You never know what will come out of the water. This is why movies that involve water are so scary. It’s what lies beneath that makes the water setting so suspenseful and perfect for horror flicks. Think about it. The water can hide almost anything. Sharks can lurk underneath the surface. Huge snakes can be hiding anywhere. Or, a bad guy who is just about to try and kill someone can be just underneath the water.
Here are ten great horror flicks that involve the water.
1. Jaws (1975). I doubt that anyone would second guess my pick for first place in the scary water movies. This horror flick is a classic, and one that noone will soon forget. Sharks are about the scariest thing we associate with the water. But, sharks are just the beginning. Many other scary creatures are waiting under the water for their perfect moment to wreak havoc on the movie viewing audience.
2. Anaconda (1997). Jennifer Lopez joins a cast in hunting down a huge snake, the Anaconda. Tell me you wouldn’t be frightened to find out you were sharing the water with this creature!
3. Dead Calm (1989). Nicole Kidman shares the water with her husband in this psychological thriller. The two are setting out for a peaceful day at sea, until they run into a deranged lunatic. Allowing him to board their boat is a huge mistake, one that could prove fatal. He seemed nice enough, but first impressions aren’t always accurate.
4. Cape Fear (1991). Nick Nolte joins an all star cast with Robert DeNiro as the convicted criminal who has finally been released. DeNiro certainly doesn’t forget the lawyer who landed him in jail. This lawyer had evidence that could have changed the course of the trial, but that he didn’t submit. And, it was his lawyer! I would be pretty mad myself. Robert DeNiro wants his revenge, even if it means following the family down to their vacation area where they get on their boat, thinking they are safe. But the water in this case doesn’t tranquilize the revengeful killer, who is willing to kill again if it means getting even for Nick Nolte’s purposeful mistake.
5. Open Water (2003). Imagine going scuba diving with a group. You are down under the water, checking out the scenery. Then, you come up, and realize the group has gone. And you are in the middle of the ocean. The ocean! Well, you already know your impending fate. It’s as if every shark movie you ever watched foreshadowed your near future.
6. Deep Blue Sea (1999). This is a movie about intelligent sharks. How did the sharks get so smart? Of course, it was something human induced. Humans were testing cures for Alzheimer’s. Now, it becomes their fault that the sharks are smart enough to do some serious damage, perhaps to the humans themselves. Pretty scary stuff, hm?
7. The Abyss (1989). James Cameron directs this movie about a crew who look for a nuclear submarine that was lost at sea. It turns out that somehow aliens are in the ocean! Well, that’s just great. As if there weren’t enough scary creatures lurking in the deep ocean without having to add aliens to the mix!
8. The Perfect Storm (2000). Well, I’m not sure the crew would think it’s a perfect storm, but this is a scary ocean movie about the antagonist being the storm, instead of a shark or aliens under the water. Waves can certainly be just as fatality inducing as a flesh eating shark or a man eating crocodile.
9. Lake Placid (1999). A huge crocodile inhabits this lake. You probably want to find somewhere else to buy your summer cottage. Imagine getting eaten alive by a man-eating croc. There are probably much more peaceful ways to go, like, maybe old age for instance!
10. Poseidon (2006). This is a remake of the classic 1976 movie starring Gene Hackman. It’s New Year’s Eve. Guests are on a cruise in the ocean. A huge wave capsizes the boat, turning it completely upsidedown. So, what’s the plan? The survivors must actually get to the bottom of the boat, which is the top, and hope that help finds them. It would be pretty scary to try and maneuver in the dark to the bottom of the boat, not knowing where to go or what might await around each turn.
What are your favorite horror flicks involving the water?
