25 Best Jump Scare Movies (& Where To Stream Them)

The best jump scare movies are the ones that have little going on in the frame for most of the time, allowing the viewer to effectively scare themselves with the power of their imagination. But this doesn’t mean that the art of the jump scare is beneath great filmmakers — quite the opposite. The best jump scare movies demonstrate that horror masters throughout cinematic history have used the jump as a powerful tool to pull the audience deeper into their terrifying worlds, and while there are often cheap scares, the best ones are the scares that really take viewers by surprise.

The best jump scare movies are the ones that don’t feel cheap to the audience, building up each scenario carefully and methodically over long periods of time to earn the scare. Finding these horror movies on platforms like Netflix is not an easy task, as it requires the film to be both crowd-pleasing in a broad sense and highly attentive to small details at the same time. However, when horror fans find the movies with the best jump scares, they provide something special that elevates the movie to another level.

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25 [Rec] (2007)

11 Jump Scares

[REC] RHorrorThriller

[REC] is a found-footage-style horror movie released in 2007. The film centers on a TV reporter and cameraman who become trapped inside an apartment building after they follow firefighters investigating an infection within the complex. The film spawned three sequels as well as a remake in 2008 titled Quarantine.

Director Jaume Balagueró Release Date November 23, 2007 Cast Manuela Velasco , Ferran Terraza , Jorge-Yamam Serrano , Pablo Rosso , David Vert , Vicente Gil , Martha Carbonell , Carlos Vicente Runtime 78 Minutes See at Walmart

The found-footage genre of horror movies lends itself particularly well to jump scares. It puts the audience in the perspective of the character, often using long takes to heighten the tension with the possibility of something terrifying being revealed each time the camera moves. The Spanish-language found-footage movie [Rec] is one of the best examples of this as it uses a claustrophobic setting to elevate the scares.

The movie follows a news camera crew who are following around a team of firefighters during their nightly duties. However, when they are called to investigate an occurrence at an apartment complex, they find themselves trapped in the building as a disease begins spreading that transforms the infected into zombies. One of the best examples of the movie’s approach to jump scares is in a memorable scene in which the cameraman explores an attic, panning around the room with the audience knowing there is something up there and just waiting for the reveal.

24 You’re Next (2011)

11 Jump Scares

You’re Next RHorrorThriller

When Erin accompanies her boyfriend Crispin to his estranged family’s reunion, things quickly turn horrific when she and the other family members are attacked one by one, in brutal fashion, by assailants wearing the masks of a lamb, a fox, and a tiger.

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*Availability in US Director Adam Wingard Release Date August 23, 2013 Cast Sharni Vinson , Nicholas Tucci , Wendy Glenn , AJ Bowen , Joe Swanberg , Barbara Crampton , Amy Seimetz , Ti West Runtime 94minutes

You’re Next is a terrifically entertaining horror movie that has fun playing with the conventions of the genre while also leaning into some of its most effective elements. The movie has a simple setup as it follows an affluent family who gathers together for an evening in their secluded vacation home only to be targeted by a group of masked killers. While it sounds like a typical home invasion horror movie, there are a lot of fun twists as well as some memorable jump scares.

You’re Next goes for a variety of jump scares, including the always reliable fakeout when a character is surprised by someone only to reveal they are not a threat. However, You’re Next also has a fun take on the horror movie final girl with Erin (Sharni Vinson) proving to be a capable survivor. The movie uses the audience’s growing confidence in Erin against them as they throw various effective jump scares at her just when she seems to be at her most unstoppable.

23 An American Werewolf In London (1981)

14 Jump Scares

An American Werewolf In London RHorrorComedy

An American Werewolf in London centers on two American college students who are attacked by a werewolf while traveling in London, England. David Kessler survives the attack but is haunted by visions of his friend Jack, who explains how dangerous David has become after the violent attack. The John Landis-directed film stars David Naughton and Jenny Agutter.

