I’ve always had a soft spot for movies chronicling that nebulous time between youth and adulthood, where characters go through introspective journeys of self-discovery meant to remind us of our own experiences growing up. Of course, it’s my belief that the very best of these coming-of-age fables also feature horrific elements meant to catalyze our […]
I’ve always had a soft spot for movies chronicling that nebulous time between youth and adulthood, where characters go through introspective journeys of self-discovery meant to remind us of our own experiences growing up. Of course, it’s my belief that the very best of these coming-of-age fables also feature horrific elements meant to catalyze our protagonists’ inevitable loss of innocence.
And with the Stranger Things kids finally reaching the end of their battle against the Upside Down later this year, not to mention the inevitable return of Young Adult franchises like the Fear Street films, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six underrated coming-of-age horror movies that deserve a second chance at success. After all, there’s nothing like a healthy dose of horror to make childhood nostalgia hit that much harder!
For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining “coming-of-age horror” as any film about young characters on the edge of adulthood who are forced to grow up when they’re confronted with terrifying situations. However, don’t forget to comment below with your own nostalgic favorites if you think we missed a particularly underrated example.
And while it won’t be included here due to having already been featured on our list recommending six True Crime horror movies, don’t forget to check out Marc Meyers’ My Friend Dahmer if you’re interested in coming-of-age stories based on real life terror.
With that out of the way, onto the list…
6. Boys in the Trees (2016)
Not every Halloween movie has to be about monsters and serial killers, and Nicholas Verso’s Boys in the Trees is a great example of a genre film using All Hallow’s Eve as a tool to explore its characters’ inner turmoil rather than as a backdrop for typical horror tropes. Set on Halloween night of 1997, this underseen thriller follows a couple of estranged friends skating their way through a surreal adventure as they relive their shared memories and traumas.
A surprisingly poignant ghost story that deals with some exceedingly dark subject matter, Boys in the Trees may not be a masterpiece (especially where production value is concerned), but it’s still one hell of a memorable ride. In fact, my only real gripe with the film is its bloated runtime, as I feel that this story would have been better told as a breezy 90-minute adventure.
5. The Clovehitch Killer (2018)
Finding out that your parents are fallible people with personal problems just like everyone else is one of the hardest lessons that life forces us to learn. Of course, this process is much worse when your dad happens to be a notorious serial killer known for tying up his victims before brutally strangling them. This is the premise of Duncan Skiles’s 2018 thriller The Clovehitch Killer, a remarkably grounded story about coming to terms with literal sins of the fathers.
Clearly inspired by the real story of Dennis Rader (the infamous BTK killer), Skiles’ film doesn’t just derive tension from Dylan McDermott’s gruesome murders, but also from our protagonist’s internal conflict as he slowly realizes that he has to choose between his comfortable family life and doing the right thing.
4. Found (2012)
The first of several literary adaptations on this list, Scott Schirmer’s Found is an unsettling subversion of classic coming-of-age tropes and one of the most gut-wrenching movies on this list. Like the novel it’s based on, the film follows a 12-year-old boy who discovers that his older brother is a vicious serial killer who decapitates his victims.
What follows is a legitimately scary exploration of the difference between being a fan of fictional murder in genre media and dealing with the traumatizing horrors perpetrated by real-life killers. And if you enjoy this one, I’d also recommend the equally (if not more) disturbing follow-up Headless, which was previously teased in Found as a gruesome film-within-the-film.
3. Summer of ’84 (2018)
I managed to catch a midnight screening of this underseen gem back when it first came out, and while I walked into the theater expecting yet another tired riff on the Stranger Things formula, I walked out of the experience legitimately moved by RKSS’ loving deconstruction of the coming-of-age genre.
Telling the story of a naive group of teenagers who become convinced that a friendly police officer is secretly a prolific serial killer, Summer of ’84 takes a brutally realistic turn during its final act as the filmmakers attempt to remind viewers about the dangers of nostalgia and how youthful adventures can have very real – and very deadly – consequences.
2. Super Dark Times (2017)
A tragic tale about a couple of best friends who find themselves being driven apart after becoming involved in the accidental death of a fellow teenager, Kevin Phillips’ debut feature is a grim yet grounded parable about friendship, paranoia and learning to accept responsibility for your own actions.
The flick’s somber tone and often Lynchian imagery might not appeal to all audiences – and I actually wish that the experience was a little shorter – but I think everyone has had to leave valued friendships behind at one point or another, and that’s why Super Dark Times remains a relatable modern classic. As if that wasn’t enough, the film also boasts a killer ’90s soundtrack, with its climactic use of Wire’s Ahead being an especially groovy highlight.
1. I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)
Based on Dan Wells’ debut novel about a sociopathic teenager attempting to live a productive life in an isolated midwestern town, Billy O’Brien’s adaptation of I Am Not a Serial Killer is a surprisingly effective thriller boasting an ironic amount of empathy. The film’s supernatural elements may seem unnecessary to some viewers, but even its harshest critics can’t deny the stellar character work on display here.
And while Max Records is a perfect fit for John Cleaver, a troubled outsider who didn’t ask to be the way that he is, Christopher Lloyd absolutely steals the show as Bill Crowley, a demonic entity attempting to fit in among unsuspecting humans by stealing their body parts.
