Boring, disturbing, and unimaginative are all characteristics that can be used to describe horror movies. They have lasting negative effects on viewers and as a category of films they are underwhelming when it comes to creating an eye-catching and entertaining storyline.
Following the plot of a scary movie can cause unpleasant mental aftermath such as increased anxiety for viewers. Most horror films contain unsettling jumpscares or paranormal activity that have the potential to send viewers into an overly nervous state.
“Watching horror images could lead to unwanted thoughts and feelings, so there’s usually a major urge in those who experience anxiety sensitivity to avoid such experiences,” Sally Winston, executive director of the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland and licensed psychologist, said.
Another drawback of horror movies, caused mostly by elevated heart rate after watching, is sleep deprivation. The experience causes extreme stress on the body as well as the brain.
“Even the post-horror euphoria some feel is activating, not relaxing. Thus, even for those who enjoy the emotional roller coaster, horror and suspense films can make it harder to sleep,” Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center, said.
The side effects of lack of sleep can be devastating. It leads to many health issues not only related to the brain, but the body as well.
“Not getting enough sleep drains your mental abilities and puts your physical health at risk. Science has linked inadequate slumber with many health problems, from weight gain to a weakened immune system,” Healthline, a website that works to provide accessible and understandable health and wellness information, said.
Other than the mental effect of watching horror films, the genre itself is recognized as having some of the worst acting in the movie industry. They often show amateur levels of performance compared to those in other categories such as comedy
or romance, further dimishing it’s reputation.
“As the horror genre is often cheap it will employ unknown or inexperienced actors, this can lead to poor attempts from people who can’t act their way out of a paper bag,” WhatCulture, an entertainment based website, said.
The story line of many scary movies are boring and repetitive. Original plots in horror films are hard to come by and keep getting worse as time goes on. It seems like writers cannot come up with imaginative ideas for their films.
“Just three movies from the 2010s and two from the 2000s have a higher Rotten Tomatoes rating than 80% while 12 movies from the 1960s and 10 from the 1970s achieved this feat,” where’s the jump, a website that conducted a study on the decreasing quality of horror movies, said.
All the factors mentioned above make watching scary movies an unenjoyable experience. Poor acting, lasting mental effects, and less entertaining narratives create a genre of movies that underperform and are disappointing to most viewers. Rather
than fixing these issues they continue to get worse and the horror movie industry continues to plummet.