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*Availability in US Director John Landis Release Date August 21, 1981 Cast David Naughton , Jenny Agutter , Griffin Dunne , John Woodvine , Lila Kaye , Joe Belcher Runtime 97 minutes

Just because a horror movie also features a lot of comedic elements doesn’t mean that it cannot also deliver some genuine jump scares. Such is the case with the brilliant genre-bending classic An American Werewolf in London. The quirky movie follows a pair of friends who go on a hiking trip in England only to be attacked by a vicious beast. While one of the friends manages to survive the ordeal, he discovers that he is turning into a werewolf.

The humor of the movie does a lot to throw the audience off kilter, laughing one moment only to be jolted by a sudden jump scare the next moment. When the movie does make the switch to horror, it commits to the dark and violent vibes. Also, as much as An American Werewolf in London was trailblazing in mixing laughs with terror, it also features one of the earlier examples of the classic mirror jump scare reveals.

22 The Crazies (2010)

18 Jump Scares

The Crazies pg-13HorrorThriller

The Crazies is a 2010 horror film that acts as a remake to the 1973 movie of the same name. In the remake, a young couple must fight for their lives after a toxic virus infects their small farming town and turns its citizens into violent killers. Radha Mitchell and Timothy Olyphant lead the film alongside Danielle Panabaker and Joe Anderson.

Director Breck Eisner Release Date February 23, 2010 Cast Timothy Olyphant , Radha Mitchell , Joe Anderson , Danielle Panabaker Runtime 101 minutes

The Crazies is not only one of the most underrated horror movie remakes but it is also one of the rare instances of a remake that is better than the original. The original version of The Crazies was a lesser-known movie from George A. Romero which is often forgotten in favor of his more iconic zombie fare. However, the 2010 remake proves there is a lot of interesting commentary in the movie while also elevating it to an exciting modern story.

The movie stars Timothy Olyphant as the sheriff of a small town where a military plane has crashed and released a toxin that begins turning the citizens into mindless killers. The movie is an intense and thrilling story of the heroes attempting to escape their town alive with some memorable sequences. One of the best plays into the movie’s surprisingly effective dark tone finds the heroes trapped in a car wash with the chaos around them leading to some great jump scares.

21 The Strangers (2008)

16 Jump Scares

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8.5/10 The Strangers RHorrorMysteryThriller

The first film in the horror series, The Strangers, follows an unsuspecting couple on vacation who find themselves at the mercy of a group of murderers who seek to physically and psychologically torture them. After a series of unfortunate events that lead the couple to commit an accidental crime, they find themselves fighting for survival against three masked intruders that chose to attack them “because they were home.” 

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*Availability in US Director Bryan Bertino Release Date May 30, 2008 Cast Scott Speedman , Laura Margolis , Gemma Ward , Kip Weeks , Liv Tyler , Glenn Howerton Runtime 86 minutes

The Strangers is one of the great horror movies that proves incredibly effective thanks to its relatively simple approach. Instead of monsters or supernatural threats, The Strangers elicits fear out of the randomness of cold-blooded killers targeting people for no reason. It follows a couple who retreat to their isolated vacation home only for a trio of masked killers to begin stalking them.

The home invasion movie proves that jump scares can happen without fast movements or elevated soundtracks as one of the most chilling moments in the movie comes when Liv Tyler’s character is checking the house when one of the masked people emerges from the shadows and watches her without making their presence known. There are more deliberate jump scares as well with the masked killers popping out from everywhere to give their terrified victims, and the audience, a good scare.

20 Hell Fest (2018)

28 Jump Scares

RHorror

Hell Fest is a 2018 horror film directed by Gregory Plotkin. The story follows a group of friends who attend a horror-themed amusement park only to find themselves pursued by a real serial killer. The film stars Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, and Tony Todd, featuring a blend of suspense and terror as the friends navigate the nightmarish attractions while trying to survive the night.

