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Home. It's a place of love and warmth. A place where people are supposed to feel safe and where they can be themselves. Unfortunately, unless you live in a castle, home is not the fortress it seems. It can be breached, which is what makes us lock our doors at night.
This fear of someone entering the family home with nefarious reasons is exactly what the home invasion horror film preys on. Whether it's a slasher with a high body count or a psychological horror that looks at the dark corners of life, home invasion horror films question the audience's sense of security. Done right, these films will make you think twice about going into your basement when you hear a noise.
The Bleeding House - The villain doesn’t have to be the only killer.
A mostly unknown horror, this 2011 film focuses on the Smith family whose isolated existence is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious, traveling doctor named Nick. The family is soon at the mercy of this sinister visitor, but he too might have met his match in the family’s 16-year-old daughter, Gloria.
This psychological horror lures you in with its quiet setting and muted colour pallet. Though Nick is an obvious villain, he still manages to enrapture with his methodical approach to killing. His glee in finding a potential apprentice in Gloria is also an interesting turn, as is Gloria's bizarre behaviour and love of violence.
Funny Games - Games for both the victims and the audience.
Whether you know the original 1997 Austrian version or very similar US remake (both directed by Michael Haneke), this psychological horror film is set at a lakeside holiday house. Soon after their arrival, the family of three is targeted by two young men intent on playing sadistic games.
The games that this film plays are not just within its narrative but also with its audience. Littered with fourth-wall breaking moments, this meta horror film forces the audience to accept their role in watching the family suffer. The film is hard to watch. But this is the point. Sometimes violence has no reason and villains escape justice.
The Purge - The future is a scary place.
More reserved than its subsequent sequels, 2013’s The Purge is set in a near future where all crime is legal once a year for a 12-hour period. The protagonists are the wealthy Sandin family, who resolve to secure themselves in their house for the entire period. Unfortunately, when youngest member Charlie lets in a stranger, those chasing him set their sights on breaching the family home.
Philosophically, this series looks to shine a light on what the audience fears about the essence of human nature. It poses the question of what would happen if the laws of society were removed (even briefly) and then shows the worst possible outcome: violence. Not even all the money in the world can keep this family safe from attack.
The Strangers - Sometimes there is no reason.
Released in 2008, this horror opens with couple James and Kristin arriving at his childhood after attending an event. The mood between the two is strained as Kristin has recently rejected James’ proposal. During the night, three mask-wearing strangers arrive and begin to terrorise the pair.
One of the most memorable aspects of this film is the amorality of its killers. As one of the masked individuals notes when asked why they're committing their violent acts on the couple, it’s simply "Because you were home.". As noted, these killers are also faceless, which importantly adds an uncanniness to the narrative that leaves the audience unsettled.
Ratter - 21st-century technology invades the home.
As a trailer for this 2015 film explains, a 'ratter' is a hacker that takes control of another person's electronic devices to virtually stalk them. This is the fate that befalls Emma, the central character of this spin on found-footage horror. Initially unaware that she is being watched, Emma slowly begins to become aware that something is not right.
Due to its exclusive use of footage obtained by the stalker (TV, laptop and phone cameras) the film forces the audience to step into the shoes of the villain, seeing everything unfold as they do. Every moment is tinged with suspense, even the shots of the empty apartment. The film makes the audience all too aware that technology has expanded the way that the home can be trespassed.
Black Christmas - A slasher that hates Christmas food.
Three home-invasion horror films fall under this title, but it's the 2006 version that brutally sets itself apart from the rest. This version sees mental asylum escapee Billy Lenz return to his childhood home where he killed his step-father and mother, the latter of whom assaulted him to conceive another child. The home is now a sorority house, and what follows is a classic slasher where the sisters are picked off one-by-one.
Though criticized upon its release for its use of overuse flashbacks and general predictability, the backstory given to its central antagonist is a creative addition. It provides expectation for the upcoming violence and allows it to become its own film and not just a rehashing of its predecessor. The kills are inventive, and the way the killers creep around in the walls of the house will send a shiver down the spine.
Hush - A one-on-one fight where sound is key.
This 2016 indie gem stars Kate Siegel as Maddie, a deaf/mute writer who relocates from New York City to an isolated cabin in the woods to work on her writing. Soon after her arrival, a masked killer ends up at the cabin after chasing his latest victim there. When Maddie realises she is not alone, the writer must enter into a very real fight for her life.
The most obvious that this film sets itself apart is the expert, subversive use of sound throughout. In its 122 minute runtime, there is only 15 minutes of dialogue. More than this, the decision by the filmmakers to juxtapose Maddie's world of silence with the killers world of sound gives added tension and draws attention to the benefits and pitfalls of the sense.
You’re Next - A family reunion turns into a bloodbath.
A brilliant inclusion to the slasher genre, 2011's You're Next begins with the Davison family coming together at their rural holiday home for the 35-year wedding anniversary of the parents. This group includes protagonist Erin, girlfriend to one of the sons. During a family dinner, the home is set upon my a group of animal masked attackers.
Arguably one of the best horror films of the 2010s, You're Next presents its "final girl" Erin as an extremely capable survivor from the beginning, which is a refreshing change. Additionally, the use of animal masks for the assailants gives a unique look to the normal masked killer trope. There are also excellent twists in the narrative but this will be left for viewing.
When A Stranger Calls - Babysitting is a dangerous job.
The home invasion horror that helped pave the way for others, this 1979 film opens with babysitter Jill being harassed with phone calls asking "Have you checked the children?". Jill manages to escape her assailant to begin with, but seven years later he comes after her again.
Known for the killer's iconic question, the film is so much more than its opening act. The home invasion is presented not as an isolated incident but as a recurring threat. Jill may have escaped danger once, but that does not mean it's gone forever. Like any trauma, it may one-day rear its ugly head again, determined to hunt down its victim once more.
Better Watch Out - A home invasion that is something more.
When 17-year-old Ashley goes to the Lerner house to babysit a 12-year-old Luke, the two begin to be harassed by an unknown figure. Ashley soon realises that the home invasion is a set-up by Luke who is obsessed with Ashley and ready to play.
Definitely not the most ridiculous holiday horror movie, this 2016 film has a decent blend of black comedy and psychological horror. Having the villain be a young boy isn't a new twist but is done in a way that is both unique and smart. It takes the home invasion sub-genre and spins it into an enjoyable, if still disturbing, horror.