20 Best PG-13 Horror Movies

PG-13 Horror Movies

There’s a reason for implementing the parental guidance rule in films as they could contain sensitive things that need parents to be there as children watch. Here are the 20 best PG-13 horror movies you can enjoy if you or you have a company that is 13 years old and above.

1. A Quiet Place (2018)

English 1h 30m IMDb

A Quiet Place (2018)

Director: John Krasinski

Stars: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds

This movie centers around a family with no choice but to live in silence because of an unknown creature that hunts by sound. The slightest sound and they threaten their family’s life. Knowing these details about the beast, Evelyn and Lee are desperately trying to find a method to fight back.

All the while trying to find a means to safeguard their kids. The trailer won’t let you take your eyes off of it. You’ll find yourself holding your breath the entire time during the movie. This is a fantastic old-fashioned horror flick with some good jump scares.


2. The Sixth Sense (1999)

English 1h 47m IMDb

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Stars: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette

This movie is about a young boy named Cole Sear. he often has visited by ghosts that terrify him. Cole is visited by spirits with unresolved issues. These ghosts emerge from the shadows.

He has no one to talk about it to until he finds comfort and a confidante in child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe. Dr. Crowe investigates Cole to learn the truth about his paranormal talents.

They awaken to a revelation during the process. This film is one of the top horror movies from the 1990s. It’s a horror movie that both frightens and touches your heart.


3. Split (2016)

English 1h 57m IMDb
Split (2016)

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Stars: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson

The intricate and fascinating movie shows much information on the condition known as “Dissociative Identity Disorder.” The story revolves around a person named Kevin. Even though Kevin has demonstrated 23 different personas to the psychiatrist, he confides in.

There is still one dormant personality yet to surface and take control of all of the others. As the walls of Kevin’s compartments begin to crumble, he is compelled to kidnap three adolescent girls, led by the independent and discerning Casey. This sets off a battle for survival between all the personas within him and those around him.


4. The Ring (2002)

English 1h 55m IMDb
The Ring (2002)

Director: Gore Verbinski

Stars: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox

It seems like another urban legend, but supposedly seeing a videotape full of terrifying pictures will result in a phone call predicting that the viewer will pass away in seven days. Rachel Keller, a newspaper reporter, is dubious of the story.

Not until four teens unexpectedly pass away precisely one week after viewing the duplicate footage. Rachel finds the video and watches it after letting her inquisitive curiosity take over, leaving her only seven days to solve the puzzle. This movie has a very clever start and excellent horror sequences throughout.


5. Lights Out (2016)

English 1h 21m IMDb
Lights Out (2016)

Director: David F. Sandberg

Stars: Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Maria Bello

Lights Out follow the story of Rebecca, moving away from home to escape the fears she had experienced when she was younger. When she was young, she had difficulty differentiating what was real and what was not, especially when the lights were turned off at night. She has quite a vivid imagination.

Now, her younger brother Martin is going through the same strange and terrible incidents that she went through, which put her health and well-being in jeopardy. The film’s narrative is unique, and it follows an eerie journey. There were also a lot of effective scares. In general, it’s a pretty solid movie with a solid premise.


6. 1408 (2007)

English 1h 44m IMDb
1408 (2007)1408 (2007)

Director: Mikael Håfström

Stars: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack

This film is based on a short story by Stephen King following the story of Mike Enslin, an accomplished writer who is recognized all over the world for disproving the existence of supernatural occurrences. Well, this is before he visits the Dolphin Hotel.

He chooses to ignore the hotel manager’s advice and stays the night in a room rumored to be haunted. There, he experiences what it is like to be truly terrified. It was exciting and engaging all at the same time. The story was interesting and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.


7. Tremors (1990)

English 1h 36m IMDb
Tremors (1990)

Director: Ron Underwood

Stars: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter

Earl Bassett and Val McKee, who work as repairmen, are exhausted by the monotony of their life and decide to unwind. However, as the two attempts to flee the town, they stumble upon a sequence of unexplained fatalities and a concerned seismologist analyzing strange readings below the ground.

