While some horror movies are brilliantly creative and shocking, many feel formulaic and predictable. Horror movie fans are sick and tired of cliche or lazy elements that so many directors add to what otherwise could’ve been a decent scary flick. Check out the 24 most annoying tropes and cliches that horror movie directors need to leave behind.
1 – Jumpscares
Without a doubt, this is the most commonly-hated horror movie element. An overwhelming amount of horror movie lovers despise jumpscares and find them to be lazy, as it’s relatively easy to spook someone with a sudden scary image. I specifically detest bathroom mirror jumpscares, as I know it’s coming, but they still get me every time.
2 – Dismissive Loved Ones
It’s always a bummer when someone in a horror movie confides to a loved one about the terrors they’re facing, only to be rudely dismissed or ignored. I like to think that if I told a loved one that I was being possessed by demons, followed by a supernatural creature, or visited by ghosts in the middle of the night, they’d have my back.
3 – Creepy Kids
I don’t know why, but kids in horror movies are the scariest thing ever. Fans are tired of horror moviemakers using creepy kids or eerie child voices to scare people. Personally, it freaks me out every time, so they’re getting the job done.
4 – Volume Scares
Okay, this may fall under the category of jump scares, but I think it’s specific enough to warrant its own comment. As one horror fan explains it, “the manipulation of the decibel levels in movies irritates me to no end.” When dialogue is soft and quiet just to make a super loud noise more impactful, it feels lazy and easy.
5 – Stupid Reactions and Dialogue
I think this one irritates everyone. One online commenter explains it perfectly, saying, “I hate it when characters refuse to use any sense. Like seeing something creepy in the dark and walking toward it saying ‘hello?’” If there is a demon, monster, or serial killer in the dark, why would they answer you when you say hi?
6 – Not Taking The Shot
This one applies to both the villain and the hero. It seems like people will have a perfectly good opportunity to get ride of their target, but instead, they stand there like an idiot or give them one whack and then sprint off. Finish the job!
7 – Poor Communication
Some horror movies take the sitcom approach to the plot, where many events and much of the storyline revolves around misunderstandings between characters or a lack of communication between people. For example, if a husband sees ghosts, he should probably let his wife know. Although, the dismissive loved one trope often ruins this plan.
8 – Animal Cruelty
I 100% support the elimination of animal cruelty in horror movies. Yes, it’s shocking, scary, and unsettling, but often unnecessary. I hate when I see an animal at the start of a scary movie, and I know it’s going to meet its maker for shock value before the flick is over.
9 – Creepified Songs
One of the funniest annoying elements of horror movies is when they take a perfectly fine song and “creepify” it, ruining the song and pulling me out of the movie. There is no reason to bring Taylor Swift into this freaky situation!
10 – Overexplaining The Bad Guy
Sometimes, letting the audience figure things out for themselves is okay. When horror movies over explain how the monster came to be, why the killer is the way they are, or the ins and outs of a demon’s motives, it can feel condescending and even boring.
11 – Vomit
This one is pretty straightforward. Puking is gross, and it’s not a fun thing to watch. Have you ever seen Triangle of Sadness? Not a horror movie, but the extended vomiting scenes are enough to make you turn it off. This level of gross doesn’t fly with many cinephiles.
12 – People Casually Cutting Their Hand
Many dramatic scenes show someone taking a knife to their palm and intensely slitting their hand, whether to make a blood oath or show how tough they are. They would need immediate medical attention and likely be in a lot of pain, so this trope can be annoying and unrealistic.
13 – Ill-Fitting Jokes or Music
It can be off-putting when a movie uses upbeat music during a scary scene or writes corny jokes into the dialogue when characters are fending for their lives. These quirky choices can pull people out of the movie and make something that could’ve been serious and impactful laughable instead.
14 – The Shushing Signal
Usually, when a character draws a finger to their lips to make the shushing signal, something terrible is about to happen. Also, it’s creepy but cliche when the villain or monster does this, but I must admit, it gives me the heebie-jeebies every time.
15 – Supermodel Actors
It’s weird when all the people in a horror movie are Gigi Hadid-level hot, right? Many horror fans agree that having supermodel actors in horror movies pulls them out of the story and makes the film seem cheesy or unrealistic. We want normal-looking people; do you hear us, Hollywood?
16 – Muted Cinematography
Many horror movies utilize muted colors to create a gloomy and eerie atmosphere. While I think this technique makes sense for the genre, many horror fanatics think it’s worn out and want moviemakers to get more creative with their use of color.
17 – Scared Cats
Too many horror movies use a screeching, jumping cat to spook the viewers. One cinephile stated, “They need to retire the cat jump scare. Just be done with it, it was tired in the 1980s. That was 40 years ago.” Maybe we can try using a different animal to spook viewers? Like a neighing horse or squeaking mouse? Those probably aren’t as jarring, though.
18 – The Contortionist Upside Down Routine
I hate the parts in horror movies when the creepy monster or human turns into a spider monkey and climbs upside-down all over the walls and ceiling, and I’m not the only one. This trope is sufficiently creepy but predictable and overused, especially when it happens multiple times in the same film.
19 – Bone-Cracking Sound Effects
The sound of bones cracking, whether someone is being hurt or a monster straightening their spine, seems cheesy to many horror cinephiles. The cracking sound could be considered cliche and unrealistic, but how realistic do horror movies have to be?
20 – Loud, Long Screams
Of course, horror movies are allowed to have some screams. However, the super long, insanely loud screams are unrealistic. In real life, scared people tend to let out a quick yelp, not work on their vocal range while trying to escape certain death.
21 – Obvious Build-Up Music
While some people despise jump scares, others hate when the music gives away the upcoming jump scare. Sometimes, the suspenseful, ominous music tells the viewer that something spooky is about to happen too soon, ruining the surprise.
22 – The Cabin/Camping Trip Trope
I love this trope, as it gives me a solid excuse to refuse camping trips. But many horror fans think the isolated cabin in the woods or the campground in the middle of nowhere is played out and doesn’t stir excitement in them anymore.
23 – The Old, Wise Survivor
Why is there always some older person who survived the terror in the movie that the main characters seek out for advice? This trope is boring and confusing for many horror fans. As one fan said, “It’s a worn-out plot point to tell the characters what to do.” It’s like cheating!
24 – Punishing Characters for Intimacy and Love
Just once, could someone in a horror movie do the dirty deed and make it out alive? It seems like an unwritten rule that if anyone in a horror movie is intimate with someone, even if it’s just heavy kissing, they must be brutally taken out before the movie ends.
Source: Reddit
