Top 10 Found Footage Horror Films

By Caleb Leger

While horror fans, myself included, have bemoaned the mere mention of a found footage horror movie due to its over-saturation; the sub-genre has occasionally spewed out a film that is actually worth one's time. These films represent filmmakers actually trying to do something unique and different with found footage. They also happen to be ones that I've seen and found quite entertaining. So with the release of Unfriended this past weekend, I would like to present you a countdown of my personal top 10 favorite found footage horror films. Let's hope the innovation continues.

10.) Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Behind the Mask was a smart film that acted like horror icons Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers actually exist and are well known serial killers. It's these icons that the main character, Leslie Vernon, aspires to be. The film is shot like a documentary/found footage to give it a more realistic feel, with the audience learning more about Leslie through interviews he gives. While the film is mostly found footage, it does make a switch to more traditional filmmaking once the camera crew become the hunted. This part works well enough, but it's the first two-thirds of the film that work exceptionally well.

9.) Trollhunter (2010)

The best way to describe this movie; Jurassic Park with trolls and in Norway. Instead of going for an outright terror ride, the film goes for a more awe inspiring approach. The first time the audience sees a troll is a sight to behold, with them being towering monsters and having distinct looks. They are not creatures to get close to, though. They are dangerous and get close to killing the main characters several times. The film brings the trolls to life by digging deep into Norwegian folklore of the creatures and some not too bad CGI. If you don't mind subtitles, this is a wonderful film to check out.

8.) The Last Exorcism (2010)

Let's just get this out of the way first: The Exorcist will always be the best film involving exorcism. Where most exorcism films fail to capture the same terror as the classic, The Last Exorcism comes pretty close. The idea to use a doubting priest who acts more like a con artist than a messenger of God was a smart move, luring the audience into a false sense of security. That is, until the stuff hits the fan. The film then goes on to show one of the more brutal possessions and the priest's struggle with his own faith. Apart from the abrupt ending, this is one of the better exorcism flicks.

7.) Quarantine (2008)

While I'm fully aware that this is a remake of the Spanish film [REC], I actually haven't seen that film yet. So, I'll use the 2008 American remake instead. A remake that I quite enjoyed, honestly. The found footage perspective really works for this film as you witness some sort of disease take over people in an apartment building. And, to make matters worse, they are mysteriously quarantined inside. The film has a great claustrophobic setting with some kind of terror lurking around every corner. While I wish the marketing and poster didn't so openly show the ending, this is still a great, scary remake.

6.) Cloverfield (2008)

A great marketing campaign that lead to a genuinely entertaining film. This is one of those films that I think mainly works because of its found footage style. Seeing a gigantic monster attack New York from a human perspective makes it feel that much more epic and frightening. It also leads to several fantastic scenes like when the Statue of Liberty's head comes flying towards the characters and the subway tunnel scene. The film was a pretty big success and a sequel was quickly announced. Unfortunately, it looks like that will never actually happen.

5.) V/H/S (2012)

Out of all the found footage films that have come out in recent years, V/H/S was one of the more inventive. It had a great concept, with a group of kids ending up watching some old VHS tapes that feature some truly horrific happenings. The film smartly follows this concept by having the short films looking old and damaged, just like a VHS tape. Unfortunately, since this is also an anthology film, some of the shorts don't work as well as others. On the other hand, the good outweigh the bad, leading to a fun horror movie. Such a fun horror movie, that it lead to two sequels.

4.) The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The one that popularized found footage as a sub-genre. Shortly after this film released, it became a huge success, with many people believing what they saw was real. This was in part due to the film's marketing campaign and the directors's way of getting the correct emotion out of the actors. Another thing that makes this film work incredibly well is the use of suspense over outright gore. The characters never see the witch, only hearing noises and seeing strange objects. Things become more terrifying, however, as members of the group start to disappear. While the film has its detractors now, the impact it had cannot be ignored. An impact that is still affecting the sub-genre to this day.

3.) Grave Encounters (2011)

Grave Encounters is one of my more favorite recent horror films. It is generally terrifying, mainly because it is set in an abandoned asylum. The creepy looking ghosts and several well executed jump scare moments help it a lot also. The film also has a great undercurrent of humor, with the ghost hunting team coming off as parodies of ghost hunting shows like Ghost Hunters. While this helps give the film some levity, it still does a good job of scaring the living daylights out of you. The best way to describe this movie is an episode of Ghost Hunters gone terribly wrong. Watch with the lights out for maximum effect.

2.) V/H/S 2 (2013)

V/H/S 2 builds off of what made the original so great to create an exceptionally better sequel. All the shorts this time around work incredibly well, each one offering something unique to the movie. The standout segment, though, is "Safe Haven." This one features a documentary crew investigating a cult and getting more than they bargained for. A highlight of the entire film. The only thing really keeping this film from being truly exceptional is the nonsensical wraparound story. It makes less sense than the previous film. Apart from that, this is a rare case of the horror sequel outshining the original.

1.) Paranormal Activity (2007)

To end this list, the film that reignited the interest in found footage horror films and spawned a new franchise. Paranormal Activity set the world ablaze and showed what can be done on a minuscule budget. Just like a certain film before it, Activity relies heavily on what is not seen as the couple is terrorized by an unknown entity. The film features some standout moments that, while not overly extreme, will still give you goosebumps. The time laps moments present a new kind of fear, with the audience never knowing what is going to happen in the middle of the night. Paranormal Activity did so well that its influence can still be felt to this day.