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*Availability in US Director Gregory Plotkin Release Date September 27, 2018 Writers Seth M. Sherwood , Blair Butler Cast Elle Graham , Christian James , Tony Todd , Reign Edwards , Michael Tourek , Bex Taylor-Klaus , Roby Attal , Amy Forsyth , Courtney Dietz , Matt Mercurio

In 2018, Hell Fest brought a throwback horror movie to the big screen, and it quickly joined the ranks of the best jump scare movies with an impressive 28 jump scares in its running time. The film focuses on a traveling theme park and a masked man known as “The Other” who lives there and kills people visiting the event. When a group of young adults heads out to the carnival, The Other starts to hunt them down, kill them, and leave some of them lying around as trophies.

This allowed the perfect chance for a lot of jump scares throughout the movie when dead bodies pop up out of nowhere, making the killer’s appearances often a surprise. Haunted houses and similar attractions are all built on jump scares with the participants never knowing what is around the next corner. The movie does a great job of trying to replicate that feel.

19 The Descent (2005)

16 Jump Scares

RHorrorAdventureThriller

The Descent is a horror film that follows a group of thrill-seeking friends who find themselves fractured after one of them loses their husband and daughter in a car accident. Attempting to rejuvenate her friend Sarah and bring her back to the group, Juno convinces her to follow her and their friends to a mysterious cave system they find in the mountains. However, when they find themselves traped with no way out, she reveals she took them to an uncharted region with no chance of rescue, hoping to give them the adventure of the life time. Angry, fearful, and low on supplies, the group travels further into the caves only to discover they’re not alone.

Director Neil Marshall Release Date August 4, 2006 Studio(s) Lionsgate Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Neil Marshall Cast Shauna Macdonald , Saskia Mulder , Alex Reid , Natalie Mendoza , MyAnna Buring , Nora-Jane Noone Runtime 99 minutes Budget $3.5 million Expand

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Neil Marshall directed one of the best horror movies of the 2000s with The Descent. This was a hiking horror movie that started with a shocking moment that came as a jump scare when a car accident killed the main protagonist’s husband and daughter. The movie picks up a year later when she goes spelunking with her friends and ends up trapped in caverns where there are mutated creatures that start hunting the women down.

Being in a dark cavern with monsters hiding in the shadows, there was room for very effective jump scares, with a wide array of methods for delivering them. Likely the most famous jump scare is the moment the women begin to feel that there is something in the cave with them, leading the group to use a camera’s night vision which reveals one of the creatures standing beside them.

18 The Nun (2018)

21 Jump Scares

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3/10 The Nun

The Nun is a supernatural horror film by director Corin Hardy. When a young nun inexplicably takes her own life in a Romanian monastery, the Vatican sends a priest with a haunted past and a nun on the threshold of her final vows to investigate. Together, they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and very souls,

Director Corin Hardy Release Date September 7, 2018 Cast Bonnie Aarons , Charlotte Hope , Ingrid Bisu , Demián Bichir , Taissa Farmiga , Jonas Bloquet

The Nun was a spinoff from The Conjuring universe, and it was popular enough that it warranted a sequel in 2023. The sequel explained how the new franchise was connected to The Conjuring and Lorraine Warren. However, the first Nun movie was a very effective example of a jump scare movie with 21 different jump scares in it. The movie had a young nun named Sister Irene who ends up face to face with an ancient evil demon named Valak who takes the form of a demonic nun.

The Nun was well-reviewed and provided horror fans with a scary film regardless of its connection to the overall Conjuring franchise. The franchise is known for its unnerving jump scares which create a sense of tension. The Nun features many memorable ones, including the very startling moment Sister Irene is exploring a tunnel. As she looks down one path, the camera follows her gaze and then returns to her to see a ghostly figure behind her. When she turns to see it, Valak attacks from beside her.

17 Candyman (1992)

16 Jump Scares

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7/10 7.3/10 Candyman R

This sequel to the 1992 movie of the same name follows artist Anthony McCoy as he investigates the urban legend of the Candyman, a hook-handed killer who haunts the impoverished Cabrini-Green housing projects. As McCoy finds himself drawn deeper into the legend of the Candyman, he begins to learn the horrifying truth: the myth is much more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.

