Top 10 Most Original Modern Horror Movie Plots

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There are some very creative minds out there! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for some of the most innovative and refreshing horror movie plots of the 21st century.

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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for some of the most innovative

00:11and refreshing horror movie plots of the 21st century.

00:20Number 10.

00:21The Dark Side of Beauty, The Substance.

00:23The Substance is a haunting exploration of identity vis-a-vis the human desire for eternal

00:28youth.

00:29The plot revolves around a mysterious serum that allows individuals to create a second

00:44youthful body.

00:45It's a second symbiotic form of physical rebirth.

00:48The film delves into the psychological and ethical consequences of living in two bodies

00:52at once, blurring the line between reality and self-delusion.

01:03The story is rife with moral ambiguity, body horror, and the creeping fear of losing one's

01:08identity.

01:09The Substance offers a fresh take on the be-careful-what-you-wish-for trope that has long been essential to the

01:14horror genre.

01:19Number 9.

01:20Melodramatic Body Horror, The Skin I Live In.

01:24Pedro Almodovar, already a master of melodrama, created a genre-bending masterpiece with The

01:29Skin I Live In.

01:31Frequent collaborator Antonio Banderas stars as a brilliant plastic surgeon who, after

01:35a personal tragedy, becomes fixated on creating an artificial, indestructible skin.

01:40His twisted experiments unfold around a mysterious woman who becomes the subject of his work.

01:45The Skin I Live In is a disturbing and thought-provoking film about the intersection between control,

01:51obsession, and identity.

02:01It offers a fascinating and terrifying lens on both bodily autonomy and transformation.

02:07The narrative, too, weaves a complex web of psychological horror and ventions.

02:12Its blend of medical science, moral ambiguity, and personal trauma pushes horror conventions

02:17into uncomfortable territory, leaving an unforgettable impact.

02:24Number 8.

02:25A Demonic Noir, The Wailing.

02:28Film noir, with its deep pools of shadows and its focus on mystery and moral ambiguity,

02:33is a genre ripe for a horror crossover.

02:36Director Nahon Jin delivered with The Wailing, creating an intense and unpredictable cinematic

02:41masterpiece.

02:48Set in a small village plagued by murders and mysterious sickness, the film follows

02:52a police officer drawn into a spiraling investigation.

02:55What begins as a detective story quickly evolves into something far more unsettling.

03:07The line between the rational and the supernatural blurs in a world beset by paranoia and desperation.

03:14Its intricate layering of religious symbolism and chilling atmosphere is utterly immersive.

03:19Nothing in The Wailing feels certain, with danger lurking beneath every surface.

03:34Number 7.

03:35Imprinted by grief itself, The Babadook.

03:41Eschewing jump scares for the psychological terror of slowly unraveling, The Babadook

03:46is arguably one of the best horrors ever made.

03:49The film follows Amelia, a widowed mother struggling to care for her troubled son.

03:53Their discovery of a disturbing children's book introduces a terrifying creature, the

03:57Babadook, into their lives.

04:08As the sinister presence in their home grows stronger, it becomes increasingly clear that

04:12this horror is a thinly veiled metaphor about the haunting power of grief.

04:16The film expertly weaves together themes of trauma, repression, and motherhood.

04:21The Babadook is the physical manifestation of how grief, when left unchecked, can tear

04:25lives apart.

04:31Number 6.

04:33Body-stealing hitmen, Possessor.

04:43In the era of drone warfare, Possessor imagines a world where we become drones ourselves.

04:48The film follows an elite assassin who carries out her hits by inhabiting other people's

04:53bodies.

05:00Using cutting-edge technology, she takes over their minds and uses their bodies to

05:03commit murder.

05:04The process blurs the boundaries between assassin and host, leading to profound and deadly conflict.

05:10After a botched hit, both she and her host struggle with neurological and psychological

05:14dissociation and deterioration.

05:17Filled with stark visuals and visceral violence, Possessor delivers a complex narrative.

05:22It scrutinizes notions of self and remote connection with others, even as fewer of

05:26the audience's interactions with others take place in the real world.

05:35Number 5.

05:36Sadistic Revenge, Saw.

05:38More than 20 years on, Saw has become a well-trodden franchise and a backbone of modern horror.

05:47The original film, however, redefined the horror genre with its relentless brutality

05:51and intricate narrative structure.

05:53The film centers on two men trapped in a dilapidated bathroom, forced to play a deadly game by

05:58a twisted mastermind known as Jigsaw.

06:04As they struggle to survive, the story unfolds through a series of flashbacks and reveals.

