Some movies split audiences into two camps. One group is blown away by what they have just watched and recommends it to all their friends, while the other group wants the two hours of their life back and warns their friends to steer clear. Inhorror, where bold ideas have a higher chance of materializing into finished products, divisive films are released on a semi-regular basis.
From tackling controversial subject matter in an unexpected way to eschewing a traditional narrative for an experimental feature,the following horror movies garnered strong reactions from moviegoers. For these ten horror films, fans either hailed them as the next classic of the genre or argued with the theater, asking for a refund policy on tickets. These ten divisive horror moviesaren’t ranked in any particular order, but each entry is sure to ignite debates about their quality.
10’The Lighthouse' (2019)
Directed by Robert Eggers
Near the turn of the century, two lighthouse keepers struggle to maintain their sanity and tempers inThe Lighthouse.Robert Pattinsonis Ephraim Winslow, a man running from his past but finding no better future working under Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe), a forceful and bullish ex-sailor. The two men remain at constant odds, and their situation only worsens after they become stranded at their post with dwindling rations.
The black-and-white presentation is beautiful and haunting at the same time, and earned the cinematographerJarin Blaschkea much-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography. Those who left theaters with a glowing review forThe Lighthouse loved the visuals and the acting of Pattinson and Dafoe, but the less impressed half of the audience had a different opinion. The plot’s ambiguous aspects werefrustrating for some and boring to others, disappointing a group looking for horror with a clearer message.
The Lighthouse
9’The Coffee Table' (2022)
Directed by Caye Casas
For some movies, the premise alone will incite debates about tasteful storytelling, as is the case withThe Coffee Table. The film follows Jesus (David Pareja), a father to a newborn infant, who is tasked with watching the child while putting together a new piece of furniture. When a tragic accident occurs, Jesus’s attempts to hide the evidence will venture down a path that no other film has ever dared to go.
Critically,The Coffee Tableis a well-received indie horror, currently sitting at 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, buta horror comedy centered around infanticide is going to invite strong reactions. The subject matter would typically be upsetting enough, but the idea of framing such an incident within a black comedy could be taken as offensive to a portion of moviegoers. The willingness to take humor in the darkest direction possible is what won over its fans, includingStephen King,who said ofThe Coffee Table, “My guess is you have never, not once in your whole life, seen a movie as black as this one."
The Coffee Table
8’Skinamarink' (2022)
Directed by Kyle Edward Ball
Two children find themselves in a bizarre version of their home in the highly divisiveSkinamarink. Four-year-old Kevin and six-year-old Kaylee are siblings trapped in a house that appears to be theirs, although odd things continue to happen, such as doors disappearing or strange, unidentifiable noises coming from other rooms. Faced with increasingly frightening and unsettling imagery, the children seemingly have no way to escape their unclear fate.
There’sno way to have a neutral opinion onSkinamarink. It doesn’t follow a traditional narrative structure, or any type of structure, telling a story through strange images and mysterious sounds arranged in a sometimes seemingly random way to make the viewer uneasy. However, the people who found the sparse dialogue and lack of linear plotmore boring than frighteningwere headed for the exits, even if they were watching it at home.
Skinamarink
7’Midsommar' (2019)
Directed by Ari Aster
Each new film fromAri Asterdraws a debate among horror lovers, butMidsommarcreates potentially the biggest divide. After suffering a devastating loss, Dani (Florence Pugh) is consumed with grief, receiving little support from her boyfriend, Christian (Jack Reynor). When Dani is asked to come along with Christian and his friends to a Swedish midsummer festival, she reluctantly agrees. The young group initially enjoys the festivities, but odd behavior and deadly rituals soon make their stay a treacherous one.
Fans of folk horror will get more mileage out ofMidsommar, but a large portion of the viewers were leftwondering why the film had so much hype. A large source of praise can be traced back to Pugh’s performance, whose character runs a full gamut of complicated emotions while grieving a seismic loss.Midsommaris methodically paced with the intent ofbuilding a steady momentum of dread, but those who weren’t buying into the scares were left feeling restless.
6’Bring Her Back' (2025)
Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou
After the unexpected death of their father, high schooler Andy (Billy Barratt) and his younger sister Piper (Sora Wong) are sent to live with foster mother Laura (Sally Hawkins). Laura is enthusiastic to welcome Piper into her home, but treats Andy with guarded apprehension that manifests into passive-aggressive behavior toward him. Andy begins to suspect there is something wrong with Laura, especially regarding her relationship with her other foster child, Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), who appears to be possessed.