Director Nia DaCosta Release Date August 27, 2021 Cast Tony Todd , Cassie Kramer , Colman Domingo , Carl Clemons-Hopkins , Teyonah Parris , Rebecca Spence , Nathan Stewart-Jarrett , Christina Clark , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II , Vanessa Estelle Williams , Kyle Kaminsky

In the 1990s, slasher movies were going out of style, and those were possibly the bottom of the barrel when it came to jump-scare movies as far as doing them respectfully. However, in the 90s, there was one more new slasher icon that arrived before they died out and this was Candyman. The movie is based on an old legend similar to Bloody Mary where a person says the name of the demon three times in a mirror, and he comes to life and kills people.

While it is often assumed the element of surprise is how to make the most effective jump scare, anticipation actually plays a very important role. The audience can assume that when the characters start saying “Candyman” in the mirror, the killer will appear. However, one flashback to a Candyman victim shows how effectively these moments can be dragged out as a woman finally says the name the third time and then swiftly turns off the light only for his reflection to appear.

16 Talk To Me (2023)

3 Jump Scares

7/10 RHorrorThriller

While trying to cope with the death of her mother, Mia (Sophie Wilde) becomes enthralled with an embalmed hand that can conjure spirits. While Mia and her group of friends get a thrill out of communicating with spirits, things go too far when Mia doesn’t close the door to the other side.

Director Danny Philippou , Michael Philippou Release Date July 28, 2023 Distributor(s) A24 Writers Bill Hinzman , Danny Philippou Cast Sophie Wilde , Joe Bird , Alexandra Jensen , Otis Dhanji , Miranda Otto , Marcus Johnson Runtime 94 minutes Expand

In 2023, a new horror movie hit theaters that was an immediate hit and might go down as a modern-day classic. This was Talk to Me, which followed a group of young friends who found an embalmed hand that they found out allows them to communicate with the dead if they grasp it. However, those who grasp it too long find themselves falling prey to the dead, who want to bring more to their side.

It doesn’t have nearly as many jump scares as other offerings in the genre, but it has three of them total and one of the jumps is better than just about any other horror movie. The central “game” sets the stage for many of the best jump scares as the protagonist reluctantly participates for the first time, using the magic phrase, “talk to me” only for a corpse to be suddenly sitting in front of her. The movie was a huge success and Talk to Me 2 is in development.

15 It Follows (2014)

5 Jump Scares

7/10 RHorror

It Follows is a horror-thriller film released in 2014 and follows a college student named Jay who is terrorized by a specter of a woman that follows her everywhere she goes. When Jay has sex with her new boyfriend, he ties her up and reveals that this mysterious woman will now haunt her until she passes it on to another or is killed by her. Now haunted by a woman that only she and those once afflicted by her can see, Jay will attempt to survive and find away to break the curse.

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*Availability in US Director David Robert Mitchell Release Date March 27, 2015 Studio(s) The Weinstein Company Distributor(s) The Weinstein Company Writers David Robert Mitchell Cast Olivia Luccardi , Jake Weary , Keir Gilchrist , Daniel Zovatto , Maika Monroe , Lili Sepe Runtime 100minutes Budget $1.3 million Expand

It Follows is a high-concept horror movie that’s driven by very simple–yet very effective–scares. The premise is that a curse transmitted through sexual intercourse dooms a person to be followed for the rest of their lives by a slow-moving but constantly pursuing entity that will kill them when it catches up to them. Maika Monroe plays Jay, the young woman who is the latest target of the curse.

The best jump scare movies have a never-ending sense of unease to them and, like the main character, the audience never feels safe from this petrifying monster as it can take the form of anyone and appear at just about any moment. This tension builds to very memorable jump scares such as when Jay is hiding out in her friend’s room when a tall form of the entity suddenly emerges from the shadows, silently coming at her.

14 Sinister (2012)

17 Jump Scares

7/10 RThrillerHorrorMystery

Sinister is a supernatural horror movie that centers around a washed-up true-crime writer named Ellison Oswalt, who finds a box of Super 8 home movies that suggest the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose macabre work dates back to the 1960s. As he begins to write a biography about the case, terrifying images start to seep into his consciousness, making him question reality as the horrors of old are made new again.

