Another Top 10 Horror Movie Villain Weaknesses

“It Follows” (2014)



This 2014 movie is certainly one of the more creative scare fests out there, with its main antagonist taking the form of a strange curse that is passed on through intercourse. Throughout the movie, people try to get rid of said curse by sleeping with others, only for the other person to be bumped off, and the curse to come straight back to the sender. So how do you escape it? Well, we know the monster-like creature that comes after you has a physical form, and we know that it only ever travels at a walking pace. So, why not stay on the move and travel between countries, or even continents? Think about it, a permanent vacation… of survival.

“Signs” (2002)


A horror movie hinged on tension as opposed to jump scares, “Signs” is a classic case of it’s what you don’t see that creeps you out. Feeding us sightings of the aliens in dribs and drabs throughout the movie, the characters are stricken with confusion and fear when they finally come face to face with one. How do they defend themselves? Well, turns out that these aliens are vulnerable to water. Yep, plain old H20. In fact, even a glass of it is enough to burn them. You could question why such creatures would invade a planet filled with the stuff - but let’s just skip that for now - and cross our fingers for rain.

“Candyman” (1992)



This legendary slasher movie shows us just how dangerous fear can be. The Candyman is an urban legend who apparently comes and hunts you down with a hook for a hand if you say his name five times in a mirror. So, how do you stop him? Well, not saying his name in a mirror is a good start, but he could still come after you if summoned by somebody else. The Candyman’s Achilles heel, though, is belief, or lack thereof. His existence is fueled by people’s fear and knowledge of him. Sure, burning him works too, but if you just avoid talking about him and fearing him, the guy’s got nothing. Probably doesn’t help that we’ve just written an entry on him. Yikes.

“Lights Out” (2016)


As horror movie premises go, this is probably as basic as it gets - but that doesn’t make it any less terrifying. Diana is a clawed creature that lurks in the shadows and attacks you once the lights go out, with her backstory revealing a sensitivity to light. And we’re talking any kind of light, from sunlight to the glow of a cell phone screen. But not black lights, avoid those, they don’t work. As we see throughout the movie, keeping the lights on can be quite difficult when the thing that’s hunting you keeps turning them off. So, our advice is, if Diana comes knocking, carry a torch and a disco ball, and you should be okay.

“Final Destination 2” (2003)


How do you cheat the grave? Woah, what a question. Well, if you find yourself surviving a situation that you surely should have perished in and that the Grim Reaper is out to get you - as is the case in the “Final Destination” franchise - there is one thing that could work. In the second installment, we learn that new life can trump the curse. So, let’s say there’s a group of people who should have passed away in an accident, if one of them has a baby, the curse is broken and the Reaper will leave all of you alone. The miracle of childbirth, hey!

“The Ring” (2002)


Okay, so let’s say you were silly enough to watch Samara’s dreaded videotape. And that she’s coming to hunt you down in seven days. Facing her probably isn’t such a good idea. But, you can avoid the curse if you make a copy of the tape and show it to someone else. They will simply inherit your bad luck - unfortunately for them. There’s always the option of avoiding screens and, er, wells, though. Samara comes after you typically through a TV screen after crawling out of a well. So, when the time comes, avoid those things and you might be okay.

Various



It’s pretty obvious that with this entry, we are talking about vampires, although some of these methods have proven useful against a bunch of other monsters and ghouls - just ask Will Smith. By far the most famous vampire stories are that of Count Dracula, with movies like “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and various Hammer Horror classics. One thing’s for sure, vampires are to be feared, but they also have a wide variety of weaknesses. These include a thirst for blood, a wooden stake to the heart, garlic, crucifixes, holy water, and sunlight. And they can even be trapped in their coffins if you place a wild rose on top of it.

“The Exorcist” (1973)



Another religion-infused entry next, revolving around an evil, mischievous demon called Pazuzu who possesses a 12-year-old girl. Like many possession movies we’ve seen, “The Exorcist” shows us that a demon acts through a host, and the best way to rid the host of said demon is through exorcism. Throughout “The Exorcist,” we can see that holy water harms the demon, which is a start, but holy water also harms the host. A more effective defense is banishment. With a properly executed exorcism, the demon can be removed from a host and the host’s soul can be saved. Just make sure you’re not around for the demon to jump ship and take over your body.

“Halloween” franchise (1978-)


It’s strange how someone in a Captain Kirk mask walking really slowly is utterly terrifying. And no, we’re not going to say running is Michael Myers’ weakness, although it kind of is. But there’s an easier way to avoid the unrelenting, white-masked psycho. Just stay away from his family, and his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. Or at least when it’s Halloween, because he only seems to come out then. Michael has an uncontrollable desire to end the lives of his entire family. So, if you know a family member of his, then make sure you stay away from them. And that includes any houses they may have previously lived in.

“Night of the Living Dead” (1968)


Considered by many to be the mother of all zombie movies, George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” gave us many of the zombie tropes we still love and fear today. The slow, clumsy walk, the farmhouse setting - and of course, the number one zombie weakness - headshots. This movie laid the foundations for zombie defense. And apparently, the best way to stop an undead creature in the 60s, and today in fact, is by destroying its brain, or taking off its head entirely. So, a gunshot to the head or a heavy swing of a machete should do it. Or you could always just try and blend in.