The Greatest R-Rated Horror Movie of the Modern Era Doesn't Need Gore to Terrify You

There's no denying the fact that we've been spoiled as horror fans over the last 15 years or so. The rise of studios like Blumhouse and A24, along with filmmakers like Jordan Peele and Ari Aster, has ushered in an era of unique voices that have reinvigorated the horror space. There's not one moment or movie that should get the credit for this recent wave of cinematic terror. There were a handful of movies in the early 2010s that were not only great horror films, but they proved to be massive box office success stories that were able to broaden the genre's audience by telling engaging stories — and keeping the gore to a minimum.

Look, there's absolutely nothing wrong with gnarly gore in a horror movie on the big screen, but it does turn off a decent chunk of the potential audience. Several movies, led by James Wan's modern masterpiece The Conjuring, took things in a direction that made the films even scarier than any amount of gore ever could. They connected to our true fears and were centered on genuine human stories of good versus evil. There's a reason why, 13 years later, The Conjuring remains one of the most beloved horror films of our time.

The Conjuring Brought Real Scares

Unlike the slashers and gore-heavy fare that dominated much of the 2000s, The Conjuring turned to the real-life story of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were played in the film (and subsequent franchise) by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. The cases of the Warrens are horrifying tales of demonic possessions and hauntings, all of which have been terrific fodder for the Conjuring franchise. Not only does the original film set the stage by introducing an evil that you can't exactly fight on your own, it also makes its victims as familiar as possible, which really makes its horrors feel even more realistic.

Instead of a cast of teenagers that make questionable decisions, or gruff heroes exploring uncharted worlds, The Conjuring's main characters are members of a very average family. One of them doesn't make some kind of deal with the devil that brings evil into their home. They aren't part of some lineage that has dealt with the occult for generations. These are just regular folks at the center of this story. People just like any of us.

By making the family feel as authentic and as normal as possible, The Conjuring suggests that these kinds of hauntings could happen to literally anyone. You don't have to make bad decisions or ignore obvious warnings — evil can simply stumble upon you anyway. That in and of itself is a terrifying idea, and a big part of how The Conjuring was able to leave such a lasting mark on us.

James Wan Made Built Atmosphere for Scares

In addition to making The Conjuring feel like a story we could stumble into, James Wan also took his time building the perfect scares throughout the film. He allowed the atmosphere to build up as the story went along, reminding us time and again that evil was lurking around every corner. Instead of bringing that evil to life every chance he got, Wan utilized relief and misdirection to give us a false sense of security, before delivering some of the best big-screen scares we've ever seen.

Think about the hide-and-seek sequence in The Conjuring, where members of the family use claps to find each other around the house. As soon as the rules of the game are introduced, you know that something terrifying is going to happen, but Wan lets the game build for quite a while before actually doing anything. So many setups for traditional scares are passed over, making viewers believe that the horrors may never come. But as soon as that security washes over you, a set of hands claps from the wardrobe, and another chilling build begins.

There have been a lot of great horror movies released since 2013, some that are even better than The Conjuring. But Wan's paranormal thrill-ride was such an effective and memorable engine for terror that few have been able to generate the same kind of buzz and momentum.