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*Availability in US Director Scott Derrickson Release Date October 12, 2012 Studio(s) Lionsgate Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Scott Derrickson , C. Robert Cargill Cast Juliet Rylance , Ethan Hawke , Fred Dalton Thompson , Vincent D’Onofrio , James Ransone Runtime 110 minutes Budget $3 million Expand

An experiment conducted in 2020 found that Sinister was the scariest horror movie of all time due to its ability to raise the heart rate of viewers, and it’s fairly easy to why that was the case. The plot sees an author discover a box of old home movies in the attic of his new house that show various gruesome murders. Through the horrific discovery, he begins to suspect that this is the work of a decades-long serial killer.

As the audience is forced to watch each of the movies with him and unravel the disturbing mystery behind them, it becomes impossible to look away from the pulse-pounding horror on display. One of the most effective jump scares in modern horror comes from one of the videos as the footage seems to be someone filming themselves mowing the lawn at night only for a bound person to appear on the lawn just as the mower goes over them.

13 Paranormal Activity (2007)

10 Jump Scares

RHorrorMystery Where to Watch

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*Availability in US Director Oren Peli Release Date October 16, 2009 Writers Oren Peli Cast Katie Featherston , Micah Sloat , Mark Fredrichs , Amber Armstrong , Ashley Palmer Runtime 86 minutes Budget $15 thousand Expand

Paranormal Activity is a memorable found-footage horror movie that helped to revitalize the genre nearly a decade after The Blair Witch Project. The first film centers on a young couple who are haunted by a supernatural presence in their home, and they set up cameras to document the phenomena with terrifying results. The popularity of the movie spawned a long-running franchise that continued to use a similar approach.

Related Paranormal Activity Movies In Order: How (& Where) To Watch By Release Date & Chronologically

There’s more than one way to watch the Paranormal Activity franchise, with its complex timeline of prequels, time travel, and a standalone sequel.

Showing only grainy home video footage might seem like it would minimize the impact of a horror movie. However, Paranormal Activity actually does the opposite as the audience is always looking out for the tiniest movement or listening out for the smallest noise right before the movie delivers a loud shock out of nowhere. There is a slow-burn build-up until the final night recorded by the family which is filled with memorable jump scares including the final image of a possessed woman lunging at the camera.

12 Brightburn (2019)

20 Jump Scares

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4.5/10 RHorror Sci-FiDrama

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The 2019 horror film Brightburn puts a dark spin on the Superman mythos by following a young boy with superhuman powers who uses them for evil instead of good. Directed by David Yarovesky and produced by James Gunn, the film stars Jackson A. Dunn, Elizabeth Banks, and David Denman.

Director David Yarovesky Release Date May 24, 2019 Studio(s) Sony Distributor(s) Sony Writers Mark Gunn , Brian Gunn Cast Steve Agee , Emmie Hunter , Meredith Hagner , Terence Rosemore , Jackson A. Dunn , Shaun McMillan , David Denman , Elizabeth Becka , Gregory Alan Williams , Christian Finlayson , Matt Jones , Becky Wahlstrom , Elizabeth Banks , Jennifer Holland , Stephen Blackehart Runtime 90 Minutes Budget $6–12 million Expand

Brightburn is an intriguing blend of horror and superhero movies focusing on a young boy who comes to Earth from another planet and is raised by a kind couple. However, as the boy gets older, he begins to realize the extent of his powers and turns down a dark path. Exploring the idea of an evil Superman-type figure, Brightburn not only comes with an exciting and original premise but a hefty collection of jump scares as well, not to mention one of the highest horror movie kill counts of all time.

The movie’s villain has no need for machetes, hatchets, or elaborate traps to bring the terror, all he needs is a well-aimed gaze. The quick speed of the killer kid makes for some sudden scares, including a scene of him intimidating a scared victim and then lunging at her at superspeed, taking the audience by surprise.