With the addition of an eccentric couple, the group faces off against giant worm-like monsters ravenous for human flesh. It’s a fantastic monster movie that knows when to be silly and when to take itself very seriously.


8. The Village (2004)

English 1h 48m IMDb The Village (2004)

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Joaquin Phoenix

This film is about a peculiar village. They are in an Amish-like fashion and are blocked off from the rest of the world by the surrounding forests. The people in the town fear that the woods contain frightening monsters. They have an ambiguous agreement with the monsters; as long as they avoid the forests, they are safe.

However, a younger villager falls unwell one day, and a young man who loves her defies the truce to make a run to the neighboring town in search of medical help. The movie is full of suspense and mystery, making it a worthy ride. The chase scenes will also keep your eyes glued for more.


9. The Uninvited (2009)

English 1h 27m IMDb
The Uninvited (2009)

Director: Charles Guard, Thomas Guard

Stars: Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel, Elizabeth Banks

Young Anna returns from her stay in a mental health facility and learn that her home has significantly changed. Her father is a widower who is now engaged when she returns home. He is engaged to her mom’s former nurse named Rachel.

Things change when one night, the apparition of Anna’s mother shows up, yelling for vengeance, blaming Rachel. And so, Anna and her sister begin a dangerous investigation.

It might be one of the bleakest and most twisted movies you will ever come across with good execution. It is jam-packed with exciting moments and a stunning turn of events.


10. The Others (2001)

English 1h 41m IMDb
The Others (2001)

Director: Alejandro Amenábar

Stars: Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston, Fionnula Flanagan

During World War II, Grace, a devoutly religious woman who is the mother of Anne and Nicholas, relocates her family to the coast of England. While she waits for news about her missing husband, she takes care of her children, who suffer from a rare photosensitivity condition where the sun hurts them.

Anne claims that she sees ghosts, while Grace does not initially believe them. However, eerie occurrences and visions lead her to believe something paranormal is occurring. The entire cast of the movie does outstanding performances. One of the best horror-thriller movies ever created.


11. Poltergeist (1982)

English 1h 54m IMDb
Poltergeist (1982)

Director: Tobe Hooper

Stars: JoBeth Williams, Heather O’Rourke, Craig T. Nelson

An ordinary California family named the Freelings—Steve, Diane, teenager Dana, 8-year-old Robbie, and 5-year-old Carol Ann, find themselves the victims of strange and eerie occurrences. After appearing to be amicable and fun, the spirits suddenly become malevolent.

However,  when Carol Ann disappears, Steve and Diane seek help from a parapsychologist and then an exorcist. The television set serves as a communication tool between them and the ghosts. The movie’s mood is excellent, and it doesn’t rely on unnecessary loud noises, or all the jump scares to make it scary.


12. The Eye (2008)

English 1h 38m IMDb
The Eye (2008)

Director: David Moreau, Xavier Palud

Stars: Jessica Alba, Alessandro Nivola, Parker Posey

This film follows the story of a blind concert violinist named Sydney Wells. She spent the majority of her life without sight and was finally able to regain her sight by undergoing a double corneal transplant. She regains her vision with the aid of her doctor and sister.

However, she soon comes to have terrifying visions leading her to believe in a parallel reality. The movie was filled with bizarre hallucinations, unpredictable moments, and a satisfying conclusion.


13. Cloverfield (2008)

English 1h 25m IMDb
Cloverfield (2008)

Director: Matt Reeves

Stars: Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan

This film starts with a group of New Yorkers having a good time at a going-away party. However, they are unaware they are about to experience the scariest night of their lives. A monster the size of a skyscraper has descended upon the city. In its wake, it has left a trail of ruin and death.

The friends document their struggle for survival as the city collapses around them. The sci-fi horror film Cloverfield offers an intriguing perspective and accomplishes its objectives.


14. Devil (2010)

English 1h 20m IMDb
Devil (2010)

Director: John Erick Dowdle

Stars: Chris Messina, Caroline Dhavernas, Bokeem Woodbine

The film starts with five people having their typical day and using the elevator in the Philadelphia office. However, what follows is anything but ordinary. The stranded passengers, who were only supposed to stay together for a short while, now had to face the exposure of their secrets and wrongdoings.

