I absolutely hate horror movies. I mean, I will do just about anything to avoid watching one. If there’s an opportunity to choose a different movie, I’ll take it. I’m much more into action, comedy, crime, and superhero movies. Give me Rush Hour, Casino, The Irishman, Spider-Man or even My Neighbor Totoro. I can watch those for hours. Just don’t ask me to sit through a horror movie.
Unfortunately, my friends had other plans recently when they decided we were going to watch Resident Evil. I wasn’t exactly forced to watch it, but when everyone else wants to watch a movie, you eventually run out of excuses. So there I was, sitting down to watch a movie I would never have picked myself.
To be fair, Resident Evil wasn’t as terrifying as I expected. It had its fair share of comedy and lighter moments, which made it a little easier to get through. But that didn’t stop me from jumping at pretty much every scary moment. My friends, naturally, found this hilarious. They even started taking pictures of my reactions throughout the movie. Apparently, watching me be scared was just as entertaining as watching the actual film. I’m not sure what was worse — the movie itself or knowing that my reactions were being documented for everyone to laugh at later.
But this whole experience reminded me why I avoid horror movies in the first place. I genuinely do not understand the appeal. Why would anyone willingly spend two hours watching something designed to scare them? People go out of their way to find the scariest movies, recommend them to their friends, and even rewatch them. Meanwhile, I’m sitting there wondering when it’s going to be over.
I understand that some people enjoy the suspense. Some like the adrenaline rush or the feeling of being scared without actually being in danger. I get that everyone has different tastes, but I still have questions. Is the entertainment really worth having to anticipate every unexpected noise, sudden movement, or jump scare? And why does everyone seem so excited when something terrifying happens on screen?
What I find especially confusing is how horror fans seem to enjoy the anticipation just as much as the scary moments themselves. They’ll sit through a quiet scene knowing something is probably about to happen, and instead of wanting to leave, they’re practically on the edge of their seats waiting for it. I would much rather enjoy a movie without constantly wondering when the next jump scare is coming. If I wanted to be surprised every five minutes, I’d find something else to do.
Halloween was just last week, so I suppose this is the time of year when horror movies are especially popular. Between scary movie marathons, haunted attractions, and people recommending their favorite horror films, there’s no shortage of opportunities to scare yourself. I respect the commitment, but I think I’ll be sitting those activities out. It’s also interesting how people spend the entire month looking for ways to get scared, while I’m doing my best to avoid anything remotely frightening.
Maybe my friends will convince me to watch another horror movie someday. Maybe I’ll eventually understand what everyone else seems to enjoy so much. But I’m not making any promises. I think I’ve given the genre a fair chance, and I’m not sure it needs another one.
For now, I’ve had enough. If you need me, I’ll be watching Rush Hour for the 100th time. At least Jackie Chan isn’t going to jump out of my TV screen.
