A Glean movie guide
Don't Blink: The Scariest Jump Scare Movies
Prepare for the ultimate startle.
High-intensity horror films designed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Insidious
A relentless barrage of auditory and visual shocks that redefined the modern jump scare.
A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
- 02
The Conjuring
Expertly crafted tension that culminates in some of the genre's most famous and well-choreographed reveals.
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
- 03
Sinister
A disturbing mystery punctuated by high-impact scares that have been scientifically noted for their intensity.
True-crime writer Ellison Oswalt is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.
- 04
Smile
Aggressive sound design and unsettling visual transitions ensure you are never truly safe from the next shock.
After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain.
- 05
Rec
This found-footage nightmare delivers a claustrophobic, high-speed descent into pure, relentless terror.
- 06
The Descent
Combines suffocating claustrophobia with one of the most effective creature reveals in horror history.
After a personal tragedy, Sarah joins her friends on a caving expedition in the Appalachian Mountains. But when a rockfall traps them deep underground, their adventure turns into a nightmare. As they search for a way out, the group discovers they are not alone—lurking in the darkness are savage, cave-dwelling creatures. With rising tension and dwindling trust, the women must fight to survive against both the predators and each other.
- 07
Host
A lean, terrifying experience that packs a massive number of scares into a tight, hour-long runtime.
Six friends hire a medium to hold a séance via Zoom during lockdown — but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realise they might not survive the night.
- 08
Barbarian
A masterclass in subverting expectations to deliver physical shocks you will never see coming.
In town for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway.
- 09
Talk to Me
High-stakes supernatural encounters and a fast-paced second half make for a consistently startling watch.
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
- 10
Lights Out
A clever premise that weaponizes the dark to provide a high density of scares in a short amount of time.
Rebecca must unlock the terror behind her little brother's experiences that once tested her sanity, bringing her face to face with a supernatural spirit attached to their mother.
- 11
Evil Dead Rise
An aggressive, loud, and visually intense experience that never lets up on the supernatural horror.
A reunion between two estranged sisters gets cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.
- 12
Don't Breathe
Uses oppressive silence to make every sudden noise and movement feel like a physical blow.
A group of teens break into a blind man's home thinking they'll get away with the perfect crime. They're wrong.