Screams, suspense and sudden jump scares; it’s officially horror movie season. As Halloween nears, Kent State students dive into what really makes a scary movie worth watching: not just blood and monsters, but the perfect balance of fear, tension and surprise.
For many horror fans, it’s not just about blood, monsters or ghosts, it’s about the feeling that comes with them. The tension that builds, the silence before a scream and the heart-racing release when the danger finally appears.
For Bella Rink, a freshman nursing student, that rush is what keeps her coming back.
“I like scary movies because I really like the horror aspect and just the adrenaline rush that comes with watching them,” Rink said. “A good scary movie has a lot of ups and downs in adrenaline. When you’re always at a high point, you’re not going to be scared as much. If it keeps dipping up and down, that makes it good.”
That rollercoaster of suspense is what draws viewers in. Rink’s take echoes one of the genre’s oldest tricks: pacing. The best horror films don’t just throw fear nonstop; they let audiences breathe before tightening the tension again.
For other students, the real fun lies in the shock factor; those sudden, unexpected moments that make you jump even when you see them coming.
“I really like them because if it throws a jump scare, it gets your heart beating really fast and you’re aware of everything,” said Brinnley Kirschner, a sophomore nursing student. “Especially if you know something’s going to happen and it still scares you, that’s awesome.”
Kirschner said the emotional connection to the characters also raises the stakes. “If you like the character and you want them to live, and then they’re dead, you’re like, ‘No,’” she said. “You have to figure out who’s going to survive — I love that.”
Horror fans know that attachment can be both thrilling and cruel, it’s what makes the genre unpredictable.
However, not everyone loves their horror soaked in blood. Briel Sojourner, a junior finance student, said she prefers tension over gore. “I don’t like a lot of gory stuff,” she said. “I like unpredictable stuff, like jump scares.”
Still, for some, the classics reign supreme. Dionna Gray, a senior public health major, said her favorite part of horror comes from the iconic villains that defined the genre decades ago.
“I like the famous type of killers,” Gray said. “Not the real stuff, the fake stuff. Like Freddy Krueger and Jason. I enjoy people being chased by them — I think that’s hilarious.”
From timeless killers to modern mind games, students agree that the best horror movies keep them guessing and keep their hearts racing. Whether it’s a perfectly timed jump scare or the slow build of dread, a great horror film plays with tension as much as terror.
Alexis Hood is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
