Top 10 Brutal Animal Attacks In Horror Movies
Top 10 Brutal Animal Attacks In Horror Movies
Top 20 Brutal Animal Attacks In Horror Movies
Imagine “When Animals Attack!” if it were directed by Freddy Krueger. Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Brutal Animal Attacks in Horror Movies. For this list, we’re taking a look at horror flicks where victims find themselves at the mercy of bloodthirsty beasts, leaving us longing for the days of chainsaw-wielding madmen.
#10: Beware the Bear
“Backcountry” (2014) Whatever you do, don’t watch this movie right before you go camping. Drawing inspiration from a true story, this survival film centers on a couple who are hounded by a black bear. Not content with just pilfering the couple’s food, the bear draws closer to their tent, growling outside and eventually tearing its way in. The shaky cam creates a claustrophobic sensation as the bear slices Jen’s arm and digs into Alex’s leg. Although Jen tries to fend it off with bear spray, the beast ultimately claws Alex into an unrecognizable, bloody pulp. And you thought “The Revenant” was rough.
#9: Eaten by Tarantulas
“The Beyond” (1981) Paralysis is just the beginning of Martin Avery’s problems when he falls off a library ladder. Out of the blue, a legion of tarantulas creeps towards him. With every step these eight-legged freaks take, it sounds as if bones are crackling and fingernails running down a chalkboard. The tarantulas take their time crawling up Martin’s arms to his head. If the slow buildup isn’t enough to put you in an uncomfortable state, the up-close sight of these spiders ripping into Martin’s face certainly will. The fact that Martin is powerless to move only makes this scene more horrifying.
#8: Shark Attack
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“The Reef” (2010) The idea of being hunted down on land is terrifying enough; being stalked at sea is even more unnerving. There’s nowhere to hide, and no way to fight back. That’s just what the group of friends in “The Reef” find out when they decide to swim away from their capsized yacht. Soon enough, a sinister fin slices through the water. When Matt swims away to retrieve a bodyboard, the great white shark torpedoes towards him faster than you can scream “shark bait!” Matt loses his legs before bleeding out in his girlfriend’s arms. Like Luke, we can’t bring ourselves to look away as the shark returns to devour the rest.
#7: Attack the Dock
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“Piranha 3DD” This sequel to “Piranha 3D” doubles the D’s and aims to double the trouble as well. Sitting on a dock, Maddy and Shelby are ambushed by a school of piranhas. These prehistoric fish have no trouble biting through wood or human flesh. As the dock splits in half, Shelby finds herself in an extremely um . . . compromising position. Seriously, why is this movie so obsessed with piranhas nibbling sex organs?! Just when it looks like the young ladies are safe on shore, another piranha shoots out of the water. It may not be Hitchcockian, but this scene does deliver the campy creativity one would expect from a movie called “Piranha 3DD.”
#6: Who Let the Hellhound Out
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“The Omen” (2006) After nearly getting mangled by a pack of dogs at a graveyard, Robert returns home where another hellhound awaits. It only makes sense that the son of Satan would have a dog that’s as loyal as Lassie and as ruthless as Cerberus. The canine in 2006’s “The Omen” might not have three heads, but it’s three times deadlier than the average watchdog. When Robert walks into the house, the Rottweiler decides to turn him into his new chew toy. The chase seemingly leaves Robert at a dead end, but it turns out his pantry has a little extra space. If we had to rate this animal attack on a scale from 1 to 10, we’d give it a 666.
#5: Don’t Look Down
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“Frozen” (2010) No, we’re not talking about the wolf attack from the Disney movie. We can assure you this 2010 horror film of the same name is far more gut-churning. The movie forces its protagonists to make a horrifying choice: remain atop a ski lift and freeze to death, or risk jumping all the way down. When Dan takes a leap of faith and fractures his legs, wolves emerge from the forest. While much of the carnage takes place off-screen, the painful screams and savage sound effects are enough to tell us this is one dreadful sight. Suddenly, severe frostbite almost sounds like a pleasant alternative.
#4: That’s No Sheepdog
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“An American Werewolf in London” We’ll gladly take a whole pack of wolves over a werewolf any day. This scene masterfully balances horror and comedy as backpackers David and Jack navigate through the moors during a full moon. Although they tell themselves the howling in the distance is just a sheepdog, something else is going bump in the night. In a refreshing change of pace, our protagonist isn’t especially brave or virtuous, but a coward who runs like hell. While David does eventually turn around, he’s too late to save Jack and nearly meets the same fate. As the townsfolk gun the werewolf down, it becomes clear that this creature was equal parts man and beast.
#3: Birdageddon
“The Birds” (1963) Alfred Hitchcock is widely considered the Master of Horror, and “The Birds” is arguably the closest he ever came to making a straight-up monster movie. The fact that Hitchcock was able to make an animal as unimposing as a bird scary is a true testament to this talent. This set piece starts off small as a couple birds knock over a gas station attendant, but matters quickly escalate after a patron lights his cigar and turns Bodega Bay into an inferno. The winged menaces seize this opportunity commence bird-ageddon. Watching the madness unfold from within a phone booth, Melanie Daniels becomes the true caged bird.
#2: Sic 'Em, Cujo
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“Cujo” (1983) Whenever a scene involves a canine and a car, we’re usually concerned for the dog’s well-being. In this scene, however, Cujo is the one we fear, and the people inside the automobile are the ones in peril. Cujo isn’t merely a rabid St. Bernard. With his massive size, colossal fangs, and fur dripping blood, the filmmakers went out of their way to make him the most threatening dog ever put to screen. When Donna exits her car, the malevolent mutt attacks. With her young son screaming in the back, Donna does everything in her power to fend off the relentless creature. Her cuts and bruises make a strong case for why not all dogs go to heaven. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Cockroach Food “Mimic” (1997) Bringing Down the House “Razorback” (1984) Black Phillip’s Rampage “The Witch” (2015) Mutated Bear “Prophecy” (1979) Man vs. Rats “The Food of the Gods” (1976)
#1: Gone Swimming
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“Jaws” (1975) It’s ironic that the most brutal animal attack in the history of horror would be a scene where we never actually see the animal. The true dread in this Steven Spielberg classic, though, lies in what we don’t see. The production of “Jaws” seemed doomed when Spielberg couldn’t get his mechanical shark to work. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as Spielberg mostly substituted the shark with heart-pounding music, clever editing, and a camera that told the story from the monster’s POV. Nowhere are the film’s brilliant filmmaking techniques better exemplified than in the opening scene where Chrissie Watkins’ late night skinny dip turns into a bloodbath. Neither the waters nor the cinema have felt safe ever since.
