7 Ridiculous Horror Movie Tropes That These 14 Films Somehow Pulled Off Perfectly
We’re all for movies pushing boundaries and doing something fresh and exciting – it’s what makes the film industry so special. However, we can’t pretend it’s not fun when filmmakers really lean into those genre-defining stereotypes that just won’t go away.
People might grumble about clichés, but they are used time and time again for a simple reason: because they work. Indeed, you’d be hard-pressed to find a single great, good, or bad horror movie that doesn’t utilise those motifs and plot devices we’ve seen countless times.
Truth is, we wouldn’t have it any other way. We love the ridiculous horror movie tropes, and the rare times they’re pulled off as well as they are in the films we’ve listed below, we always will.
1. Evil Doubles: Possession (1981), Us (2019)
The only thing more terrifying than ghosts and monsters is seeing a twisted and uncanny version of ourselves reflected at us. And no, I’m not talking about the deep, philosophical kind of self-reflection; I mean genuinely evil doppelgängers coming to get us.
In 1981, this phenomenon took centre stage in Possession, a wild psychological horror thriller from director Andrzej Żuławski. It’s been a couple of years since I first watched this bizarre and unsettling flick, yet I can still remember it so vividly. The mystique around Isabelle Adjani’s dual role in that film is scintillating stuff; the kind of performance that gets under your skin and leaves a lasting impression. It’s on Prime Video now, so dive into the madness if you dare.
More recently, we had the unbridled joy of seeing malignant doubles in Jordan Peele’s sophomore hit, Us. I wasn’t so keen on this film when I first watched it; it certainly didn’t grip me the way Get Out immediately did. But with each rewatch, the rich thematic layers in Us reveal themselves brilliantly. It’s a far more aggressive and visceral approach to the whole ‘evil version of yourself’ trope, and one which makes for a truly thrilling ride.
2. Mothers Are the Root of All Evil: Psycho (1960), Hereditary (2018)
Most people love their mothers. But in horror movies, that maternal adoration can go a bit too far. The classic example of this is Alfred Hitchcock’s sublime Psycho. The 1960 film is a staple of the horror genre and influenced so many others – from the iconic shower scene, to the shocking plot twists, and of course, the theme of the matriarch’s obsessive hold on her son. Problematic as that relationship may be, it gives us one of the greatest endings of any horror movie.
The destructive mother trope goes in the complete opposite direction in Ari Aster’s Hereditary, though. The problem there is, Annie – played with ferocity by Toni Collette – doesn’t feel respected or loved by her kids at all. Granted, her perception is somewhat skewed by the whole demonic possession thing going on in the background…
3. Why Would You Go in There?: The Descent (2005), The Blair Witch Project (1999)
One of the most infuriating yet weirdly satisfying horror movie tropes is the moment a character enters a situation that we, the viewers, can see is a disaster waiting to happen. Take The Descent, for example. Even without the horrifying reveal that comes later in the film, the idea of cavediving and crawling through tight spaces in the dark is just ludicrous. The less said the better about this one, as I would hate to spoil the big horror moment; just get yourself signed up to BFI Player and watch one of the most bone-chillingly scary movies of the 21st century unfold.
There are countless haunted house movies where we scream at the screen, “Don’t go in there!” The same also applies to something like The Blair Witch Project. It makes no sense for that group of young students to venture into the creepy woods, and yet they do it all the same. We all know something horrible will happen, but isn’t that what makes horror movies so exciting?
4. Playing With Cursed Objects: The Evil Dead (1981), Talk to Me (2023)
Reckless decisions don’t just come in the form of going into spooky places; we also see horror movie characters messing with items they really shouldn’t. Most folk, if they stumbled across a mysterious book that looked like it was made out of skin, would leave it be. Heck, we’d all probably run a mile and never look back. But for some reason, the kids in The Evil Dead think it’s a good idea to not only open up the Necronomicon, but to read out its incantations and unleash the hellish Deadites. I’m not a big fan of Sam Raimi’s cult classic – it’s a little too rough around the edges for my liking – but there’s no denying it’s the prime example of this delightfully dark horror trope.
In recent years, another fantastic, very unique version of this trope features in the Philippou brothers’ superbly sinister Talk To Me. If you’re averse to graphic and grotesque imagery, then I recommend you avoid this one. But, if you’re into movies like Oddity, The Ring, and Hellraiser, you’ll love seeing Mia and her friends tap into the supernatural as they connect with spirits via their new bodily party trick. You can catch it on Netflix right now, so it’s really easy to access.
5. Final Girls: Scream (1996), Ready or Not (2019)
Perhaps the most famous and successful horror movie trope of all time is the final girl. As much as we love a nefarious villain, we need to see them get their comeuppance. That means we need a survivor, and since the 1970s, horror filmmakers have leaned into the idea of flipping the old stereotype of the damsel in distress to give us a last girl standing that we can root for.
While the original final girl was arguably Sally Hardesty in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the most famous is undoubtedly Laurie Strode, Wes Craven really helped this archetype evolve in the ‘90s with Sidney Prescott in Scream. Over the course of the series, she grows so much as a character to become a truly resilient and resourceful protagonist. Most importantly, she never lets villain Ghostface’s actions define her.
One of my personal favourite final girls is Grace MacCaulley, played by Samara Weaving in Ready or Not. What’s really special about her is that her wedding night, a moment when she should be at her happiest, descends into absolute terror. But she survives the chaos in the most surprising and gratifying fashion. You can watch Ready or Not on Disney+, and now that I’ve raved about it, I think I’ll be joining you!
6. Creepy Kids: The Omen (1976), The Shining (1980)
We’ve already covered devilish doppelgängers, meddlesome mothers, and inanimate objects causing chaos, but is there anything scarier than a child? Sure, some of them are cute. But hey, I’m a parent, I know how frightening the little things can be!
Probably the most iconic depiction of this horror trope comes in The Omen, where young Damien causes all kinds of problems after the Thorn family adopts him. This movie not only features one of the most nightmare-inducing children in movie history, but it also gives us one of the most shocking death scenes in any horror film.
If one scary kid isn’t enough, you could double your money with Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. There are plenty of creepy ghosts in the haunted hallways of the Overlook Hotel, but it’s the Grady twins who have stood the test of time. What happens to them as young Danny Torrance watches on is horrible, but it’s their eerie voices as they try to lure him in that really sets your hair on end. For my money, this is the greatest horror movie of all time. Give it a watch on Now TV Cinema and tell me I’m wrong.
7. Invincible Killers: Halloween (1979), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Where would the horror genre be if it weren’t for slasher movies? We’ve already talked about how important it is to have a top-tier villain at the heart of any horror film, and the most enduring of them all have overcome some incredible – and frankly unbelievable circumstances – to keep driving huge franchises.
Michael Myers in Halloween, for example, has 13 movies to his name now. Throughout that time, he’s survived gunshots, fires, falls, stabbings, attacks by angry mobs, and has even been frozen solid. And if you thought he was invincible, Freddy Krueger is already dead before A Nightmare on Elm Street even begins. This gives him a huge advantage, in that he generally exists in the dream world and cannot be killed (or re-killed) there. A purely supernatural being, Freddy is never truly gone for long.
While their constant returns are predictable, if these formidable foes had been killed off straight away, we would never have gotten guilty pleasures like Halloween H20 and the brilliantly subversive Wes Craven's New Nightmare.
