With his new film Malignant set to release, The Knockturnal decided to look back on Director James Wan’s Scariest horror films.
Wan’s upcoming film, Malignant, is a surrealist adventure into the uncertain. It follows Madison (Annabelle Walis) while she deals with visions of a grisly murder, all the while her reality crumbles around her.
In preparation, we decided to dive in and James Wan’s past horror films and rank them by how much they scared us. Here are James Wan’s 5 Scariest Movies:
Warning: while there aren’t any blatant spoilers, they may give away some important plot points.
1. The Conjuring (2013)
The first time I saw The Conjuring, I truly believed it to be the scariest film of all time. A part of me wants to say this as a modern adaptation of The Exorcist, but doing so would be an injustice to the latter. You can maybe say it’s like a modern interpretation, except it doesn’t break as much ground.
The film starts with Ed and Lorraine Warren, two supernatural hunters ready to exorcise some demons. Along with their very grounded morals and strong marriage, they provide a service to people in need of supernatural healing. After hearing about a family being haunted in their new home, they take it upon themselves to free the family from this evil being.
What sets this film apart is the ending. The climax of this film is absolutely unforgettable, featuring all the classic moments in a horror movie yet with a modern twist on them. While some may think the ending is all too predictable, the way we get there is what sets this film apart. The entire film leads up to an almost perfect climax making the audience feel almost like part of the haunted experience themselves.
The two main characters are very likable, from the start of the film we’re made to have some doubts about their abilities. This has some of the best acting in a James Wan film as well, I think this time around with a good script he was able to direct veteran horror stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson with ease.
*It should be noted The Conjuring, making over $300 Million alone, was the start to a horror franchise, spawning about eight sequels and raking in over $2 Billion.
Streaming on: Netflix and HBO Max.
2. Insidious (2010)
INSIDIOUS, Patrick Wilson, 2010. ©FilmDistrict/courtesy Everett Collection
A true classic among the younger generation. Insidious is tighter than Saw, although being a completely different movie. For Wan, it was a major improvement in acting, directing, and script. Still as much of a thriller, but much more of a horror, Wan sharpens the scares and decidedly backs off the body horror.
The supernatural element may seem goofy but if you buy into the first 20 minutes of the film, it makes for a much scarier ending. In short, the story revolves around Dalton, who’s become possessed because his father (Patrick Wilson), never got rid of the demon when he was younger. Now, the demon is here to stay and it’s put to Dalton’s Father and Mother (Rose Byrne) to get their son back from the spirit realm.
James Wan’s style is still seen throughout, especially in the washed out tone, making the entire film a lot more bleak. What makes it not as scary as The Conjuring is it has to rely on jump scares rather than showing the horror on screen. However, most have to do with the plot, and some are unexpected, making up for the PG-13 rating.
Warning: Do not be thrown off by the MPAA Rating. This film is still one of the scariest out there.
*Note: This film also spawned three sequels, none of which I have watched so I can’t really recommend them.
Streaming on Netflix.
3. Saw (2004)
Two men wake up in a basement, not not knowing how they got there. That’s all that’s needed to be said. In their first collaboration, James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell (who also plays Adam), use the incredibly low budget to their advantage, along with Whannell’s clever script to create a revolutionary classic. As the film goes on, the audience is sent through twists and turns, with an ending that no one expected coming in 2004. Whannell, writing the story in a sort of spiral, successfully throws off the viewer with each scene, making it a very enjoyable thriller.
What also sets this film apart is the infamous villain, Jigsaw, who operates on morals and reasoning, making him conflicting and somewhat relatable, rivaling the chaotic depth of only The Dark Knight’s Joker. It also needs to be said that Saw sort of set the ground for “torture porn” films, being a very gruesome film with deaths that are as gory as they are creative. Saw grossed over $100 Million on a $800,000 budget, spawning like 9 other movies. Unfortunately as they move along, they get more and more graphic losing the quality of the plot and dialogue, and most importantly, the reason that makes Jigsaw
Streaming on HBO Max.
4. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Ed and Lorraine Warren are back at it again with probably one of the best horror sequels to exist. Even though it’s much longer than the original (137 min), it still has something to say which is a big struggling point for most sequels. Instead of just playing off the first film, it expands the back story of the family, giving the film a much deeper emotional depth. James Wan even goes as far as tying it in with Ed and Lorraine’s character arcs, making them likable enough to care about their well being during the very intense climax.
While not as tight as the first one, The Conjuring 2 is sure to scare viewers almost as much as the first, and while not as memorable, will still leave an impact because that’s what James Wan does.
Streaming on Netflix.
5. Dead Silence (2007)
While not their best collaboration, James Wan and writer Leigh Whannel still put on a show with a lot of violent imagery that’ll definitely stick with you long after viewing. A witch, Mary Shaw, is on the loose, and Jamie believes that’s what killed his wife. However, the lead Detective (Donnie Wahlberg), seems to think Jamie did it. While trying to prove his innocence, Jamie begins to uncover something a lot more sinister than a serial killer on the loose.
The story line is very murky (to be honest, not much of the movie makes sense). This is said to be the fault of producers trying to recreate another “torture porn” movie like Saw. This film is definitely proof that the more people involved in a film doesn’t necessarily make it better. That being said, the rest of the movie has some grisly scenes that’ll make you cringe. The final twenty minutes are reminiscent of Saw, with tight claustrophobic shots in an abandoned warehouse. If you want something you’ll watch once because you only need to see it once, this is your movie.
Streaming on HBO Max.