Each year, I dread the day that’s slowly creeping up on all of us: Halloween. I’m spooked by anything even remotely scary. I dislike the creepy jack o’lanterns, killer clowns running through the woods, and most importantly, I hate horror movies. Of all the possible movie genres, horror is by far the worst, and it’s not just because it’s too scary. 

The first problem with horror movies is they have the potential to create phobias in people. They’re designed to immerse you in the film, but sometimes it can go too far, and the components designed to scare you in the film linger in the back of your mind and end up haunting you in your daily life. According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, about 52% of people reported disturbances in sleeping after viewing a horror film or show. Allowing these phobias to affect you can prevent you from living your life freely and to its full potential. 

In addition to being scary, horror movies are poorly made. It’s widely known that horror movies feature some of the worst acting in the film industry. Given that horror movies are cheap, it’s a common theme that the better, well-known actors and actresses aren’t affordable. This being said, viewers can’t help but cringe as the actors continuously embarrass themselves throughout the duration of the film. 

Not only is the acting in horror movies below average, the plot lines leave much to be desired. They’re so predictable that even when the movie has hardly begun, I find myself successfully assuming which characters will die at the hands of the antagonist. This may have contributed to the reason that the 15 most popular horror movies from 2000-2006 earned an average rating of 57% from Rotten Tomatoes. The best movies tell a thoughtful story, whereas horror movies have no substance and only leave you paranoid of your surroundings.