Deron Generally
Deron GenerallyThe Halloween season is here and in the run up to the big day I decided to
examine what is considered “scary” in the world of horror movies.
Going with Rotten Tomatoes list of the 31 scariest movies, I decided to
compare each film with another horror film from the same year to determine which one I found scarier.
The two films battling it out today came out this past year and one is a modern retelling of a classic film I’ve had on the showdown before with the other being a modern take on the haunted house film. So is the modern retelling of The Invisible Man scarier than You Should Have Left?
The Invisible Man
After staging his own suicide, a crazed scientist uses his power to become invisible to stalk and terrorize his ex-girlfriend. When the police refuse to believe her story, she decides to take matters into her own hands and fight back.
Originally meant to be part of Universal’s Dark Universe of rebooted monsters, the film was reimagined after the failure of The Mummy and Dracula Untold.
Pros
A brilliant, layered performance by Elisabeth Moss. Her paranoia was palpable and you felt it the same way she did.
Disturbing themes of domestic abuse including physical and psychological.
The Invisible Man is brilliantly manipulative in his actions.
The jump scare in the attic was great.
His presence is truly scary throughout because he plays to the invisibility rather than exploit it.
The plot is well executed and doesn’t waste a moment of screen time.
The ending is fantastic.
Cons
The end reveal was a little too convenient.
You Should Have Left
Strange events plague a couple and their young daughter when they rent a secluded countryside house that has a dark past.
Kevin Bacon first worked with director David Keopp 21 years ago in the supernatural thriller Stir of Echoes.
Pros
Great performances by Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried.
Some good dark imagery.
The mystery of the house is engaging.
Cons
The house is not explored nearly enough.
The premise has too many plot holes.
The characters are flat and lifeless.
The wives excuse for not being in the house the last night was trite.
There’s one scare in a haunted house movie.
Nothing about these characters made me care about what was happening to them.
Horror and what makes a movie scary is subjective to every viewer. While some people are scared of what is seen, there are many who are disturbed by what lies in the shadows and corners. Both modern films attempt to showcase the scares of things hidden, but only one succeeds and that is….
The Invisible Man
Have you seen either of these films? Which was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below.
