Horror's plot problem: are movies losing their minds?

Remember the rules? Don't have sex, don't do drugs, and never say “I’ll be right back.” That’s the enduring advice from 1996’s Scream, a simple set of instructions for surviving a slasher film. But modern horror is proving far more challenging, bordering on baffling.

Are horror films becoming too complicated?

The latest Netflix series, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, exemplifies this trend. The premise? A woman must marry her soulmate by sunset or die. Fail, and the curse transfers to their descendants. The plot’s intricate web of consequences and generational curses isn’t the exception; it's becoming the rule.

The Duffer Brothers, creators of Stranger Things, are guilty of this, as is HBO Max with IT: Welcome to Derry. The show’s exploration of Pennywise's nonlinear perception of time – experiencing past, present, and future simultaneously – raises more questions than it answers. This kind of narrative complexity isn’t new to horror; consider HBO’s The Haunting of Hill House, which allowed dread to simmer beneath the surface, crafting a palpable sense of unease.

Indie horror has offered a refreshing alternative. Barbarian cleverly utilized a simple premise – a monster lurking in an Airbnb basement – while Weapons revealed a witch at its core. Nope's alien reveal echoed the unsettling ambiguity of Signs, and Ari Aster’s Hereditary prioritized atmosphere over exposition. These films prove that a potent scare doesn't require a labyrinthine plot.

The pursuit of increasingly convoluted narratives seems to be a prevailing strategy, perhaps a desperate attempt to stand out in a crowded streaming landscape. But audiences are beginning to tire of being overwhelmed. The most effective horror doesn’t need to explain everything; it needs to unsettle.

The trend speaks to a wider issue: the struggle to maintain narrative coherence in an era of endless content. Creators seem to believe that complexity equates to engagement, a dangerous assumption. The result? Horror losing its grip on the very emotions it seeks to evoke.

The success of simpler, yet effective horror films like Barbarian and Nope demonstrates a clear appetite for suspenseful storytelling. Perhaps the lesson is clear: sometimes, the most terrifying thing is not knowing everything.

The increasing complexity of horror narratives isn't a sign of creative evolution; it’s a symptom of a larger problem: the prioritization of intrigue over genuine dread. A good scare doesn't need a dozen explanations; it needs to burrow under your skin.