Horror Masterpiece From 'The Black Phone' Director Is Still the Scariest Film Ever, Science Says

Scott Derrickson is one of those outstanding horror filmmakers who began their careers in the 2000s and continue to successfully scare viewers today.

Derrickson is known for The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Deliver Us from Evil, The Black Phone, The Gorge, and the scariest horror film in history – Sinister. Here's why it was given this title.

'Sinister' Is Officially the Scariest Horror Movie Ever Made

The annual study, The Science of Scare, has been conducted since 2020. During the experiment, the heart rates of viewers are monitored – the higher the heart rate, the higher the film's score.

Five such studies have been conducted over the years, and Sinister won three of them, including the most recent one in 2024.

According to the organizers of the study, they improved the measurement system in 2023, making it possible to obtain more accurate data. So it's official: Sinister is the scariest horror film in the history of the genre.

What Is 'Sinister' About?

Famous detective writer Allison Oswalt moves with his family to a new house where the previous tenants were murdered a year ago. Oswalt decides to solve the mystery and finds films related to the crime in the attic.

It turns out that murders of families have occurred here before, and each is connected to the previous one. Ignoring his son's nightmares and daughter's drawings, Allison begins deciphering the mysterious signs on the videos and learns the legend of the evil spirit, Bughuul.

'Sinister' Is a Horror Movie in Which Every Detail Is Executed Flawlessly

Sinister rightfully ranks as one of the most successful horror films of the last decade. This is all thanks to Scott Derrickson, who has a precise understanding of the genre.

Derrickson presses all the right buttons: he masterfully builds the atmosphere and knows how to use anachronistic techniques, such as grainy film or an 8mm camera, which provides the most terrifying scenes in the entire movie.

Sinister delivers electrifying horror while also becoming a subtle story about a writer who becomes the character of his own work.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Sinister'?

Variety critic Peter Debruge praised Sinister, saying:

“The scares are not just intense but unyielding in this compelling horror yarn from "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" director Scott Derrickson.”

• Sinister has 64% from critics and 62% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the horror movie has a score of 6.8/10.