Bring Her Backis a fantastic follow-up toTalk to Mefrom directorsDanny PhilippouandMichael Philippou, but the disturbing narrative involving minors turned off viewers sensitive to those topics, while others found the pacing to be too slow. This is meant as a compliment, butthe story inBring Her Backis relentlessly grim, so the emotional journey it will take viewers on can be tiring. For horror fans willing to go along for the ride, they’ll be treated to incredible acting in every scene, from Hawkins in a chilling role that allows her to be a monster and sympathetic, to Phillips, whose possessed child is terrifying to watch.
5’Halloween III: The Season of the Witch' (1982)
Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace
InHalloween III: The Season of the Witch, the film franchise momentarily breaks from its slasher success to tell a story about a deadly conspiracy involving Halloween. The film follows Dan (Tom Atkins), a doctor who investigates a murder tied to a strange new batch of Halloween masks. When Dan traces the masks back to their source, the Silver Shamrock Novelties company, he discovers a plan with horrifying implications for the world.
The attempt to change gears was in line with directorJohn Carpenter’s original idea to use an anthology format for theHalloweenseries, with each film being a new story, but this was before a horror icon was introduced to the world.Halloween III: The Season of the Witchisn’t the worstentry in the Halloween franchise, but it’ll be at the bottom of many fans’ lists based on the absence of the white-masked killer the series is known for. Doing aHalloweenmovie andnot including Michael Myers was an unforgivable sinto many, but there’s another camp that sees the film asan underappreciated gem.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
4’The Blair Witch Project' (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez
The movie that kicked off a wave of found footage horror continues to divide moviegoers.The Blair Witch Projectfollows three filmmakers as they film a documentary about a local legend called the Blair Witch. After interviewing people in the town, the crew heads into the forest, where they slowly begin to encounter strange occurrences that imply they aren’t alone. Stress builds as the trio finds themselves lost in the unfamiliar woods, becoming prey for something they assumed was a myth.
Modern audiences see afound-footage horror moviethat’s light on plot and requires a dose of Dramamine to complete, but the movie itself was only part of the experience for those who thoughtThe Blair Witch Projectwas real. Leading up to the release of the horror film,the marketing campaign was designed as a missing persons case, and many of the first audiences who bought tickets thought it was real. Granted, there’szero precedence of screening evidence tied to an open criminal case in theaters, but it was the ’90s, and everyone wanted to believe.
The Blair Witch Project
3’Mother!' (2017)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror movieMother!is guaranteed toelicit strong reactions from audienceswho either love or hate what they just watched. The film starsJennifer Lawrenceas “Mother,” a woman who lives in a remote farmhouse with her husband, “Him” (Javier Bardem). Their tranquil existence is upended when strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, quickly turning into an unruly mob that abuses the hospitality of their hosts.
Devotees of Aronofsky’s filmographygenerally foundMother!to be another masterpiece of the director, appreciatingthe use of surreal symbolism to create tension. Those less enthralled with the structure of the movie found the production to be a self-indulgent exercise in prolonged artistic experimentation. Love it or hate it, the one thing everyone can agree on is that Lawrence’s performance is exceptional, if not overwhelming, especially as the story reaches its conclusion.
2’Climax' (2018)
Directed by Gaspar Noé
A party to blow off steam becomes a psychedelic nightmare for a French dance troupe inClimax. The film follows a group of dancers who cap off a strenuous rehearsal with an afterparty to unwind. Unfortunately, the group soon learns their sangria was spiked with LSD, forcing the dancers into a night of hellish psychological torture as they confront one another and their demons.
Climaxaccomplishes an immersion for the audience that works too well when the night takes a regrettable turn for the dancers. The viewer receives the best virtual experience of a drug-induced spiral, where a traditional narrative takes a backseat tofluid feelings and expressions through body movement. However,Climaxgoes to some incredibly dark places during its runtime, and when the unflinching depictions of harm and assault rapidly increase,those with weak stomachs may be ready to leavethe party early.
1’Terrifier 2' (2022)
Directed by Damien Leone
A film that fans eitherdesperately love or avoidisTerrifier 2. Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) returns to inflict new waves of pain and torture, improvising with any nearby household items to maximize the suffering. When Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and her younger brother Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) become Art’s next targets, they’ll need to fight with everything they have to survive the night.
Any entryin the trilogy ofTerrifiermoviesqualifies for the discussion, but the second generally tends to be the fan-favorite of the bunch. TheTerrifierseries hasmade Art the Clown a modern horror icon, but for some, the violent acts depicted in the movies aretoo graphic to enjoy. However, it’s those same brutal acts carried out by Art that have helped turn the movies into underground hits, with a 4th entry in production.
Terrifier 2
NEXT:The 10 Greatest Historical Horror Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
