10 Disturbing Horror Movies About Cults

Cults make for a fascinating subject and many films within the horror genre use them within their stories. Based on various factors audiences assume of cults, it makes sense why they are such a captivating subject for horror films. A powerful leader with immense control over group members makes for a chilling life to witness. Cult stories have been the subject of horror films for years due to the endless stories and perspectives to be told. Two common perspectives are used in such films, with the first being the point of view of members currently existing within a cult.

Films similar to The Other Lamb detail members’ day-to-day lives and the eventual attempt to escape. The second perspective is told from an unsuspecting outsider who slowly discovers the threat that surrounds them, found in films like Midsommar. The reason why cults are a captivating premise for horror films is that, regardless of the protagonist’s position in the group, parts of the disturbing truth emerge piece by piece, which calls for the appreciated anxiety-inducing thrill of a horror film.

10 Apostle (2018)

Directed by Gareth Evans

Known for directing and choreographing a few action films during his career, Gareth Evans’ Apostle was quite the departure. The horror film follows Thomas (Dan Stevens) as he travels undercover to a remote island to rescue his sister, Jennifer (Elen Rhys), who had been kidnapped by a cult. While on the island, Thomas meets Malcolm (Michael Sheen), the leader of the cult, and other strange individuals.

Much like Thomas’ experience, audiences are slowly introduced to the strange workings of the cult. Most horror films go straight for jump scares or gory scenes, but Apostle takes its time with worldbuilding and the shift in the film’s tone ends up feeling more rewarding. While not as thrilling as other horror films, Apostle‘s intriguing cult characters and violence are disturbing and enough to satisfy any fan of horror.

9 The Other Lamb (2019)

Directed by Małgorzata Szumowska

Operating as their own society, hierarchies are bound to form within cults, and The Other Lamb by Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska explores just that. The Other Lamb follows a polygamist cult led by a man known as the Shepherd (Michiel Huisman), where women are split into two groups: the wives and the sisters. All the women are exceedingly loyal to the Shepherd, except for Selah (Raffey Cassidy), who wakes up to his enduring abuse and begins to question his power.

The Other Lamb is a more stylized horror film and engagingly examines the women’s lives in the cult. Though it’s from Selah’s point of view, audiences can understand how the older and younger women interact with one another, experiencing jealousy over what they’re not able to provide for the Shepherd. The Other Lamb also interpolates horror sequences from Selah’s imagination that appear as the only world she’s known begins to unravel.

8 The Invitation (2015)

Directed by Karyn Kusama

The Invitation is set in one location for nearly the entire film: a supposed dinner party at Eden (Tammy Blanchard) and David’s (Michiel Huisman) house. Karyn Kusama directs the film from the perspective of Will (Logan Marshall-Green), the ex-husband of Eden, and audiences join him in uncovering the purpose of the evening. As the night progresses, Will becomes increasingly suspicious of the party guests and their odd behavior.

The Invitation has a slow, unsettling build that suddenly becomes a fight for survival for the film’s characters attempting to escape the threats of a cult. As character motives become clear, the thrill of the film increases and tensions rise until the ending of The Invitation. Kusama, along with The Invitation‘s writers, Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, provide an unexpected twist that is somehow more harrowing than the action-packed events that took place minutes before.

7 The Wicker Man (1973)

Directed by Robin Hardy

Appreciated for being one of the best examples of folk horror in film, The Wicker Man follows Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward), a police officer who travels to an isolated island after being alerted of a missing girl. While on the island, Howie comes across a cult led by Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), one of the scariest zealots in horror films. Summerisle and the cult members deny the existence of the missing girl when questioned by Howie, causing him to become suspicious of the group’s way of living.

The Wicker Man is a highly influential film within the horror genre, especially those focused on cults, and has become increasingly appreciated as more time passes since its release. The Wicker Man‘s use of suspense and the imagery within the film, particularly the final shot, have made the film a favorite of many horror fans. Due to its popularity, a remake was made in 2006 starring Nicolas Cage but received widespread negative reviews.

6 Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Directed by Roman Polanski

Considered to be one of the best horror films, Rosemary’s Baby is an unsettling exploration of women’s liberation and a Satanic cult. The titular character, played by Mia Farrow, becomes an expecting mother and grows paranoid of her husband and neighbors, believing they have malicious intent towards her and the baby. Rosemary’s terrors are downplayed by her husband, and she’s made to believe everything she’s experiencing is strictly her imagination.

