WhatScares / Lists / Jump Scare MoviesBest Jump Scare Movies
Jump scares are the most measurable thing in horror, and almost nobody
measures them. Every film on this site carries a 1–5 jump scare score; these
71 rate 4 or higher, ranked with the 12
full 5-out-of-5 films on top.
Dead Silence rates 1.7 higher on Douban than IMDb — Chinese audiences consistently read this kind of horror differently, and the gap is often the most interesting signal on the page. 18 are currently streaming on Shudder.
71 films
1955–2026
Jumps · gore · dread scored
Updated September 2026
01
Ridley Scott
Jumps 10 Gore 6 Dread 10 IMDb 8.4 Tomatometer 93% Popcornmeter 94% 豆瓣 Douban 8.3 豆 8.9 /10
Streaming: Netflix · Hulu
02
William Friedkin
Jumps 10 Gore 6 Dread 8 IMDb 8.1 Tomatometer 78% Popcornmeter 87% 豆瓣 Douban 7.7 豆 8.1 /10
Streaming: Max · Peacock
03
James Wan
Jumps 10 Gore 4 Dread 6 IMDb 7.5 Tomatometer 86% Popcornmeter 83% 豆瓣 Douban 8.1 豆 8.1 /10
Streaming: Max
04
Jaume Balagueró
Jumps 10 Gore 8 Dread 8 IMDb 7.4 Tomatometer 90% Popcornmeter 82% 豆瓣 Douban 7.6 豆 8.0 /10
Streaming: Tubi
05
Philippou Bros.
Jumps 10 Gore 6 Dread 8 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 94% Popcornmeter 83% 豆瓣 Douban 6.3 豆 7.8 /10
Streaming: Prime Video · Paramount+
06
Tobe Hooper
Jumps 10 Gore 10 Dread 6 IMDb 7.4 Tomatometer 85% Popcornmeter 82% 豆瓣 Douban 7.2 豆 7.8 /10
Streaming: Shudder · Tubi
07
Neil Marshall
Jumps 10 Gore 8 Dread 8 IMDb 7.2 Tomatometer 87% Popcornmeter 76% 豆瓣 Douban 7.6 豆 7.8 /10
Streaming: Tubi · Pluto TV
08
Zach Cregger
Jumps 10 Gore 8 Dread 8 IMDb 7 Tomatometer 92% Popcornmeter 70% 豆瓣 Douban 6.8 豆 7.5 /10
Streaming: Hulu · Max
09
Damien Leone
Jumps 10 Gore 10 Dread 2 IMDb 6 Tomatometer 88% Popcornmeter 81% 豆瓣 Douban 5.9 豆 7.2 /10
Streaming: Tubi · Screambox
10
Parker Finn
Jumps 10 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 79% Popcornmeter 77% 豆瓣 Douban 6.4 豆 7.1 /10
11
Demián Rugna · Hidden gem
Jumps 10 Gore 6 Dread 8 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 82% Popcornmeter 68% 豆瓣 Douban 6.7 豆 7.0 /10
Streaming: Shudder
12
Scott Derrickson
Jumps 10 Gore 6 Dread 8 IMDb 6.8 Tomatometer 64% Popcornmeter 62% 豆瓣 Douban 6.9 豆 6.6 /10
13
Alfred Hitchcock
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 8 IMDb 8.5 Tomatometer 97% Popcornmeter 95% 豆瓣 Douban 9 豆 9.2 /10
Streaming: Peacock · Tubi
14
Henri-Georges Clouzot
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 8 IMDb 8.1 Tomatometer 95% Popcornmeter 93% 9.0 /10
15
Steven Spielberg
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 8 IMDb 8.1 Tomatometer 97% Popcornmeter 98% 豆瓣 Douban 7.8 豆 8.8 /10
Streaming: Netflix
16
James Cameron
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 8.4 Tomatometer 93% Popcornmeter 94% 豆瓣 Douban 8.1 豆 8.8 /10
Streaming: Netflix
17
Sang-ho Yeon
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 7.6 Tomatometer 95% Popcornmeter 89% 豆瓣 Douban 8.6 豆 8.7 /10
Streaming: Shudder · Tubi
18
Stanley Kubrick
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 10 IMDb 8.4 Tomatometer 84% Popcornmeter 93% 豆瓣 Douban 8.3 豆 8.6 /10
Streaming: Max
19
John Carpenter
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 8 IMDb 8.2 Tomatometer 85% Popcornmeter 92% 豆瓣 Douban 8.2 豆 8.5 /10
Streaming: Peacock
20
John Carpenter
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 8 IMDb 7.7 Tomatometer 97% Popcornmeter 89% 豆瓣 Douban 6.8 豆 8.3 /10
Streaming: Peacock · Shudder
21
Hideo Nakata
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 10 IMDb 7.2 Tomatometer 98% Popcornmeter 81% 豆瓣 Douban 7.6 豆 8.2 /10
Streaming: Shudder · Mubi
22
Kim Jee-woon · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 6 IMDb 7.8 Tomatometer 83% Popcornmeter 87% 豆瓣 Douban 7.9 豆 8.2 /10
Streaming: Shudder · Tubi
23
Na Hong-jin · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 10 IMDb 7.4 Tomatometer 99% Popcornmeter 81% 豆瓣 Douban 7.3 豆 8.2 /10
Streaming: Prime Video · Shudder
24
Wes Craven
