Movies - TV
12 PG-13 Horror Movies That Prove They Don't Need An R Rating To Be Great
By BEE DELORES
The Visit
In “The Visit,” M. Night Shyamalan uses very little, if any, blood or gore, and instead relies on creepiness that soaks into the subconscious. Perhaps the kids end up dead, but it's far from necessary to show their blood splashing across the screen. “The Visit” earns its PG-13 rating without sacrificing genuine scares.
Lights Out
“Lights Out” follows a monster, who lurks in the shadows and follows its victims throughout their daily lives. The frights come from the manipulation of the mind, and with the story having a throbbing emotional balance, it makes audiences care about the characters and their fates, all while delivering on the real horrors of the world.
Insidious
Two parents attempt to save their child from a demonic entity that plots to suck the life from him in “Insidious.” Director James Wan transmits the darkest imagery from the subconscious directly into the viewer's eyes, and it’s surprising that the MPAA gave “Insidious” a PG-13 rating when it could've been rated R.
A Quiet Place
In “A Quiet Place,” a family must figure out how to survive in an apocalyptic hellscape overrun by aliens that hunt by sound. The film doesn't need gore or blood to create a perfectly frightening atmosphere, as its exploration of family life in a post-apocalyptic world suffices.
The Final Girls
When Max attends a screening of “Camp Bloodbath,” she and her friends are transported into the movie and must escape the film and a monstrous creature in “The Final Girls.” Even without much gore, it's still a highly thrilling film with inventive camera work, tons of heart, and campy fun.