The horror movie genre is filled with larger-than-life monsters and over-the-top masked slashers, though sometimes the scariest threats in horror can be the most human, especially when the film features creepy or terrifying children that turn wide-eyed innocence into a cruel menace.
While there are more than enough supernatural films that feature creepy ghost children or even possessed dolls that resemble scary children, there also exists a certain group of awful children in horror that will likely leave fans hating them after the credits roll. Spoiler Alert, as some of the following children may have been part of a twist that revealed their true nature.
The Children - Children of the Corn (1984)
Children of the Corn was a short story from horror master Stephen King that was adapted into the 1984 film of the same name that explored a quiet Nebraska town that had been taken over by a group of children.
These children were led by young preacher Isaac, who had made a pact with a demon for their servitude and the sacrifice of every adult in the town which is discovered years later by a traveling husband and wife. While Isaac's treacherous and brutal hench Malachi is terrible, Isaac's dark loyalty to "He Who Walks Behind the Rows" makes him the worst.
Henry Evans - The Good Son (1993)
Following his breakout performance in the family-friendly comedy Home Alone, viewers were shocked to see Macauley Culkin appear in 1993's The Good Son as the psychopathic Henry Evans, who goes to stay with his cousin Mark (played by Elijah Woods) after the deaths of his mother and younger brother.
Henry's violent behavior that included attempting to kill his younger cousin by trying to drown her on a frozen lake reveals that he was responsible for his younger brother's death and was planning to kill the rest of his family as well.
Joshua - Joshua (2007)
2007's Joshua showcased the sociopathic planning of a young musical prodigy (played by Jacob Kogan) after the birth of his baby sister, whose problematic behavior leads them to fear for their newborn's safety.
Joshua was able to destabilize his mother's already weakened condition by tampering with her medication and playing mind games, and he repeatedly attempted to kill his little sister, resulting in further deaths of family members and the successful framing of his father with Joshua getting away with little to no consequences.
Lukas And Elias - Goodnight Mommy (2014)
The 2014 Austrian thriller Ich seh, Ich seh/Goodnight Mommy featured a mother showing odd behavior after returning home from surgery to her twin boys Lukas and Elias (played by Lukas and Elias Schwartz) causing them to question the bandaged woman's true identity.
The film played with the suspicions of the mother's true identity which pushed the twins to viciously torture her to get the truth, revealing that Lukas was dead and Elias was only imagining his brother, though the truth didn't help the family's situation much.
Mind-Controlled Kids - Who Can Kill A Child? (1976)
An English couple on vacation on a remote Spanish island before the birth of their child discover it occupied only by children, whose odd behavior lead to the revelation that the children had fallen under some dark power that led them to violently murder the adults on the island.
The legion of children was able to pass their unique madness to others through eye contact, creating a vicious army of children that attacked the couple resulting in a number of brutal, unhinged scenes that will definitely shock viewers.
Aidan And Mia - The Lodge (2020)
Goodnight Mommy directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala returned with 2020's The Lodge, which starred Riley Keough as Grace, who is left to take care of her fiance's children after the recent suicide of their mother in a remote mountain lodge.
Grief-stricken and angry at Grace's attempt to replace their mother, Aidan and Mia (played by Jaeden Martell and Lia McHugh) use Grace's past in a religious cult to psychologically torment her to the breaking point that even their eventual confession can't repair in a tragic ending caused by a terrible, hurtful game from kids.
Brett - Eden Lake (2008)
2008's Eden Lake follows Jenny (Kelly Rieley) and Steve (Michael Fassbender) on a romantic trip to a secluded forested lake, though they are soon joined by a group of young teenagers led by Brett (played by Jack O'Connell) who pick on another youth before turning their attention towards the vacationing couple.
While both parties continue to push the situation further, it's Brett who escalates the violence and pressures his friends into hunting and torturing the couple. Brett not only beats his own friend to death but also burns another alive, leading to a very unhappy ending.
Hoodie Kids - Them (2006)
The British "hoodie horror" genre of films preyed upon the fear of delinquent or rebellious youths that had inspired a number of horror films, like 2006's Ils/Them that claimed to be "based on real events."
The film followed a couple as they are tormented in their home by a group of hooded individuals that are eventually revealed to be young kids between the ages of 10-15, with the youngest proving to be the worst of the bunch after he tricks the couple and leads them to their ultimate fate. "Why won't you play with us?"
Luke - Better Watch Out (2016)
The 2016 horror-comedy Better Watch Out took place during the Christmas holidays as young Luke prepared for the arrival of his older crush and babysitter Ashley, played by Levi Miller and Olivia DeJonge, respectively.
The night of babysitting is interrupted by a deadly home invasion that sets Luke up to be the hero fo the night, before revealing that he was the one who set up a fake home invasion to make Ashley fall in love with him, and as things quickly spiraled out of control, viewers hatred for young Luke's terrible acts only continued to grow past the credits.
Jack And Emily - Home Movie (2008)
2008's Home Movie captured the Poe family in found-footage style as they celebrated their twin's Halloween birthdays, followed by troubling incidents from young Jack and Emily (played by Austin and Amber Joy Williams) that led to a violent attack on another child.
While there are contributing factors to their worsening behavior like the questionable pharmaceutical treatment and traumatic exorcism administered by their parents, the resulting "Jack & Emily Show" dares viewers to finish the film as the twins take over the camera and brutally turn on their parents.