15. Zombieland (2009)
Number of major jump scares: 2
Zombielandis a great horror comedy movie that’s palatable even to those who don’t normally like horror. It’s never too serious with it.
Sure, it’s a zombie movie, but the characters in the movie operate with such little fear of the zombies that it makes them feel much less scary. There are a total of nine jump scares in the movie, but only two of them are considered major. You may not even notice the others.
And when you add in the comedic tone that lifts the entire film, you end up with a movie that’s enjoyable for both hardcore horror fans and people who don’t have a high tolerance for the genre.
Related:The Funniest Zombie Comedy Movies
14. A Quiet Place (2018)
Number of major jump scares: 4
A Quiet Placeis another fantastic movie for horror fans and non-fans alike. Most of the tension comes from the complete silence in the film, and there’s almost no gore in the movie at all.
There are a few jump scares mixed in, but they’re done tastefully, they’re never cheap, and there aren’t too many. In fact, there are only four major jump scares throughout the entire movie.
While many would definitely considerA Quiet Placeto sit firmly in the horror genre, it actually feels more like a psychological thriller than your traditional horror film. Plus, the movie is simply incredible!
Related:The Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies After the End of the World
13. The Babadook (2014)
Number of major jump scares: 2
The Babadookis the movie to graduate to after you’ve watched all of the other ones on this list, because it definitely pushes the limit of what’ll be comfortable for a non-fan of horror movies.
There are only two major jump scares in the whole movie, but the presence of The Babadook is quite unnerving, and he’s a rather scary looking “monster.”
In the end, there’s a huge twist inThe Babadookthat completely changes the way we interpret the movie. I won’t spoil it, but suffice it to say that it’s an interesting look at a problem many people face daily.
Related:The Best Movies About Trauma and PTSD, Ranked
12. It Follows (2014)
Number of major jump scares: 1
It Followsis quite an eerie film, making it one of the better horror movies to come out in the last decade.
There’s tension throughout as “It” continues to follow the protagonist around, but as the movie progresses, you almost get used to it being there.
Plus, there are only five jump scares in the entire movie—four of which are considered minor—so it’s perfectly tolerable.
It Followsis worth watching whether you’re into horror movies or not because it’s reallythatgood. Once the credits start rolling, you’ll realize the real fright comes from the message the movie wants to convey—but I won’t spoil it for you!
Related:The Best Horror Movies Without Much Blood or Gore
11. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Number of major jump scares: 0
Ana Lily Amirpour’sA Girl Walks Home Alone at Nightwas advertised as the first Iranian vampire Western. With a cinematic foundation as rich as that, it didn’t need any jump scares to frighten audiences.
The plot follows a man named Arash (played by Arash Marandi), who tries to take care of his heroin-addicted father. However, when Saeed—the drug dealer to whom they owe money—comes looking for them, he takes their car as form of payment.
Then, when Saeed walks home that evening and comes across a girl in a chador, he takes her back to his apartment. That ends up being one of the biggest mistakes he’ll ever make…
With no jump scares at all,A Girl Walks Home Alone at Nightis an allegorical horror movie that works on several levels.
Related:The Best Vampire Movies Worth Watching, Ranked
10. Green Room (2015)
Number of major jump scares: 1
Jeremy Saulnier’sGreen Roomis a tense horror drama from A24. Even knowing there’s only one jump scare, your knuckles will be white.
When a punk band realizes they’re going to be playing at a neo-Nazi venue, none of them are thrilled. But when they become the sole witnesses to a murder that occurs on the premises, everything becomes that much more horrifying.
The horror inGreen Roomdoesn’t come from any supernatural phenomenon but the spine-tingling fear that things are quickly spiraling way out of control.
Related:The Best Suspense Thriller Movies That Are Seriously Intense
9. Goodnight Mommy (2014)
Number of major jump scares: 1
Directed by Austrian directing duo Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz,Goodnight Mommyis one of those unsettling horror films that stays with you long after the credits roll.
The story centers on twin boys, Elias (played by Elias Schwarz) and Lukas (played by Lukas Schwarz), who enjoy doing everything together. When their mother returns home from the hospital after having undergone cosmetic surgery for her face, they welcome her together.
However, they both begin to have doubts that the woman underneath the bandages is truly their mother.
Goodnight Mommyonly has one jump scare, but it’s the unsettling atmosphere that makes this movie one to remember.
Related:The Best Movies About Twins, Ranked
8. Funny Games (1997)
Number of major jump scares: 1
Michael Haneke has directed some of the most disturbing films of all time, and that definitely includesFunny Games.
This film centers on a picturesque family who are vacationing in a scenic mountain getaway. One day, when two boys come over to say hello and borrow some eggs, it all seems normal.
