Movies with disturbing content can make you feel anxious and unsettled. The majority of these films are inspired on real-life stories. Some are just warped horror films with the sole purpose of frightening you, while others depict the dark side of human nature. Read on for a checklist of scary movies that can help you spot some of the most terrifying movies now in theaters.
Unsettling movies make you think about the darker side of humanity and leave you feeling uneasy. A lot of really disturbing and gory stuff happens in all of these movies. However, while some of these movies are universally hailed as masterpieces of cinema, others are only recognized as genre classics.
Disturbing movie checklist
The majority of these unsettling movies have been labeled as horror films. Disturbing and horrifying scenes are included. Even though they’re not scary per se, movies whose themes center on loss might bring on the waterworks. In the list below you’ll find movies that are too distressing to watch, including horror and incredibly sad ones.
1. Requiem For a Dream
IMDb rating: 8.3/10
The effects of her*in addiction on the bodies and minds of four persons are depicted in the American psychological drama film Requiem For a Dream (2000). Because of their dependency on substances, they are trapped in a hopeless and distorted reality.
All of the protagonists gradually deteriorate as the film progresses, and the tragedy that results from their abandonment of truth in favor of fiction is ultimately tragic. Because of this, Harry loses an arm, Tyrone suffers the indignity of jail time, Marion is stripped of her honor, and Sara is rendered catatonic by electroshock therapy.
Nobody gets the happily-ever-after they were hoping for. We see in this film how easily our hearts may be broken. It’s one of those depressing films that’s best seen only once.
2. The Boy In The Striped Pajamas
IMDb rating: 7.7/10
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, a 2006 novel by John Boyne, was adapted into a historical drama film released in 2008. The novel takes place in a concentration camp during World War II from the perspective of Bruno, an eight-year-old child who is not allowed to make friends with a Jewish boy from the other side of the camp. Bruno is the camp commandant’s son.
The lads have a close relationship and clearly enjoy spending time together. Their daily conversations are constant. However, Bruno is confused when his father appoints him a tutor, and he is left wondering who could be the bad guy amongst the two.
3. Irreversible
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
In the film, each scene occurs before the one before it, creating a reverse chronological order.
Critics were divided on this one, with some applauding the performances and others condemning the movie for its vivid depiction of violence and r*pe. But the film’s violence and harshness have turned off the majority of viewers.
4. The Passion of the Christ
IMDb rating: 7.2/10
The Passion of the Christ is an American epic biblical drama film released in 2004. It stars Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth, Maia Morgenstern as his mother, and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene.
It follows the gospel accounts of Jesus’ death as told in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The final twelve hours of Jesus Christ’s life are depicted in the film, whose title comes from the book The Passion.
The story begins with Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Olives and continues through his crucifixion and death, Judas Iscariot’s betrayal, the dreadful Scourging at the Pillar, Mary’s sorrow as foreseen by Simeon, and a brief narrative of his resurrection.
5. The Last House on the Left
IMDb rating: 6.5/10.
The Collingwoods of The Last House on the Left, a 2009 American retribution horror film, follow the efforts of Mari’s parents as they seek vengeance on the group of strangers, lead by a man named Krug, who sought refuge in their home during a storm. In The Last House on the Left, we learn that even seemingly normal families can be pushed to their breaking points.
6. I Spit On Your Grave
IMDb rating: 6.2/10.
The 2010 American rpe and vengeance horror movie I Spit on Your Grave had a big impact on the industry. Jennifer, an aspiring writer who has rented a cabin in the country to work on her first novel, is gang-raped by four local guys who then abandon her for dead. Jennifer manages to live and goes out on a violent quest for vengeance, oftentimes using sx as bait before she brutally murders her enemies.
7. The Seasoning House
IMDb rating: 6.1/10.
The main character of The Seasoning House is a young woman named Angel, who is forced to work in a sex labor factory. Women are kidnapped and sold as sx instruments to male officers in the military. During the day, Angel is responsible for drugging and primping the kidnapped women. After several men have violently rped them, Angel is also responsible for cleaning up the mess they’ve made.
8. The Woman
IMDb rating: 6.0/10
American horror film The Woman, starring Pollyanna McIntosh and Angela Bettis, was released in 2011. The picture opens with a nameless wild woman searching for food in the jungle before returning to her cave and circling what appears to be her child. She was injured on the side of her body.
A wolf, which the wild mother appears to have tamed, plays protectively around the baby. The film was lauded for its exploration of everyday phenomena that are taken for granted by most.
9. Hostel
IMDb rating: 5.9/10
In Hostel, a 2005 horror film, a mysterious cult kidnaps and tortures its victims before killing them. It’s a dirty horror flick with some really disturbing torture sequences in it.
It’s about two European tourists who are convinced to stay at a hostel in Slovakia by two women.
After arriving, they realize it’s a front for kidnapping unsuspecting vacationers and selling them to affluent businessmen who use torture and murder as a kind of stress relief.
10. A Serbian Film
IMDb rating: 5.0/10
The protagonist of A Serbian Film is a p*rn star who is having financial difficulties and decides to participate in an art film, only to find out that he has been cast in a snuff movie with pedophilic and necrophilic elements.
The film’s brutality and violence caused a lot of controversy when it first came out. The movie is banned in the Philippines, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Norway, among other countries. Some people find it too unsettling to watch all the way through.
11. The Human Centipede
IMDb rating: 4.4/10
In the terrifying film The Human Centipede, a mad German doctor kidnaps three foreigners and surgically joins their mouths to their anuses, transforming them into a monstrous human centipede.
Next, he tries to make the three humans, who are in terrible pain and may soon die, into his pets.
12. August Underground
IMDb rating: 3.5/10
In August Underground, Peter is a serial killer who kidnaps and kills several people who weren’t invited. The reception to August Underground was lukewarm at best.
After the first film’s success, August Underground released a pair of sequels: Mordum in 2003 and Penance in 2007.
The films in this series rank towards the bottom of those that deal with unsettling themes of mental anguish and physical pain. The protagonist, Peter, sodomizes a prostitute while beating her with a hammer.
13. The Bunny Game
IMDb rating: 3.4/10
The Bunny Game takes place in the desert. In the film, a truck driver kidnaps a prostitute and subjects her to a series of brutal torture games that involve extreme acts of physical and sexual abuse. One of the most horrific films ever made. Furthermore, it is a powerful condemnation of the objectification of women in Western culture.
Have any opinions on the aforementioned frightening film checklist? The films focus on disturbing and horrific content. Some are critically acclaimed masterpieces of filmmaking, while others are genre staples that have gained cult followings.
READ ALSO: Top 15 best horror movies that will definitely scare you in 2022
WOTHAPPEN recently looked at some of the best horror flicks for fans of the genre. The films have horrific sequences that will have you sleeping with the lights on for days afterward.
The movies aren’t just scary; they also feature fantastic human drama. If you are a diehard fan of scary movies, peruse the selections below to find something to satisfy your cravings.