The five biggest movie jump scares of all time, according to science
Love them, or hate them, jump scares in popular horror movies are here to stay, giving lovers of fright a burst of adrenaline that gets them through the cinema door. Whilst some see them as cheap, others see them as an innate part of the genre, after all, when all the intensity of a horror scene is built up, it has to be released in some shape or form.
You may never see the likes of David Cronenberg, Ari Aster or Jennifer Kent using such scares consistently, but in popular Hollywood horror flicks, with such thrill-ride curators as James Wan, Scott Derrickson and Fede Álvarez reside, such instant frights are commonplace. But, let’s be honest, if you’re after a schlocky horror flick, everyone, deep down, wants a few jump scares to keep them on their toes.
Too many jump scares are false ones, however, with a bird flying into a twilight window or a rat scuttling across a gloomy cellar. What about those jump scares that are worthy of their terror?
Thanks to a recent ‘scientific’ study by broadbandchoices, we now know what films contain the biggest jump scares, with some of the biggest names in contemporary horror being included on the list. From recent genre highlights like Rob Savage’s 2020 Covid-made horror Host to James Wan’s critically acclaimed The Conjuring, let’s break down the top five biggest jump scares, according to science, below.
Taking the fifth spot on the list is the silent thriller A Quiet Place II, directed by and starring John Krasinski, with the film clocking in a scare that forced 123 BPM on the study’s participants. Next comes Host by the impressive horror filmmaker Rob Savage, who will soon be adapting a Stephen King tale, with his indie genre flick resulting in 129 BPM from viewers.
The top three contain some contemporary horror classics from directors James Wan and Scott Derrickson. Tying at number two is Wan’s Conjuring and Derrickson’s Sinister, with both films making heart rates leap up to 130 BPM. But neither could compare to Wan’s second film in the top five, 2010s Insidious, which forced 133 BPM from its viewers.
The five biggest jump scares:
- A Quiet Place II (John Krasinski, 2020) – 123 BPM
- Host (Rob Savage, 2020) – 129 BPM
- The Conjuring (James Wan, 2013) – 130 BPM
- Sinister (Scott Derrickson, 2012) – 130 BPM
- Insidious (James Wan, 2010) – 133 BPM
If Alfred Hitchcock changed the face of horror in the 1960s and Wes Craven infused the genre with a fresh dousing of creativity in the 1980s, then James Wan can certainly be attributed with revolutionising the subversive form of filmmaking in the new millennium. Crafting the genre to his liking, Wan has had a profound effect on modern horror, influencing its every turn with the release of each of his new projects.