11 The Conjuring (2013)

12 Jump Scares

9/10 RMysteryThrillerHorror

Based on the real-life case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring chronicles the haunting of the Perron family after moving into a Rhode Island farmhouse. The film went on to kickstart the Conjuring franchise, a series of supernatural horror films.

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*Availability in US Director James Wan Release Date July 19, 2013 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Chad Hayes , Carey W. Hayes Cast Joey King , Vera Farmiga , Lili Taylor , Patrick Wilson , Ron Livingston Runtime 112 minutes Franchise(s) The Conjuring Budget $20 million Expand

The Conjuring is a supernatural horror film based on a true story. After the Perron family is terrorized by a dark entity in their secluded Rhode Island home, they look to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren to shed some light on what they’re dealing with. While it may not be much of a unique storyline in terms of horror movies, there’s a lot of creativity behind each shock, with each sudden appearance of a ghostly figure outdoing the last.

The movie was so effective with its jump scares that it spawned a massive Conjuring franchise. It does a very effective job of building up moments of tension that leave the audience on the edge of their seats just as they are hit with a jump scare. The most memorable comes with an extended sequence of a character exploring a mysterious clapping coming from inside the house. As she investigates the dark basement, hands reach out of the shadows behind her and clap.

10 Creep (2014)

9 Jump Scares

RHorrorThriller

Creep is a 2014 Horror film directed by Patrick Brice. The found-footage style release stars Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice and revolves around a videographer who takes a job recording and chronicling the life of a supposedly dying man that will be showcased later to his unborn son.

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*Availability in US Director Patrick Brice Release Date June 23, 2015 Studio(s) Netflix Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Mark Duplass , Patrick Brice Cast Katie Aselton , Patrick Brice , Mark Duplass Runtime 77 minutes Expand

Creep is a found footage horror film that shows the footage of a videographer named Aaron who agrees to work for Josef, a terminally ill man who says that he wants to make a series of videos for his unborn son. As their day of filming progresses, though, Josef becomes increasingly unsettling in his behavior, and it soon becomes clear that his main aim is to scare Aaron, whose perspective the viewer is always forced to look through.

The movie is a unique type of horror movie as it unsettles the audience more with awkward social interactions than outright scares. However, as uncomfortable as Josef is in most situations, he gradually becomes more of a threat as the movie progresses. The most effective jump scare comes at the end when there is a long, unmoving shot only for Aaron to suddenly pop into frame and scream right at the camera.

9 Hush (2016)

7 Jump Scares

RThrillerHorror

Hush is a thriller directed by Mike Flanagan, starring Kate Siegel as Maddie Young, a deaf-mute author living in isolation. The film chronicles Maddie’s survival as she becomes the target of a masked intruder. With limited senses, Maddie must use her resourcefulness and intellect to outwit the assailant. The narrative provides a tense and gripping exploration of vulnerability and resilience in the face of imminent danger.

Director Mike Flanagan Release Date April 8, 2016 Writers Mike Flanagan , Kate Siegel Cast John Gallagher Jr. , Kate Siegel , Michael Trucco , Samantha Sloyan , Emma Graves Character(s) The Man , Maddie , John , Sarah , Max Runtime 1hr22 Expand

Total silence makes jump scares in movies all the more frightening, which Hush capitalizes on throughout as the film follows a deaf woman who finds herself being hunted like prey in the middle of nowhere by a masked killer. There are several times when the main character remains completely oblivious to the fact that the killer is right behind her but tenser still are the moments when she enacts her plans to fight back, with the audience never quite knowing where the movie is going to go next.

The movie comes from the modern horror great Mike Flanagan but trades in his typical supernatural horror approach for a more realistic and unsettling home invasion movie. Many of the best jump scares put the audience in a similar situation as the central woman, Maddie, with the killer suddenly appearing in front of her or his face popping up as she looks out the window, taking pleasure in giving her a fright.

