One of the fun things about being a horror movie fan is that the genre is vast. There are so many different types to choose from that send chills down spines, and have people flipping on all the lights in the house before going to bed. Brought into popularity by films like The Bad Seed and Children of the Corn, the "creepy kid" subgenre is especially scary.
Whether it's clowns, household pets, or angel-faced children, the idea of being overpowered or harmed by something usually considered weak, innocent, or precious is universally unsettling. Let's take a look at 10 spine chilling movies about creepy kids, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.
The Children Of The Corn (1984) – 35%
Chances are that if somebody thinks about the "spooky kids" genre, they think of Children of the Corn. A doctor and his girlfriend find themselves trapped in a remote, Nebraska town run by a cult-like group of children that believe that everyone over the age of 18-years-old must die.
Based on a short story written by Stephen King and starring Linda Hamilton and Peter Horton, this 1984 creep-fest may score low with the critics, but it's a horror classic.
Brightburn (2019) – 56%
A humanoid alien crash lands on Earth as an infant, and is adopted by a loving, childless couple. Little Clark grows up as a Kansas farm boy with a wholesome family and lots of love, and eventually become America's super hero. However, that's not the story of Brightburn.
Fans all know Superman's origin story, but Brightburn takes that timeless, comic book tale, and puts a horrific spin on it in this fanfiction-esque reimagining of what could have happened if Superman used his powers for evil. The end results are a super-powered nightmare.
The Bad Seed (1956) - 63%
Despite the doting adoration of her father, a mother begins to suspect that her sweet-faced, happy girl may be more than just spoiled. She might even be a killer. The Bad Seed is arguably the film that started the trend of making movies with children as unnerving and even violent antagonists.
It earned four Oscar nominations, including one for Patty McCormack as Best Supporting Actress, for her role as Rhoda Penmark.
The Children (2008) - 76%
A family trip turns sinister in this British horror film, directed by Tom Shankland and starring Rachel Shelley (The L Word).
Parents Elaine and Jonah bring their children to vacation with their cousins at a quiet country house over New Year's, but their holiday turns horrifying when a sickness that turns children violent begins to spread among the kids. The Children is uniquely disturbing, bloody, and masterful at building tension.
Eden Lake (2008) – 79%
A couple on a romantic getaway find themselves in a battle for survival when they are terrorized by a group of vicious juvenile delinquents. Starring Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly, Eden Lake is a tension-filled thriller that sends its audience through a whirlwind of emotions as the story unfolds.
Fans may be used to monsters and serial killers, but there's something distinctly upsetting about watching a film about adults being tormented by a sadistic gang of children, and Eden Lake does it well.
The Omen (1976) - 80%
The '70s was a great decade that bore some pivotal classics for the horror genre, such as Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that both helped the rise of the slasher horror. Similarly, it was movies like The Omen that helped popularize "satanic horror," which explore cults, demons, and the coming of the Antichrist.
After their child is delivered stillborn, a diplomat adopts a boy named Damien, but as he grows, the mysterious deaths pile up around him. The Omen has since inspired sequels, a remake, and a television series.
The Hole In The Ground (2019) – 84%
Seeking to move on from a troubled past, Sarah and her son move to a rural town to start a new life, but after disappearing in the woods and returning home, she begins to suspect that the child that came back is not her son at all...and that the sinkhole in the forest may be more than it appears.
The Hole In The Ground is a creepy mystery that plays on the natural fears of every parent, as much as it toys with possibilities of the supernatural.
Goodnight, Mommy (2014) - 86%
After a cosmetic surgery that leaves their mother's face covered in bandages and completely unrecognizable, twin 9-year-old boys, Lukas and Elias, suspect that she may not be their mother and all. They're prepared to do what they have to in order to find out.
Goodnight, Mommy (originally titled Ich Seh Ich Seh) is a unnerving slow burn that has the audience questioning which side they are supposed to be on - the boys', or their mother's.
Village Of The Damned (1960) - 92%
"Beware the stare that will paralyze the will of the world." Another old-school film that helped to define the genre, Village of the Damned follows the story of a small, English town and a group of eerily intelligent, blonde-haired children with glowing eyes and supernatural powers that allow them to manipulate those around them.
The movie was remade by John Carptenter in 1995, and it stars Kirstie Alley and Christopher Reeve.
Z (2019) - 95%
There's something especially frightening about the concept of imaginary friends in scary movies. Is the "friend" real, and are they actually a friend or a foe?
Elizabeth and Kevin Parsons take it with a grain of salt when their son starts to talk with an imaginary friend named "Z," but as his behavior becomes more and more strange, Elizabeth starts to wonder if Z is really imaginary. And if he is, does he come from her son's imagination or somebody else's?