There are certain movie genres that ebb and flow over time, but horror consistently proves itself to be an evergreen area of content. Audiences love to get frightened by scary movies and be completely immersed in the cinematic experience. Occasionally, however, there is a level of gatekeeping that surrounds the mature genre and its R-rated content.
Many people insist that a horror movie needs to be rated R if it's going to be any good, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Horror movies can create staggering scares while still being suitable for audiences of all ages. In fact, there's a treasure trove of scary films to discover that aren't rated R.
Updated on October 23, 2022, by Samantha McPhee: Recent decades have brought plenty of terrifying tales to the big screen, but some excellent, less-mature horror films exist. Many scary movies don't have an R-rating, and fans can check out the trailers to see which would be the best watch for a more family-friendly Halloween.
10 The Iconic Haunted House Epic, Poltergeist, Is Only A PG Affair
Runtime: 114 Minutes
A combined horror effort from Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist is one of the best haunted house movies of all-time. Not only is it not rated R, but it's not even PG-13, though this was largely because the MPAA designation wouldn't exist for another two years.
Poltergeist establishes so many of the tenets of the paranormal genre with this special effects extravaganza. A relatively simple story plays out as the Freeling family are haunted by paranormal activity, especially the young daughter, Carol Anne. Poltergeist is rich in atmosphere and emotion, but the film's final act lets loose in frightening ways that even make use of real skeletons in these eerie set pieces.
9 Insidious Trades Blood And Guts For Tension And Atmosphere
Runtime: 101 Minutes
James Wan has become an iconic name in horror cinema after headlining Malignant, the Saw series, and the multi-billion dollar Conjuring universe. All of these horror offerings are heavy in gory violence and push the limits of an R rating. Curiously, Wan's Insidious movies, while terrifying, are practically void of blood and demonstrate the filmmaker's talents in restraint.
While the uniquely frightening demons and presentation of the cryptic The Further are likely to evoke nightmares in the audience, Insidious and its first sequel are PG-13 endeavors. The relentless tension will make viewers oblivious to the fact that they haven't actually seen any explicit violence. Less is so much more in the case of Insidious.
8 The Ring Is A J-Horror Remake That's On Par With The Original
Runtime: 115 Minutes
Some of the scariest horror movies are the ones that come out of different countries or are remakes of foreign classics. Many foreign horror remakes miss the original's point or just become unnecessary experiments. However, Gore Verbinski's American remake of Ringu, 2002's The Ring, is a remarkable piece of horror. It was so successful that it opened the floodgates for foreign horror adaptations.
The Ring's many sequels have diminishing returns, but the success of the PG-13 first movie is a testament to Verbinski's keen eye for genre storytelling. The imagery surrounding the infamous videotape feels like a snuff film; if it doesn't get under the audience's skin, then the aftermath of Samara's victims definitely will.
7 A Quiet Place Turns To Staggering Sound Design To Deliver Its Most Frightening Scares
Runtime: 90 Minutes
John Krasinski's A Quiet Place toes the line between style and substance with its high-concept premise that tells a haunting story of survival. Humanity is hunted by a species of aliens whose sense of hearing has radically evolved. This turns any errant noise into a death sentence, and simple communication turns into a risky luxury.
The stakes and the monsters in A Quiet Place are thoroughly frightening, but at its core, this is a movie about family. There are countless casualties and humanity is pushed to a desperate place, but A Quiet Place allows most of this horror to build in the viewer's imagination and not get gratuitous with its carnage. As a result, A Quiet Place is rated PG-13.
6 10 Cloverfield Lane Is A Claustrophobic Exercise In Trust And Humanity
Runtime: 104 Minutes
The Cloverfield franchise's unconventional approach is ultimately what became the series' undoing. There's a lot of missed potential when it comes to the future of Cloverfield, but the original movie and its successor, 10 Cloverfield Lane, both do a lot with little and are PG-13 stories.
Both of these movies are compelling and terrifying in completely different ways, but 10 Cloverfield Lane has a little more bite because of how it plays with the audience's expectations and where the truth lies. The movie is set in a ravaged sci-fi world, but it presents an intimate, claustrophobic story that's more about people than aliens or monsters.
5 The Exorcism Of Emily Rose Creates A Supernatural Spectacle Without Excessive Gore
Runtime: 119 Minutes
One of the biggest growing subgenres of horror over the past two decades has been unconventional exorcism stories, many of which are presented through the raw lens of found footage to give these supernatural tales a personal quality. Scott Derrickson has grown into a fantastic visual filmmaker through movies like Sinister, The Black Phone, and Doctor Strange. The director's standard level of artistry and excellence helps elevate The Exorcism of Emily Rose to something greater.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is part spiritual exorcism and part courtroom drama as faith squares up against science. Opposing forces debate whether Emily was actually possessed or if she was schizophrenic. It's a different, mature take on this overdone area of horror, but it's still only rated PG-13.
4 Lights Out Is Minimalist Horror At Its Finest
Runtime: 81 Minutes
It's become common for powerful short films to get expanded into feature-length horror movies with sizable budgets that can create more effective scares. The biggest issue is that not every horror short has a strong enough foundation to sustain a feature. It's an easy way to dilute a good idea into a bland movie.
David F. Sandberg, who's gone on to direct the DCEU's Shazam movies, creates a tense horror movie in Lights Out. An entity that's tied to the mother of two frail siblings returns after a lengthy hiatus to torture this family. It's the gripping melodrama and use of light and shadow that makes Lights Out succeed, so there's no need for excessive blood or gore.
3 Drag Me To Hell Shows That Sam Raimi Doesn't Need An R Rating To Scare A Crowd
Runtime: 99 Minutes
Sam Raimi is back to being one of the most in-demand directors in the film industry after returning from a decade-long absence. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a fitting return to superhero cinema for Raimi, but many young audiences are shocked at the level of violence that's present in this PG-13 film.
Raimi knows how to get the most out of a rating, and this goes back to Drag Me to Hell, which feels like an R-movie but isn't. Alison Lohman and Justin Long's characters desperately try to break the curse that's been placed upon Lohman's Christine. Drag Me to Hell isn't just filled with disturbing images; it has one of the all-time bleakest endings, too.
2 Happy Death Day Combines Horror, Sci-Fi, And Comedy Into A Brilliant Genre Mashup
Runtime: 96 Minutes
Christopher Landon cut his teeth in the Paranormal Activity franchise, but he's emerged as a strong voice in horror who understands how to effectively blend genres, whether it's comedy or, in the case of Happy Death Day, science fiction. A lot of modern movies have used the repeating time loop concept to give a Groundhog Day-esque makeover to other types of stories.
The PG-13 rated Happy Death Day turns into a smart and touching horror movie instead of an insufferable and cynical murder romp. So much of the success of Happy Death Day is owed to its star, Jessica Rothe, who goes above and beyond.
1 The Grudge Embraces Creepy Visuals And Bleak Themes To Hammer In Its Horror
Runtime: 91 Minutes
2002's American remake of The Ring ignited the horror audience's fascination with the subgenre of "J-horror" and Asian cinema. Many of these projects floundered, but the only other one to reach comparable success as The Ring is the American remake of The Grudge in 2004.
The Grudge is surprisingly only a PG-13 movie, and most of its frightening visuals and setpieces involve long-haired, pale children and confusing sound design. These are all elements that can be just as potent in a PG-13 setting, and the American remake also benefits from having the same director as Ju-On: The Grudge, Takashi Shimizu.