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 7.4 Tomatometer 94% Popcornmeter 84% 豆瓣 Douban 7.5 豆 8.2 /10
25
Dario Argento
Jumps 8 Gore 8 Dread 8 IMDb 7.3 Tomatometer 94% Popcornmeter 82% 豆瓣 Douban 7.6 豆 8.1 /10
Streaming: Shudder · Tubi
26
Cameron Cairnes
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 8 IMDb 7 Tomatometer 97% Popcornmeter 82% 豆瓣 Douban 7.3 豆 8.0 /10
Streaming: Shudder
27
Danny Boyle
Jumps 8 Gore 8 Dread 8 IMDb 7.5 Tomatometer 87% Popcornmeter 85% 豆瓣 Douban 7.2 豆 8.0 /10
28
Leigh Whannell
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 91% Popcornmeter 88% 豆瓣 Douban 7.1 豆 8.0 /10
29
Zach Cregger
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 8 IMDb 7.4 Tomatometer 93% Popcornmeter 85% 豆瓣 Douban 6.8 豆 8.0 /10
30
John Krasinski
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 10 IMDb 7.5 Tomatometer 96% Popcornmeter 83% 豆瓣 Douban 6.3 豆 7.9 /10
Streaming: Paramount+
31
It 2017 Andy Muschietti
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 4 IMDb 7.3 Tomatometer 85% Popcornmeter 84% 豆瓣 Douban 7.5 豆 7.9 /10
32
Damian McCarthy · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 10 IMDb 6.7 Tomatometer 96% Popcornmeter 85% 豆瓣 Douban 6.3 豆 7.8 /10
Streaming: Shudder
33
Demián Rugna
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 8 IMDb 6.9 Tomatometer 96% Popcornmeter 84% 豆瓣 Douban 6.2 豆 7.8 /10
Streaming: Shudder
34
Sam Raimi
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 6 IMDb 7.3 Tomatometer 85% Popcornmeter 84% 豆瓣 Douban 7.1 豆 7.8 /10
35
John Landis
Jumps 8 Gore 8 Dread 4 IMDb 7.5 Tomatometer 80% Popcornmeter 85% 豆瓣 Douban 7 豆 7.8 /10
36
Fede Alvarez
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 88% Popcornmeter 79% 豆瓣 Douban 7.2 豆 7.8 /10
37
Ari Aster
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 10 IMDb 7.3 Tomatometer 90% Popcornmeter 72% 豆瓣 Douban 7.4 豆 7.7 /10
Streaming: Hulu · Paramount+ · Apple TV+
38
Takashi Miike · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 10 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 81% Popcornmeter 80% 7.7 /10
Streaming: Shudder
39
Peter Medak · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 8 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 85% Popcornmeter 79% 豆瓣 Douban 7.2 豆 7.7 /10
40
Scott Derrickson
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 6 IMDb 6.9 Tomatometer 81% Popcornmeter 88% 豆瓣 Douban 6.8 豆 7.7 /10
41
Fede Alvarez
Jumps 8 Gore 8 Dread 6 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 80% Popcornmeter 85% 豆瓣 Douban 7.3 豆 7.7 /10
42
X 2022 Ti West
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 6 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 94% Popcornmeter 76% 豆瓣 Douban 6.4 豆 7.5 /10
Streaming: Paramount+ · Showtime
43
Joko Anwar · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 8 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 91% Popcornmeter 81% 豆瓣 Douban 6.2 豆 7.5 /10
Streaming: Shudder
44
André Øvredal
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 8 IMDb 6.8 Tomatometer 86% Popcornmeter 72% 豆瓣 Douban 7.6 豆 7.5 /10
45
David Lynch
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 10 IMDb 7.3 Tomatometer 67% Popcornmeter 78% 豆瓣 Douban 8 豆 7.5 /10
46
Zack Snyder
Jumps 8 Gore 8 Dread 4 IMDb 7.2 Tomatometer 77% Popcornmeter 77% 豆瓣 Douban 7.5 豆 7.5 /10
47
Jung Bum-shik · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 8 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 92% Popcornmeter 74% 豆瓣 Douban 6.3 豆 7.4 /10
48
Rob Jabbaz · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 6 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 88% Popcornmeter 68% 7.4 /10
Streaming: Shudder
49
Remi Weekes
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 8 IMDb 6.4 Tomatometer 100% Popcornmeter 72% 豆瓣 Douban 6 豆 7.4 /10
Streaming: Netflix
50
Bustillo & Maury · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 8 IMDb 6.7 Tomatometer 88% Popcornmeter 75% 豆瓣 Douban 6.4 豆 7.3 /10
51
