13 Top Frightful Films That Marked Zoomers For Life

By Dolores Quintana · @doloresquintana · July 9, 2023, 12:52 AM EDT
Eden Lake (2008)

We already discussed some of the films from the 60s; how about we jump ahead to the era when Gen Z or the Zoomers were just kids and starting to watch horror movies that gave them some frights that will never go away?

Eden Lake (2008)

Eden Lake (2008)

Image Credit: IMDB

"Eden Lake," directed by James Watkins, stars Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender. The ending is really hopeless, and it has deeply affected several fans who love the film and can't stop talking about how disturbing it is.

28 Days Later (2002)

28 Days Later (2002)

Image Credit: IMDB

Danny Boyle's frenetic post-apocalyptic horror tale has great actors and an engaging story that strongly affects post-apocalyptic and zombie films. It's very influential and had an undeniable impact on the Zoomer audience.

Let the Right One In (2008)

Let the Right One In (2008)

Image Credit: IMDB

Tomas Alfredson's adaptation of "Let the Right One In" is another film that made a powerful impression on people growing up in the 2000s. It is a romantic vampire film that has sympathy for the outsider, which is something that horror fans can connect to.

Martyrs (2008)

Martyrs (2008)

Image Credit: IMDB

Pascal Laugier's "Martyrs" is legendary among horror fans. It's not just the film's violence and gore, but it is the emotional performances of the actors, Morjana Alaoui and Mylène Jampanoï. It's a film that is a film that has an intimidating reputation that is well deserved, but it is more about how searing the emotions in the movie are.

Inside (2007)

Inside (2007)

Image Credit: IMDB

"Inside," directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, has an alarming level of violent brutality that is wielded against a pregnant woman alone. The film is a duel between Béatrice Dalle and Alysson Paradis. It's a genuine shocker for the Zoomers.

30 Days of Night (2007)

30 Days of Night (2007)

Image Credit: IMDB

Directed by David Slade and starring Josh Hartnett and Melissa George, "30 Days of Night" is one of the more brutal versions of vampires in horror. Pitiliess and very hungry, these soulless bloodsuckers are very frightening. Within the same decade, you have two very different interpretations of the vampire myth: "30 Days of Night" and "Let The Right One In."

Session 9 (2001)

Session 9 (2001)

Image Credit: IMDB

Brad Anderson's "Session 9" is an intricate contemplation of where evil comes from. The film starts slowly, and the terror ramps up as the pieces fall into place. When the final reveal of who is responsible finally appears, it is disturbing in a way no other film has ever achieved.

Lake Mungo (2008)

Lake Mungo (2008)

Image Credit: IMDB

"Lake Mungo," directed by Joel Anderson, is a found footage film with an excellent reputation among horror fans. It delves into the characters rather than trying to plant the typical moments throughout the story and concludes with one devastating jump scare. It's so powerful that people are still talking about it.

Land of the Dead (2005)

Land of the Dead (2005)

Image Credit: IMDB

George Romero's "Land of the Dead" is a much more glossy film than his previous entries in the Living Dead canon, but it still brings some brutal kills in its uncut version. The theme this time is about how the rich treat everyone else, and I can't help but think that it influenced young Zoomers who have a substantial antipathy to billionaires now.

The Strangers (2008)

The Strangers (2008)

Image Credit: Universal Studios

Bryan Bertino has since made another savage and hopeless film with "The Dark and the Wicked," but "The Strangers" definitely imprinted itself upon impressionable Zoomers when it was released. Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman give performances that make you hurt along with them.

American Psycho (2000)

American Psycho (2000)

Image Credit: IMDB

Mary Harron's "American Psycho" successfully adapted Bret Easton Ellis' bloodthirsty novel. Some of the violence and gore are still present in the film. Still, by focusing on the mental state of Christian Bale's Patrick and his emotional violence, it elevates it to an ironic peak of black comedy horror.

Final Destination 2 (2003)

Final Destination 2 (2003)

Image Credit: IMDB

"Final Destination 2" has made more people change lanes if they are behind a truck carrying an unsecured load, especially if it is loaded with logs. The "Final Destination" franchise is known for its gruesome kills, but the opening scene in "Final Destination 2" has affected fans' real-life behavior.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Image Credit: Universal Studios

Zach Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead" differs from George Romero's films, but it is gory and remorseless with a hefty dose of extremely dark humor. The studio released the first 10 minutes of the movie on television, and it caused a sensation. Once you saw that opening, you had to see the film, and once you saw the film, you were shocked. I know I was.

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