In addition to the themes of satanism, Rosemary’s Baby is largely a horror film about parenthood. Due to the lack of control in Rosemary’s life, her final decision in the film’s memorable ending is one she makes with her child in mind. Control in Rosemary’s Baby, and the absence of it in Rosemary’s life, have become more prevalent as the years pass and play a large part as to why the film remains culturally significant.

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5 The Ritual (2017)

Directed by David Bruckner

A Netflix original, The Ritual follows a group of friends on a hiking trip in honor of their deceased friend. While on their journey, the men come across strange symbols and sculptures linked to a nearby cult. One by one, the four friends come face-to-face with a dangerous, mysterious creature, known as a Jötunn.

As a horror film, it would be easy for The Ritual to rely on jump scares to engage the audience. However, The Ritual instead creates an unsettling and eerie atmosphere with an expansive outdoor setting, amplifying the horrors of the unknown. Additionally, The Ritual uses mythology to explain Jötunn’s origins and special effects make the creature as disturbing of an image as one’s imagination could conjure up.

4 The Sacrament (2013)

Directed by Ti West

Ti West is known for his work in horror films and is most recently recognized for writing and directing the X film series. His 2013 film, The Sacrament, is inspired by the real-life events of the 1978 Jonestown Massacre and follows Jake (Joe Swanberg) and Sam (A.J. Bowen) as they join their co-worker’s search for his sister. According to the sister’s letter, she’s residing in a community known as Eden Parish, founded by a man known as Father (Gene Jones). Eden Parish has all the makings of a cult, so Jake and Sam conduct interviews with members to learn more about the community.

The scary nature of The Sacrament comes from its mirroring of real life, rather than riveting action sequences or bloody visuals. Until its ending, the horror in The Sacrament largely lies within its suspense as Jake and Sam gradually become skeptical about what Eden Parish is. The stylized use of found footage and the steady uncovering of the truth make The Sacrament a unique experience and one of Ti West’s best films.

3 The Empty Man (2020)

Directed by David Prior

Having performed poorly with critics and upon its box office release, The Empty Man only began to find its audience once it was available to stream at home. As David Prior’s feature film directorial debut, The Empty Man follows James (James Badge Dale) after he’s tasked with searching for his friend’s missing daughter. James learns the daughter was attempting to summon the titular urban legend and the path that James follows leads him to discover a cult.

For his first venture into the horror film genre, Prior excels at avoiding unnecessary shocking scares and instead establishes a frightening atmosphere that leaves audiences feeling uneasy. There’s validity to many of the criticisms towards the runtime and writing of The Empty Man, but it’s an ambitious attempt that delivers a creepy ambiance and bizarre horror sequences.

2 Midsommar (2019)

Directed by Ari Aster

As Ari Aster’s follow-up to the 2018 film Hereditary, Midsommar continues the director’s streak with peculiar horror films. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh as Dani and follows her as she joins her boyfriend and his friends on a trip to a festival in Sweden. Sinister undertones start to creep up in what started as a welcoming community and Dani realizes the truth about the cult.

Midsommar‘s scariest scenes are intense and explicit as the cult’s traditions and mode of punishment are revealed. Intertwined within the shocking images, Midsommar has something to say about the emotional arc of Dani. The final scene in Midsommar and where Dani ends up at the end of the film is equal parts freeing as it is hard-hitting, making for one of the most effective horror movie endings.

1 The House Of The Devil (2009)

Directed by Ti West

The House of the Devil is one of Ti West’s earliest films and follows a college student, Samantha (Jocelin Donahue), who takes up a babysitting job as a way to make money. While babysitting, Samantha fights to survive and avoid a satanic ritual performed by unlikely individuals. The House of the Devil is a tribute to the styling of horror films from decades prior and combines the slasher and haunted house subgenres of horror without ever feeling disordered.

Similar to other horror films about cults, The House of the Devil takes its time to establish the truth behind the alarming antagonists, much to some critics’ displeasure. There are clues that Samantha finds throughout the film, but she isn’t entirely aware of the threats that lurk within the home. For patient audiences, the suspense in The House of the Devil leads to a final action sequence that is acute and satisfying.