NO SLEEP: We’ve Ranked The 12 Scariest Found Footage Horror Movies
There’s something about found footage horror movies that can deeply unsettle even the bravest viewer.
Positioning its audience right behind the camera, these kinds of films can scare the beejebus out of us like no other genre.
While there’s countless found footage horror movies out there, only a small fraction seem to pull it off. But, FYI we’re not talking Cannibal Holocaust-level scary, I like the kind of horrors where I can at least keep food down while watching them.
We’ve ranked the 12 scariest found footage horror movies:
#12. Unfriended
This was an awesome concept that didn’t quite pull through with the goods. The whole movie takes place online, inside the screens of a group of high school teens. It still serves some genuine thrills and to this day the Skype ringtone fills me with dread.
#11. Willow Creek
This movie got close to the scary heights of its found footage inspo The Blair Witch Project, but rather than a witch haunting their victims, this time around it’s Big Foot. The film is a slow burner but the ending is legit scary AF.
#10. [REC]/Quarantine
Found footage zombie movies have become a mini-genre of their own and Spanish horror [REC] absolutely nailed it. The American remake, the less effective Quarantine, is also damn terrifying but many rate the OG as the best.
#9. The Sacrament
This one is more unsettling than outright ooky spooky, but if you’re utterly fascinated by cults (guilty!) this movie is for you. It’s inspired by the Jonestown Massacre, a cult-led mass suicide that killed 918 people in 1978, and it’s all kinds of disturbing.
#8. The Tunnel
Our first Aussie entry, docu-style horror The Tunnel is so damn underrated and provides some genuine screams. Set in the abandoned train network under Sydney’s CBD, a journalist searches for a mythologised creature that stalks its darkened tunnels. Eeeek!
#7. The Visit
This movie didn’t get the attention it deserved when it was released. Which was especially weird as it’s by the master of thrills M. Night Shyamalan. It’s a simple concept as two kids visit their grandparents but it becomes low-key terrifying and has a delicious twist.
#6. Lake Mungo
Another Aussie entry, Lake Mungo is more spooky than scary but it’s still super suspenseful to watch. This faux documentary follows a family as they come to terms with the death of their daughter, while supernatural events start occurring in their house.
#5. V/H/S
For those with a short attention span, V/H/S is an anthology of short stories based on found footage. Some shorts are truly great while others are just straight-up gruesome as hell.
#4. Creep
I cannot boast enough about this film. It’s so damn creepy and waaaay too real. Imagine answering a random Gumtree ad and the whole experience quickly turns into a nightmare. The sequel is also worth a watch.
#3. Cloverfield
This is a monster movie with a difference and it’s absolutely heart-pumping cinema. Its non-found footage sequel 10 Cloverfield Lane is also worth a watch, while The Cloverfield Paradox can get straight in the bin.
#2. The Blair Witch Project
There’s a reason this movie brought the found footage genre into the mainstream back in the ’90s. Forget the sequels and the 2016 reboot: The original is absolutely chilling and that ending still gives me night terrors.
#1. Paranormal Activity
Say what you like about this film as a never-ending franchise, the original is still one of only a handful of horror films that truly frightened me. It brought the horror genre into modern homes, making it way too real and relatable. Tbh, I’m still too afraid to let my legs hang off my bed at night.