These 7 horror movies will shake you to the core with their jump scare scenes

There are different types of horror movies. Some movies focus on gore, some focus on the psychological aspects, and some focus on giving the viewers a load of frightening jump scares. While jump scares can often end up dampening the movie’s quality, there are some effective movies where the jump scares have been effective and perfect and have elevated the film. Therefore, here are 7 horror movies with some of the most terrifying jump scares.

The Descent, Insidious, and other horror movies with terrifying jump scares

1. The Banshee Chapter

Still from the movie (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Blair Erickson and starring Ted Levine, Katia Winter, and others, this horror movie is based on the short story by H.P. Lovecraft. The film is one of the most terrifying movies and has lots of jump scares. The movie focuses on James, who is investigating the government experiment Project MKUltra. James takes the drug that was used in the experiments and begins to hear bizarre music and eerie voices on the radio. The movie begins with a huge jump scare as James is attacked by a shadowy figure who leaves him with all-black eyes and a disfigured face. The movie then focuses on Anne (Winter), who is a friend of James and is concerned about his disappearance. She tries to retrace the steps that James had taken and finds herself amidst a world of monsters, phantoms, and secret government chemicals. The movie mixes sci-fi, horror, and mystery to present a tense atmosphere. The movie has found-footage foundations and also thrives on an intriguing conspiracy mystery that opens up a world of cosmic horror. It is one of those movies that succeeds in being atmospheric and haunting and using jump scares to great effect. Therefore, it is a must-watch.

2. Until Dawn

Still from the movie (Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Based on the 2015 video game by PlayStation Studios, this survival horror movie is directed by David F. Sandberg and features Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, and others. The unnerving movie is about a group of friends who end up in an isolated area that has a time loop mechanic. A threat is out to hunt them, and dying restarts the night with a new threat each time. The only solution is to survive till the morning. The film has a unique premise, and even though it is one of those movies that received mixed reviews from critics, it did commercially well and has plenty of jump scares. And the jump scares are not added for the sake of the movie but are actually effective and will get into the viewers’ skin. While the movie focuses on a few different dangerous creatures that roam in the darkness, it is the humanoid creatures that provide the biggest scares. These creatures are especially terrifying as they move in an erratic motion and are fast. Most of the movie is shot in the dark; therefore, when the screen does light up, the viewers are haunted by the appearance of the humanoid creature. Therefore, it is one of those horror movies that has an impressive amount of jump scares.

3. Lights Out

Still from the movie (Image via Warner Bros)

Another David F. Sandberg directorial, this supernatural horror film is based on the 2013 short movie by Sandberg. Starring Teresa Palmer, Billy Burke, and others, the movie focuses on a woman who must protect her half-brother from an evil spirit that is only found in the darkness and is connected to the family through its past. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and it garnered praise for the direction, the cinematography, and the screenplay. The film is one of those movies that combines a solid story about poignant family drama and presents an unnerving atmosphere with chilling performances. Palmer delivers an outstanding job as Rebecca, who realizes that her mother has been possessed by a dark entity that only hunts in the dark. Rebecca must then take matters into her own hands as her half-brother’s life is in danger and a spree of murders begins to take place. The movie is fast-paced and manages to include an authentic story about the family’s past and Rebecca’s own haunted experiences when she was younger. The movie is solid, and it has some of the most effective jump scares in a movie that are strewn across for maximum effect. It is one of those movies that uses darkness and creepy imagery to maximum effect and delivers a heart-pounding experience.

4. Insidious

One of the most popular horror movies from the last decade, this horror movie is directed by James Wan and features Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and others. The movie was a critical and commercial hit and spawned a whole franchise. It is one of those movies that is known for its iconic jump scares that are truly effective and not just added for cheap entertainment. The movie revolves around a married couple who have just moved into a new house and have a son. However, their son begins to enter a comatose state, and various unnatural events begin to happen. Even after months of no improvement, the couple are forced to enlist the help of paranormal investigators who reveal that the child has travelled into an astral realm where the tortured souls of the dead reside. The movie does a brilliant job of juxtaposing the normal human realm and the hellish, unnatural realm where the couple’s son now resides. It is one of those movies that has a lot of jump scares, and it has even earned the reputation of having some of the best and most unpredictable jump scares in the history of horror movies. Therefore, it is a must-watch.

5. Smile 2

Still from the movie (Image via Paramount)

Directed by Parker Finn and a sequel to the 2022 movie of the same name, this supernatural and psychological horror movie stars Naomi Scott as Skye Riley, who is a famous pop star. The film was a critical and commercial success and is one of the best horror movies in modern times. It focuses on Skye, who is a famous singer trying to make a comeback through a tour and is trying to clear her public image, as she struggled with substance abuse earlier. The movie begins with the events of the previous movie and has the same premise of the horrifying smile entity passing on from one person to another through witnesses. The second part of the franchise upped the ante and has many elements of surprise. As Skye is already in a vulnerable mental state, the movie has heightened emotional tension, and that adds to the terrifying nature of the film. The horrifying smiling entity makes various haunted appearances throughout the film, and it is one of those movies where the protagonist’s turbulent mind frame also creates room for jump scares. The film's ending is also an unnerving jump scare. It is one of the few movies in the previous few years that has managed to effectively incorporate jump scares without it being a cheap distraction and is therefore a must-watch.

6. The Descent

Starring Shauna Macdonald, Alex Reid, and others, this British horror movie is directed by Neil Marshall and is an iconic horror movie that has earned a cult status. The movie was a critical and commercial success and has the simple premise of a group of young, adventurous women who enter an uncharted cave system and struggle to survive as they find unimaginable monsters inside. The movie has snippets of character arcs as well, such as one of the friends, Juno, who takes her friends into the uncharted caves through deceiving tactics. Another friend, Sarah, is still overcome by the road accident that killed her husband and daughter. However, the film’s strength lies in its creation of a nightmarish and claustrophobic atmosphere as the women are trapped inside a cave. Further, the movie has plenty of jump scares as humanoid creatures begin to attack the women and feast on their flesh. The film is full of blood and gore and has cunning camera angles that add to the jump scares. However, it is one of those movies that has quality horror and not cheap entertainment. From the physical and emotional agony that the women face to the pure horror of their situation and the bloodthirsty creatures, this is one of the must-watch horror movies.

7. Hell Fest

Still from the movie (Image via Lionsgate Movies)

Directed by Gregory Plotkin, this horror movie might have received mixed reviews from critics and fans, but it delivers on offering plenty of jump scares. Therefore, it is one of those movies that viewers can watch if they want quality jump scares. Starring Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, and others, the movie is about a group of teens who are stalked by a serial killer while visiting a traveling Halloween carnival. The premise is inventive, and the movie is a capable slasher film that will terrify the audiences. The movie might have some cliches, but it has respectably creepy visuals and delivers on the promise of good jump scares. It is one of those movies that is perfect for the horror aficionado, as it makes the hearts race of the viewers and is sure to plague the viewers with its nightmarish visuals. The film also has some background about the teenagers’ various relationships with one another and therefore tries to add some depth to the movie. However, the movie excels in those scenes where it builds up tension and perfectly lands on an unexpectedly frightening moment. Therefore, it is one of those movies that viewers should watch for the jump scares and for the creepy entertainment in between.