But when they refuse to leave, and when they seem uncannily relaxed through every confrontation, it soon becomes obvious that they have a diabolical plan up their sleeves.
Starring Arno Frisch in a most unnerving performance,Funny Gamesonly has one jump scare but will keep you tense for the entire runtime.
Related:The Best Movies About Hostages and Captives, Ranked
7. Don’t Look Now (1973)
Number of major jump scares: 1
Don’t Look Nowfollows John (played by Donald Sutherland) and Laura (played by Julie Christie), a man and wife who are in the midst of grieving their daughter, who recently drowned in a terrible accident.
As they walk around Venice, John is haunted by visions of a girl in a red coat—the same coat his daughter was wearing when she died.
Nicolas Roeg directed this iconic horror film in 1973, and it’s still just as good today as it was back then. The sustained sense of dread is what makes this film so horrifying, despite only one jump scare.
6. Cat People (1942)
Number of major jump scares: 2
Directed by Jacques Tourneur,Cat Peoplewas one of the first major mainstream supernatural horror films. Not only did it blend this genre with the monster movie seamlessly, it also featured only two jump scares.
Irena Dubrovna (played by Simone Simon) believes that her ancestors are actually a mystical species of cat people, who transform into immense felines when they’re aroused. As it turns out, it’s true.
Don’t let the funny title fool you!Cat Peopleisn’t just frightening, but it’s a classic tale that carries an important message, all while keeping the audience in nerve-racking suspense.
Related:The Best Classic Monster Movies Still Worth Watching Today
5. Carrie (1976)
Number of major jump scares: 1
Brian De Palma directedCarriewith such skill that it didn’t need many jump scares to be horrifying. In fact, it only has one! Set in high school, the setting is terrifying enough already.
Carrie (played by Sissy Spacek in an iconic performance) is a 16-year-old girl who’s going through a difficult time: she’s being bullied at school, her mother is deranged, and she recently discovered telekinetic powers.
A classic horror film for the ages, the single jump scare inCarrieis developed so well that it could count for ten jump scares.
Related:The Best School Horror Movies Set in High School or College
4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Number of major jump scares: 0
In directingThe Silence of the Lambs, Jonathan Demme not only reinvented a classic character, but also ended up creating one of the best horror movies of all time.
Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster) is an FBI agent who’s tasked with locating Buffalo Bill, a serial killer who’s preyed upon numerous women. So, she enlists the help of an even more infamous serial killer who’s currently incarcerated: Hannibal Lecter (played by Anthony Hopkins).
The horror inThe Silence of the Lambsdoesn’t need any jump scares. It comes from the superlative performances from Jodie Foster (who convincingly portrays a woman beset with evil at every corner) and Anthony Hopkins (who’s iconic as the cannibalistic psychopath).
Related:The Best Psychological Horror Movies That Are Disturbing & Twisted
3. The Fly (1986)
Number of major jump scares: 2
When it comes to his films, David Cronenberg has never been a director to rely on cheap jump scares.
His horror is usually a mix of metaphysical angst, Lovecraftian eeriness, and grotesque body horror. All of that comes together to makeThe Flynot only his best film, but one of the best horror films ever.
This movie is about a well-meaning scientist (played by Jeff Goldblum) who believes he’s on the brink of inventing teleportation. However, when a fly makes it into his teleportation chamber during one of his test runs, the results are disastrous for him.
He ends up spiraling into an emotional black hole, which means only two jump scares were needed to turnThe Flyinto a classic of horror cinema. It may be a remake of the 1958 original, but it’s improved on every front.
Related:The Best Body Horror Movies of All Time, Ranked
2. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Number of major jump scares: 2
Directed by Tobe Hooper,The Texas Chain Saw Massacreis easily one of the most frightening films of all time.
When a group of friends are snooping around a seemingly abandoned rural area in Texas, things go from bad to worse as they start disappearing one by one. Turns out, they aren’t alone.
Now an iconic horror movie that inspired the birth of the slasher film genre, the originalThe Texas Chain Saw Massacreactually featured very few jump scares for a total of two.
Related:The Scariest Horror Movies That Were Banned (And Why)
1. Get Out (2017)
Number of major jump scares: 0
Get Outis my personal favorite horror movie of recent years. It’s intelligent, filled with tension, and guaranteed to make you uncomfortable—but not all that scary in the traditional jumpy sense.
It’ll make you think deeply about the world as we know it, but it won’t fill your head with thoughts of blood and murder. In fact, there are no major jump scares in the whole film (though there are a few minor ones).
Nothing is as it seems in the seemingly peaceful world ofGet Out, and the black protagonist Chris (played by Daniel Kaluuya) quickly realizes that something is very wrong with his girlfriend’s white family.
Directed by Jordan Peele,Get Outis one of the best examples of how to execute dread in a horror film without relying on jump scares.
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