time, following its commercial and critical success when it was released. The film also saw an American remake called Quarantine in 2008 that follows the plot of the original shot-by-shot with minimal changes.
17. The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)
This is another excellent film from the found footage genre that is often overlooked due to the large influx of found footage films at the time. This movie easily earned its spot on this list with its genuinely frightening series of jump scares that leave your heart racing. As the feature film directorial debut of Adam Robitel, the film follows a team of students who document Deborah Logan, an elderly woman with Alzheimer’s disease. But instead, they discover something evil has taken root in her home and may be the cause of her quickly declining state. One of the more disturbing scenes comes near the film’s end and is just wholly bone-chilling.
16. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)
If you are a fan of the horror genre, then the Paranormal Activity film franchise should be something you are pretty familiar with. As the sixth film in the series, it sees Gregory Plotkin in his directorial debut and is arguably the best Paranormal Activity film yet. The story follows Ryan Fleege and his wife, Emily, as their young daughter Leila is pursued by a demonic entity. As the first movie in the series that does not feature Katie Featherston as Katie, it does not hold back on the intense scares. The use of white noise alongside the great special effects has the urge to cover your eyes in full swing.
15. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)
Korea has seen some great films and series hit Western screens recently, but this South Korean gem is one of the best movies. Directed by Jung Bum-shik, this film is based on the real-life psychiatric hospital of the same name, making it much more unsettling. The plot follows a crew of a horror web series as they decide to explore an abandoned mental hospital for some views and cheap thrills. However, things take a turn for the worse when they discover that there is an evil presence lurking in the hospital after all. The film throws so many jump scares at you in tow that it is difficult to sit through it in one go (unless you are an adrenaline junkie). It makes for one of the best jump scare movies of all time.
14. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
As director André Øvredal’s first English language film, it proves that cinema can transcend all barriers. The film follows the story of a father-and-son coroner duo who must examine the corpse of an unidentified young woman. The body is found in the basement of an inexplicable multiple homicide case, and the coroners soon find out why. They begin to experience intense supernatural phenomena as they perform their autopsy and soon realise they should have left the corpse untouched. The movie offers some mind-numbing sequences and certainly does not hold back on its intense usage of jump scares.
13. Sinister (2012)
Directed by Scott Derrickson and written by C. Robert Cargill and Derrickson, the film follows Ethan Hawke in his role as a true crime writer by the name of Ellison Oswalt. So naturally (because this is a horror film, after all), Ellison moves his family into a new home which, unbeknownst to them, is the site of a gruesome family murder. This is out of desperation to regain the fame he lost after his most recent novels flopped. However, instead of finding out what happened to the missing daughter of the family who was murdered there, he discovers that the house is haunted, with the entity specifically targeting his 12-year-old son, Trevor, and their 7-year-old daughter, Ashley. The film sees one good jump scare after another, with the best being the Lawnmower sequence.
12. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
It should be illegal to include so many found footage jump scare horror movies without including the inspiration behind them. Written, directed and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the movie was one of the most successful independent films of all time. It follows the story of Heather, Joshua, and Michael, three student filmmakers who hike up to the Black Hills Mountains to film a documentary about a local myth known as the Blair Witch. Instead, they disappear into the mountains, their cameras being the only remains that are then turned into a film (all fictional). The film is a horror classic, with critics praising it for its campfire scares.
11. Evil Dead (2013)
Fede Álvarez directed the film as his feature directorial debut and co-wrote it alongside Rodo Sayagues. The film is a re-imagining of the 1981 cult classic, The Evil Dead, and stands as the fourth film in the franchise, with the fifth, Evil Dead Rise to be released in April of this year. Evil Dead follows five friends in their endeavour to help their estranged friend, Mia, overcome her heroin addiction at a secluded cabin in the woods (yes, very cliché). One of them finds a strange book that (to be fair, explicitly warned him not to open it) unleashes a demonic entity into the woods surrounding their cabin after reading from it. So naturally, the demon comes after them. The film proves to be one of the best jump scare movies of all time, throwing a series of well-timed and truly unsettling scares your way just for the fun of it.
10. Drag Me to Hell (2009)
This movie sports some of the most impressive practical effects for the 2000s horror film genre. Directed and co-written by Sam Raimi, the film follows Alison Lohman in her role as Christine Brown, a loan officer who decides not to extend the mortgage of an elderly woman and publicly humiliates her to achieve this. She does this to prove to her boss that she can make hard decisions but is then cursed by the old woman to be dragged into the pits of Hell three days later. She is haunted by a powerful demon known as a Lamia as she desperately attempts to find a way to break the curse. The film delivers some incredible jump scares that will be enough to have you turn off the television to catch a break.
9. The Ritual (2017)
This is yet another British horror film featuring the most chilling monsters in a movie to date. Adapted from the 2011 novel of the same name, it is directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton. It follows the story of four friends who embark on a hiking trip into a Swedish forest following the death of their friend a year prior. Here is where they encounter a dangerous and ancient evil actively hunting them. They find themselves experiencing intense visions and delusions, with the film not holding back on the jump scares. The monster reveal is worth the wait, creating a terror-filled moment that will rock you to your core.
