7 Psychological Horror Movies to Watch if You Loved 'HIM'

Psychological horror movies create terror through the mind rather than jump scares. The British series HIM follows a teenage boy named Jack who learns he possesses supernatural powers.

However, these abilities come with a dark twist. Jack can make people do whatever he desires or wishes. The series explores his struggle with control and morality. It focuses on mental torment and internal conflict. This approach makes viewers question human nature and reality.

The appeal of psychological horror movies lies in their potential to disturb the viewers on a more intense level. They tap into the fears of the audience about losing control.

These stories make the viewers doubt what they see and hear. They explore themes of guilt, identity, and madness. Unlike other horror genres, psychological horror movies stay with audiences long after the credits roll. The fear stems from within the characters' minds. This creates a more personal and lasting fear. The genre challenges viewers to think about their own psychological limits.

The Babadook, Hereditary, Midsommar, and four other psychological horror movies HIM

1) Black Swan

A still from the movie (Image via Apple TV)

The premise of the story follows Nina Sayers, a ballerina dancer who lands the role of Swan Lake. The pressure to be perfect consumes her mind. She starts to lose touch with reality as the role demands both seduction and innocence. Nina eventually encounters other performers and develops an extreme rivalry with fellow dancer Lily. Her mother's controlling nature additionally adds to her mental strain.

As the story progresses, Nina starts experiencing paranoid thoughts and hallucinations. She cannot tell the difference between delusion and reality. The movie displays a complete psychological breakdown. Her pursuit of perfection turns into her downfall. This psychological horror movie explores the cost of obsession and the fragile nature of the human mind.

Black Swan is available on Amazon Prime for viewers to watch.

2) Shutter Island

This movie follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, investigating a missing patient at a psychiatric facility. The patient disappeared from a locked room on Shutter Island. Teddy believes the hospital conducts illegal experiments on patients. He suspects a conspiracy involving lobotomies and mind control. His partner, Chuck, accompanies him in search of the truth. Strange events occur throughout their investigation. Patients and staff behave mysteriously.

Teddy experiences flashbacks from World War II. He also remembers his wife's death in a fire breakout. The island seems to play tricks on his mind. Realty becomes blurry as the investigation continues. This psychological horror movie questions the nature of memory and truth.

Shutter Island is available for Netflix viewers to watch.

3)The Babadook

The premise of the movie follows Amelia, a single mother raising her troubled son, Samuel. Samuel believes a monster called the Babaddok wants to kill them. The boy creates weapons and acts out aggressively.

Ameilis discovers a disturbing children's book about the Badadook in their house. The book contains threatening messages and dark illustrations. Additionally, strange events start taking place in their house. Amelia starts seeing the Babadook herself. She becomes increasingly violent toward Samuel. Her behavior grows more dangerous and erratic.

The monster seems to feed on her anger and grief. Amelia struggles with her own dark thoughts about her son. This psychological horror movie uses the supernatural entity as a symbol for trauma and depression.

The Babadook is available for viewers to watch on Amazon Prime.

4) Hereditary

The Graham family deals with the death of their secretive grandmother. Annie discovers her mother was involved in a mysterious cult. Her teenage son, Peter, accidentally triggers his sister Charlie's death.

The family starts experiencing supernatural events. Annie finds disturbing items hidden in her mother's belongings. She learns about demon worship and dark rituals. Peter starts hearing voices and acts strangely.

Annie's behaviour becomes increasingly threatening. The family's mental state deteriorates rapidly. Ancient symbols start appearing throughout their house. The cult's influence grows strong over the family. This psychological horror movie blends occult terror with family trauma.

This movie is available on Amazon Prime for viewers to watch.

5) Get Out

The premise of the movie follows Chris, a boy visiting his white girlfriend Rose's family estate for the weekend. The family's Black servants behave erratically around him.

Chris notices their vacant expressions and odd mannerisms. Rose's parent seem overly friendly, but something feels wrong. Other Black visitors act similarly troubled at a family party. Chris tries to communicate with them but gets unusual responses. He learns a horrifying truth about the family's intentions. The Armitages transplant white people's consciousness into Black bodies.

They auction off Black guests to affluent white buyers. Chris realizes he is the next target. This psychological horror movie explores racism through a horror lens.

Get Out is available on Amazon Prime for viewers to watch.

6)The Lighthouse

A still of the actor from the movie (Image via youtube/@ IndieWire)

The premise of the movie follows Ephraim Winslow and Thomas Wake, who look after a lighthouse on a remote island. Wake is a seasoned keeper who guards the lighthouse's lantern room. Winslow handles the maintenance work and manual labor.

Their isolation starts affecting their mental state. Wake tells disturbing tales about former lighthouse keepers. Winslow starts experiencing hallucinations and strange visions. A storm traps them on the island longer than planned. Their relationship becomes paranoid and increasingly hostile.

Both men start drinking heavily and acting erratically. Madness and reality blur together in their isolated world. This psychological horror movie examines how isolation can damage the human mind.

The movie is available on Amazon Prime for viewers to watch.

7) Midsommar

The story follows Dani as she joins her boyfriend Christian and his friends on a trip to Sweden. They attend a midsummer festival in a gated community. The community follows ancient pagan rituals and traditions.

Dani is grieving the recent death of her family. She hopes the trip will help her heal from the trauma. The festival includes disturbing ceremonies involving sacrifice and death. The commune members act friendly but conceal dark intentions. Dani's mental state becomes increasingly fragile.

She starts participating in the community's rituals. The line between horror and healing becomes blurred. This psychological horror movie explores relationships, grief, and cult manipulation.

This movie is available on Amazon Prime for viewers to watch.

These are seven psychological horror movies to watch if you liked HIM.

About the author

Mannjari Gupta is a Listicle writer in the entertainment division at Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and brings four years of experience in digital media, having worked with platforms like Pocket FM, Pepper Content, FilmyFiles, and BookGeeks.

Mannjari's passion for her field is driven by her belief that different genres fuel her imagination, enhancing her writing skills. She prioritizes thorough research and ethical reporting, ensuring that her articles reflect factual information rather than personal opinions.

Fascinated by powerful female-led empires, she admires figures like the Kardashians and Martha Stewart for their ability to redefine influence and build lasting legacies. If given a time machine, she'd delve into the Kardashian universe, not for the drama but to witness their ability to transform criticism into entrepreneurial success.

Outside of writing, Mannjari is a trained classical dancer specializing in Kathak. She also enjoys reading and relaxing during her leisure time.

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Edited by Mannjari Gupta