8 The Babadook (2014)

11 Jump Scares

8/10 tHorrorDrama

Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut follows Amelia, a widowed Australian mother still grieving the violent death of her husband. When Amelia’s son Samuel begins insisting that a monster has taken up residence in their home, she must attempt to keep Sam safe despite the looming seemingly supernatural presence that threatens to take both of their lives. Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman star as Amelia and Samuel. 

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*Availability in US Director Jennifer Kent Release Date November 28, 2014 Studio(s) Umbrella Entertainmen Distributor(s) Umbrella Entertainmen Writers Jennifer Kent Cast Noah Wiseman , Essie Davis Runtime 94 minutes Budget $2 million Expand

The Babadook‘s story may seem simple enough at first: a widowed mother named Amelia reads a mysterious pop-up storybook called Mister Babadook to her son, who soon becomes convinced that Mister Babadook is real, with the eerie figure invading their lives. As the movie develops, however, it becomes clear that the true horror lies within Amelia’s own subconscious as her struggles with her grief and her trials as a single parent begin to overwhelm her.

It’s true psychological horror that forces Amelia, and the audience along with her, to face horrific thoughts that burst into her life at the worst, and sometimes most unexpected, moments. The Babadook monster design is also very effective with him often blending into the shadows which makes for the most memorable jump scares as his presence is suddenly revealed in subtle yet terrifying ways.

7 Insidious (2010)

24 Jump Scares

8/10 PG-13MysteryThrillerHorror

When Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) move into a new home, their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) explores the attic and discovers a malevolent entity. After Dalton slips into an unexplained coma, Josh and Renai enlist the help of spiritual medium Elise (Lin Shaye) to enter the spirit world and recover Dalton’s consciousness, which they believe is being held by an unknown hostile force. 

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*Availability in US Director James Wan Release Date April 1, 2011 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Sony , Universal Pictures Writers Leigh Whannell Cast Barbara Hershey , Lin Shaye , Rose Byrne , Ty Simpkins , Patrick Wilson Runtime 103 minutes Budget $1.5 million Expand

Insidious, directed by James Wan, is the first installment in the Insidious franchise and the third in terms of series chronology. In the film, a couple’s son falls into a coma and becomes a vessel for ghosts who want to inhabit his body. Things get progressively darker and darker throughout the plot, and the unexpected twists and turns, particularly at the end, guarantee non-stop shocks until the credits roll.

While there are plenty of jump scares, the most iconic is easily the Red Demon appearance that comes during a seemingly casual conversation, catching audiences off guard. The staging of the scene is brilliant as it is a conversation between two people as one of them relays a story. The audience expects the scare to come in the flashback and that they feel safe when focused back on the conversation only for an epic jump scare to be thrown in.

6 Scream (1996)

19 Jump Scares

RCrimeHorrorMystery

Wes Craven flips the horror-slasher genre on its head with the 1996 release of Scream, the first in the long-running franchise. The residents of Woodsboro discover a series of murders are being committed by a dangerous ghost mask-wearing killer with an obsession for classic horror movies. To survive, a group of high school students, a reporter, and a town deputy will have to subvert horror expectations and stay one step ahead of the killer.

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*Availability in US Director Wes Craven Release Date December 20, 1996 Studio(s) Woods Entertainment Distributor(s) Dimension Films Writers Kevin Williamson Cast Drew Barrymore , Kevin Patrick Walls , David Booth , Carla Hatley , Neve Campbell , Skeet Ulrich Runtime 111 minutes Budget $14 Million Franchise(s) Scream Expand

Scream is both a subversively seminal slasher film and one of the best jump-scare horror movies ever made. The movie follows the life of high school student Sidney Prescott as she becomes the target of an elusive masked killer. The movie mixes in an element of a whodunnit mystery with the identity of the killer raising the tension as it could be anyone.

Though effectively a parody of the slasher genre, Scream won over horror movie fans by analyzing and subverting tropes like jump scares rather than just making fun of them or recreating them. As a result, even seasoned horror fans can be left clueless about what’s going to happen next. The iconic opening sequence of Scream has some of the best jump scares, most notably when Ghostface first shows himself to the surprise of Casey (Drew Barrymore).

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