This Grotesque Horror Shocker is Now Streaming Free; But Can You Handle It?

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Nov 7, 2024

I love a good grotesque haunt, especially the real ones, though I love it even more when it’s the setting for some good old-fashioned horror movie scares. You’d think the subgenre would be bigger than it is on account of just how much perennial the innate fear remains among the public writ large, though the haunt horror subgenre is really defined by just a few key entries.

The Houses October Built is sensational, and Hell Fest is a fantastic throwback slasher film. The Hell House LLC franchise goes full tilt coulrophobic (fear of clowns, if you know, you know), and this year’s Haunt Season proves there remains a ton of potential remains in throwing a real killer into an ostensibly safe, annual tradition. Among the—admittedly small—canon, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ Haunt is probably the best. Luckily, it’s streaming free now. Go get haunted.

Per Tubi: On Halloween, friends stumble upon a haunted house, leading to a deadly night, as they discover some horrors aren’t mere nightmares.

Haunt, streaming free on Tubi, was an opportunity for A Quiet Place scribes Scott Beck and Bryan Woods to flex their directorial muscles. It wasn’t a fluke, either, since all signs point to their forthcoming Heretic being one of the year’s best horror movies. I’d argue last year’s 65 proved that, though I’d probably remain alone in that sentiment.

It’s hard to pinpoint why exactly the film manages the “killers in a Halloween haunt” beat better than most, largely because, at first glance, it seems so familiar. You’ve got attractive coeds, an obviously suspicious excursion, and the methodical reveal that the scares the protagonists are in for are more real than they thought. The collective whole, however, is so assured, so stylish, that it feels fresh amidst the familiarity.

This Halloween season, fans and critics alike have naturally been revisiting the film. In all likelihood, Haunt is poised to join the canon of must-watch seasonal offerings, earning its place in the rotation of horror movies that you’ve just got to stream during October. Check out some choice social reactions to Haunt below:

What do you think? Are you a fan of Haunt? More broadly, how do you feel about the haunt subgenre in general? Be certain to let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins. Hopefully, I’ll be there. I’ve got tickets to a local haunt in my area and it’s definitely not suspicious at all.

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