8. A Quiet Place (2018)
Directed by John Krasinski and written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck and Krasinski, this post-apocalyptic movie features some of the best jump scares of all time. The story follows the story of a father and mother (played by John Krasinski and Emily Blunt) in their attempt to raise their children safely from the monsters who have invaded Earth. The jumpscares are kicked up in intensity by the complete silence that is heard throughout the runtime. A Quiet Place features some truly bone-chilling moments that will have your hair standing on end. There is a second film to the franchise that was released in 2020 that explains the creatures’ sudden appearance.
7. The Invisible Man (2020)
This sci-fi horror film, directed and written by Leigh Whannell, sees Elisabeth Moss as Cecilia, a woman trying to escape the clutches of her abusive husband. The movie is inspired by H. G. Wells’ novel of the same name and sees her being stalked and gaslit by an invisible force she believes to be her ex-husband. She begins doubting what is real when she discovers that he has died, but the force continues to ruin her life. The film was praised for Moss’ outstanding performance and the unfiltered themes of abuse. In addition, the movie has seen some of the best jump scares in recent years, earning its spot as seventh on this list with ease.
6. It (2017)
This movie features some of the most visceral and unsettling jump scares in cinematic history. The worst part is how they all have a childlike quality, making for an even more profound sense of the uncanny valley. Directed by Andy Muschietti and written by Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman, the film stars Bill Skarsgård as the terrifying Pennywise in one of the most impressively unnerving performances in horror. Further than that, the film features a cast of child actors who play members of The Losers’ Club as they attempt to fight the evil clown preying on children in their small town of Derry, Maine. The film is based on the 1986 Stephen King novel of the same name. See where the cast of It is today.
5. Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
While this film serves as the second instalment and prequel to Ouija (2014), it proved significantly better, earning critical acclaim for its major improvements over the first film. The film follows the story of Alice, a widowed mother who is reeling over the loss of her husband, Roger, alongside her two daughters (Paulina, who is 15 and Doris, who is 9). She incorporates an Ouija board into one of their seances held for the family business and contacts a mysterious spirit named Marcus. Unfortunately, strange phenomena begin to occur around the house as the entity tries to possess her youngest child, Doris. The film’s scariness comes from its well-executed jump scares that result in some mind-numbingly scary scenes.
4. Annabelle: Creation (2017)
This is one of the scariest movies of all time, which, similarly to the previous film, is a prequel to the first Annabelle movie released in 2014. However, it also far outshines its predecessor, giving fans of The Conjuring universe one of the best jump scares on this list. The film follows the story of Janice, a young orphan disabled by polio, who discovers the demon that lives inside the creepy doll. The demon begins terrorising her and goes on a killing spree in an attempt to take her soul. Directed by David F. Sandberg, written by Gary Dauberman and produced by Peter Safran and James Wan, it more than earned its spot in the top five best jump scare movies of all time.
3. Lights Out (2016)
This film saw David F. Sandberg in his directorial debut. He worked alongside Lawrence Grey, James Wan, and Eric Heisserer, who produced the movie while Heisserer wrote it. Based on the short film of the same name, the film was praised in every capacity and grossed $148 million at the box office. The plot follows the story of Rebecca (played by Teresa Palmer) and her half-brother, Martin (played by Gabriel Bateman), as they discover a supernatural entity is haunting them. The film sees creative jump scares that genuinely make one fear the dark. The opening jump scare sequence makes for the most strategic and unsettling scares seen so far. Imagine turning off the light only to find a figure watching you that was not there before. Terrifying stuff!
2. Insidious (2010)
Of course, James Wan had his hand in one of the scariest horror films of all time. Directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, the film follows Patrick Wilson in his role as Josh Lambert alongside Rose Burne, who plays Renai Lambert. They are parents who have moved their family into a new home. Their son, Dalton (played by Ty Simpkins), slips into a coma after encountering a frightening demonic entity in the family attic one night. Upon bringing him home from the hospital three months later, the family begins to experience paranormal activity within their home. They enlist a psychic, Elise Rainier (played by Lina Shaye), to help. The film sports 24 of the most heart-stopping jump scares known to man, with the worst happening near the film’s end.
1. The Conjuring (2013)
Honestly, the number one spot should see all three films from The Conjuring franchise take up the place. However, since this is the inaugural film of the interconnected universe all the movies are set in, it seems perfect to have this in the top spot. Directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes, the film stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren, a pair of paranormal investigators. Based on one of the real-life cases the Warrens had to take up, the movie follows the couple as they help a family who has just moved into a haunted home. The film only features 12 jump scares but has not been recommended for sensitive viewers. However, the sequences are so good that one must question how they thought those scares up.
What do you think are the best jump scare movies?