Mike Flanagan
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 6.6 Tomatometer 92% Popcornmeter 73% 豆瓣 Douban 6.3 豆 7.3 /10
52
Frank Darabont
Jumps 8 Gore 8 Dread 10 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 74% Popcornmeter 65% 豆瓣 Douban 8.1 豆 7.3 /10
53
Takashi Shimizu
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 8 IMDb 6.7 Tomatometer 80% Popcornmeter 63% 豆瓣 Douban 7.6 豆 7.2 /10
Streaming: Shudder
54
Us 2019 Jordan Peele
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 6 IMDb 6.8 Tomatometer 93% Popcornmeter 62% 豆瓣 Douban 6.4 豆 7.2 /10
55
Matt Reeves
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 6 IMDb 7 Tomatometer 78% Popcornmeter 68% 豆瓣 Douban 7.3 豆 7.2 /10
56
B. Pisanthanakun · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 8 IMDb 7 Tomatometer 61% Popcornmeter 77% 豆瓣 Douban 7.7 豆 7.1 /10
Streaming: Shudder
57
Bob Clark
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 8 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 73% Popcornmeter 76% 豆瓣 Douban 6.4 豆 7.1 /10
58
Kevin Ko · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 10 IMDb 6.3 Tomatometer 79% Popcornmeter 66% 豆瓣 Douban 6.9 豆 6.9 /10
Streaming: Netflix · Tubi
59
James Wan
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 6 IMDb 6.8 Tomatometer 66% Popcornmeter 62% 豆瓣 Douban 7.9 豆 6.9 /10
60
Stephen Cognetti · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 8 IMDb 6.4 Tomatometer 75% Popcornmeter 71% 豆瓣 Douban 6.6 豆 6.9 /10
61
David Sandberg
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 6 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 71% Popcornmeter 68% 豆瓣 Douban 6.9 豆 6.8 /10
Streaming: Max
62
Pang Brothers
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 8 IMDb 6.6 Tomatometer 63% Popcornmeter 72% 豆瓣 Douban 7.3 豆 6.8 /10
63
Pascal Laugier · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 10 Dread 10 IMDb 7 Tomatometer 66% Popcornmeter 69% 豆瓣 Douban 6.7 豆 6.8 /10
64
Bryan Bertino · Hidden gem
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 10 IMDb 6.1 Tomatometer 91% Popcornmeter 62% 豆瓣 Douban 5.6 豆 6.8 /10
Streaming: Shudder
65
David Koepp
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 6 IMDb 6.9 Tomatometer 70% Popcornmeter 70% 豆瓣 Douban 6.4 豆 6.8 /10
66
Osgood Perkins
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 10 IMDb 6.5 Tomatometer 85% Popcornmeter 61% 豆瓣 Douban 5.5 豆 6.7 /10
Streaming: Hulu
67
Oren Peli
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 6 IMDb 6.3 Tomatometer 82% Popcornmeter 57% 豆瓣 Douban 6.6 豆 6.7 /10
Streaming: Hulu
68
Banjong Pisanthanakun
Jumps 8 Gore 6 Dread 10 IMDb 6.5 豆瓣 Douban 6.5 豆 6.5 /10
Streaming: Shudder
69
Gore Verbinski
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 8 IMDb 7.1 Tomatometer 72% Popcornmeter 48% 豆瓣 Douban 6.5 豆 6.4 /10
70
Jacob Chase
Jumps 8 Gore 2 Dread 6 IMDb 6.2 Tomatometer 57% Popcornmeter 69% 豆瓣 Douban 6.8 豆 6.4 /10
71
James Wan
Jumps 8 Gore 4 Dread 6 IMDb 6.2 Tomatometer 22% Popcornmeter 51% 豆瓣 Douban 7.9 豆 5.3 /10
Streaming: Peacock
How these are scored
Every film carries three separate 1–5 ratings — jump scares, gore and
dread — because they measure different things. A film can be a 5 for dread and a 1 for
gore. Scores are editorial, not aggregated from other platforms, which is the point:
review aggregates tell you whether a film is good, not what it will do to you.
Which horror movie has the best jump scares?
12 films in our catalog score a full 5 of 5 for jump scares. Among them, the best-reviewed is Alien (1979) — proof that a film built on jump scares can still be a great film.
Do jump scares make a movie scary?
They are one of three things we measure, alongside gore and dread. A high jump scare score means the film startles you in the theater; a high dread score means it follows you home. The scariest films tend to score high on both, but plenty of great horror scores 1 for jumps.
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