Horror movie clichés have been around for ages, and we’ve come to expect them in every film we watch. Straying from these clichés can lead to a movie being ostracized, as viewers struggle to cope without the familiar tropes. Despite their predictability, we continue to watch horror movies for the adrenaline rush and the escape into the dark, dangerous unknown that lurks just beyond the shadows.
Here are five of the most overused clichés in horror movies that we can’t help but love.
1. Women always fall down when running.
It’s almost comical how often this cliché occurs. A female character could be running on a flat, level, dry terrain, and she’s still going to trip. While tripping in the woods on a dark night or slipping on a gruesome scene might be understandable, it seems that women in horror movies rarely look down at where they’re running. Men, on the other hand, often stand their ground and meet a grisly end. Perhaps this cliché balances out the fact that women tend to be smarter than men in horror movies – they’re trying to escape, but the cliché trips them up.
2. Adults are useless.
Expanding on Will Smith’s famous phrase, “Parents just don’t understand,” we arrive at this horror cliché. Adults in horror movies often doubt, reason, and try to explain things, making you wonder if common sense is even a requirement for being an adult in these films. Take the linked scene, for example – instead of running with his students, the professor tries to reason with Jason. The smart move would be to whack the guy with the machete and run.
3. Sex is a death sentence.
While we won’t provide a clip here, you can easily recall numerous sex scenes in horror movies that ended poorly. Sex can be a release when feeling stressed or scared, but if you’re already on edge, it should be the last thing on your mind. Unfortunately, horror films often use this as a setup, leaving the unsuspecting characters vulnerable and unprepared for the gruesome interruption that follows.
4. There’s a death order.
Final Destination highlighted the concept of a death order, but this formula has been in play for a long time. Typically, the most annoying characters die first or close to last, depending on their importance to the plot. Rest assured, there’s a definite order in which characters will die in a horror movie. Some films even spell it out for you to guide you through the grisly scenes.
5. Characters are just too stupid.
One thing you can count on in any horror movie is that characters will do and say stupid things. Whether it’s messing with something that could lead to danger or not panicking when strange events occur, people in horror movies often lack common sense. When characters do think, it tends to diminish the role of the antagonist.
Clichés persist in horror movies for a reason – we might feel lost without them. However, a horror film without these familiar tropes could make for a much more interesting journey.
Follow Us