Thrilling incidents transform their irritation into panic as they realize that one of them is Lucifer. The film’s plot is simple to follow, and the suspense and tension remain high. The story is also original and superb.


15. The Skeleton Key (2005)

English 1h 44m IMDb
The Skeleton Key (2005)

Director: Iain Softley

Stars: Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard, Joy Bryant

Good-natured nurse Caroline Ellis, who lives in New Orleans, leaves her position at a hospice to tend to Violet Devereaux. Violet is an older woman whose husband, Ben, struggles physically after a stroke.

As the story progresses, Caroline finds weird objects as she explores the couple’s dilapidated Bayou mansion and learns about its intriguing past. Her investigation leads her to discover Violet’s secrets involving Ben’s condition. You’ll be on the edge of your seat throughout this movie. It had excellent pacing and an incredibly realistic setting.


16. The Haunting (1999)

English 1h 53m IMDb
The Haunting (1999)

Director: Jan de Bont

Stars: Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson

This terrifying story focuses on a group of people who have been invited to the remote location of Hill House by Dr. David Marrow to participate in a research study on insomnia. Marrow is researching fear, and he intends to frighten the participants, including the shy Nell and the alluring Theo.

Unfortunately, Hill House is inhabited by a malicious spirit who wants to harm everyone residing there. This movie offers its take on this topic and is funnier than terrifying.


17. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

English 1h 59m IMDb
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

Director: Scott Derrickson

Stars: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Shohreh Aghdashloo

Having carried out the church-approved exorcism that ultimately resulted in the death of a girl believed to be demonically possessed, the Rev. Moore is charged with the girl’s wrongful death. Ethan Thomas, the prosecuting attorney, claims that Emily had schizophrenia and should have received a diagnosis from a doctor.

In contrast, Erin Bruner, the defense attorney, contends that science alone cannot account for Emily’s affliction. An intriguing horror film with characters that are well portrayed and performed.


18. Mama (2013)

English 1h 40m IMDb
Mama (2013)

Director: Andy Muschietti

Stars: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier

Lilly and Victoria disappear into the woods when their parents pass away. With their disappearance, their Uncle Lucas and his fiancée, Annabel, are compelled to conduct a frantic search. The sisters are miraculously discovered alive five years later in a rundown cabin.

Of course, Lucas and Annabel graciously let them into their abode to introduce them to a new life. However, Annabel discovers that the kids are closely followed by an entity that causes havoc in their brand-new house. The little girl’s performance was outstanding, and the narrative is compelling.


19. Jessabelle (2014)

English 1h 30m IMDb
Jessabelle (2014)

Director: Kevin Greutert

Stars: Sarah Snook, Mark Webber, Joelle Carter

This film tells the story of a woman who, after being involved in a car accident, decides to stay at home and recuperate. She chooses to recover in the house she spent her youth in. While there, she runs into a long-tormented spirit who won’t let her leave.

Although there aren’t many jumpscares, the story is pretty good. This movie has some pretty effective creeps, and jump scares for you to experience. In general, it was quite an enjoyable scary, and suspenseful film.


20. The Forgotten (2004)

English 1h 31m IMDb
 The Forgotten (2004)

Director: Joseph Ruben

Stars: Julianne Moore, Dominic West, Christopher Kovaleski

This movie tells a story of a bereaved mother who cannot come to terms with the death of her eight-year-old son. She is convinced that she has fabricated eight years’ worth of memories about a son she never had. This leaves her astonished in the presence of her doctor.

But after talking to a man who claims to have gone through something similar, Telly decides to start looking for evidence that her son does exist and that she is not losing her mind. This is quite the spellbinding type of movie that has the potential to blow your mind. It has excellent writing, directing, and acting all around.

 

Summary

Just like individuals have differences in pain tolerance, it’s the same when it comes to horror movies. Some people cannot take too much gore or jumpscares, so it’s good to choose the movies you watch before proceeding, especially if it’s a horror film. Here are the 20 best PG-13 horror movies you can enjoy.

PG-13 Horror Movies

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