06:09As the characters confront brutal moral dilemmas, we discover that these intricate traps are

06:13reflections of the characters' misdeeds.

06:25While these are now considered conventional tropes, 20 years ago, it was groundbreaking

06:29storytelling.

06:30The psychological manipulation and extreme tension were an interesting new twist in a

06:34genre built on punishing wickedness with violence.

06:44Number 4.

06:45A Vegan's Nightmare, Raw.

06:52At its core, Raw is the story of how, beneath the thin veneer of civilization, we are really

06:57all just animals guided by dark urges.

07:00It follows Justine, a student beginning her first year at veterinary school.

07:04She is soon subjected to a weird hazing ritual, forced to eat raw meat.

07:14This erstwhile vegetarian realizes that she has more than just a taste for it, but is

07:19filled with an insatiable craving.

07:21She physically and psychologically regresses into something more primal and savage.

07:25At its heart, Raw is a cautionary tale about desire and repression, as well as the latent

07:30potential for violence within us all.

07:32Raw taps into deep cellular fears about how some people are just one push away from their

07:37most savage selves.

07:42Number 3.

07:43A Shocking Deep Dive Into Human Frailty, When Evil Lurks.

07:52Like many horrors, When Evil Lurks is rife with nihilistic themes.

07:56The difference is that it takes what's normally just flirtation to its natural conclusion.

08:01It's a disturbing tale about the futility of hope in a world where apathy can lead to

08:05our downfall.

08:06Set in a remote rural village, the film follows two brothers who uncover a spreading demonic

08:10possession.

08:19Unlike conventional horror narratives, the film eschews simple solutions or heroics.

08:23Instead, it opts for a grim portrayal of how human vulnerability and fear amplify the chaos.

08:29As the characters confront forces beyond their control, their choices become increasingly

08:33desperate and tragic.

08:35In the aftermath of COVID, it's a stark reminder that many will use disbelief as a

08:39shield in the face of calamity.

08:49Number 2.

08:50A Slow Burn Chase In Plain Sight, It Follows.

08:59Many horror films feature high-intensity pacing and use jump scares and surprises as

09:03adrenaline spikes.

09:05It works, but after a few decades, it can get a little stale.

09:08It Follows throws those tropes in the garbage, instead using inevitability, relentlessness,

09:14and patience to bring tension to a slow, inexorable crescendo.

09:18Jay is a young woman who finds herself pursued by a mysterious entity after inheriting a

09:22strange curse.

09:23Passed on through intimacy, victims find themselves harried at every turn by a figure only they

09:28can see slowly chasing them.

09:42The audience is hounded by the dread of her constant, unavoidable pursuit.

09:46It Follows captivated us with its haunting minimalism and its ever-present sense of impending

09:51doom.

09:58Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

10:01A Lack of Dialogue, A Quiet Place.

10:04This moody horror relies on incredible physical acting because speaking can be deadly.

10:15Horror in Broad Daylight, Midsommar.

10:17A festival in rural Sweden turns into a violent nightmare for a group of young Americans.

10:27Subverting the Hero's Journey, Bo is Afraid.

10:30This surrealist odyssey centers a man confronting his fears on his journey home.

10:43A horrific tone poem on class, The Menu.

10:46An exclusive restaurant provides rich diners with a last-in-a-lifetime experience.

11:00Remaking a classic into a tale of domestic violence, The Invisible Man.

11:05This remake shows why invisibility is truly the scariest possible superpower.

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11:34A Terrifying Social Commentary, Get Out.

11:37Jordan Peele has emerged as one of the most powerful and bankable voices in horror.

11:42With a unique ability to blend social commentary with genre thrills, he captivated audiences

11:47with Us, solidifying his knack for exploring deeper societal issues through chilling narratives.

11:57But it's hard to make a bigger splash than he did with his directorial debut, Get Out.

12:02In it, he weaves a compelling tale of a young black man, Chris, who visits his white girlfriend's

12:07family.

12:19The sinister secrets he uncovers highlight America's persistent struggle with privilege,

12:23race, and exploitation.

12:25The film cleverly plays with the discomfort of microaggressions and the facade of liberal

12:30How do you feel now?

12:33I can't move.

12:36You can't move.

12:39Why can't I move?

12:41You're paralyzed.

12:42We learned that horror is a perfect lens with which we can scrutinize the underbelly of

12:46society.

12:47Where are those keys, Rose?

12:52You know I can't give you the keys, right, babe?

12:54Is there another horrific plot creepily standing behind us without our knowledge?

12:58Let us know in the comments below!

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