With Halloween just a couple short months away, it’s a great time to make some popcorn and watch some thrilling movies. Unfortunately, those at the age of 13 and above often have to sit out in these types of events, primarily because so many of them are rated R. So, to ensure that everyone enjoys the experience, we’ll provide you with this list of the top 15 best PG-13 scary movies.
Whether you are looking for a comedic horror story or a scary narrative with a sense of thrill, these installments will undoubtedly leave you in suspense. Here are all the PG-13 films that are just as good as the rated R movies.
Disturbia
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Disturbia has one of the best opening scenes in a scary movie that will immediately hook you within the first 10 minutes. The film tells the story of Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf) when he gets put on house arrest after punching his teacher, leading him to spy on his neighbors in hopes of curing his boredom.
While Kale continues to develop his own hilarious reality shows of families, he is curious about one specific neighbor who possibly fits the description of a known serial killer. As a viewer, you’ll go through the journey of his home investigation to find out the truth about the mysterious man next door.
Insidious
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
From the great minds of James Wan and Leigh Whannell comes the horrifying tale of Insidious. The movie begins when a young boy, Dalton Lambert (Ty Simpkins), slips into a sudden coma after an incident in the attic of his house. His parents, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne), search for medical treatment to wake up their son but soon realize that paranormal forces may be causing his deep sleep.
This film’s horror elements showcase why PG-13 movies can be just as scary, simply because of its frightening musical score and gripping narrative. If you want to see more of Insidious, you can watch the second installment of the franchise to see what happens next for the Lambert family, which is a fantastic story that connects to the first movie.
A Quiet Place
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Even though John Krasinski has mainly done comedies and a few romance movies, he surprised many fans when he showed off his directing chops with A Quiet Place. This story features the Abbott family in a post-apocalyptic world where they must stay silent to avoid deadly creatures attracted to noise.
People in scary movies often make the wrong decisions, but this film demonstrates the human race’s strive for survival. For example, the family communicates through American Sign Language, an effective method for this world that they had previously learned for their deaf daughter, Regan Abbott (Millicent Simmonds). They also have a pathway system where they place sand on the ground to avoid being caught by the monster.
What makes A Quiet Place different from the others is that there isn’t much sound throughout the movie, creating this eerie feeling that makes you afraid of the silence.
I Am Legend
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Will Smith’s performance in I Am Legend is one of his best works in the horror genre. In this movie, we see his character, Robert Neville, searching for a cure after an illness wipes out most of the world. In addition, the sickness causes people to display zombie-like symptoms with a tendency to want to kill anything in their way.
Accompanying Robert is his trusty dog, Samantha, that helps him in his lone adventures across New York and keeps him company. But, when it turns to night, the two of them have to defend themselves against the creatures of the dark.
What Lies Beneath
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Robert Zemeckis has been the director of many classic films in Hollywood, including the Back to the Future trilogy, Forrest Gump, and Cast Away. However, one of his films that often goes unnoticed is What Lies Beneath, a spooky tale about a married couple.
The story begins when Caitlin (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Norman Spencer’s (Harrison Ford) daughter embarks on a journey to college. Since Norman has a full-time job and Caitlin is retired, the empty-nest mother finds herself alone in the house when things suddenly go wrong.
Caitlin hears voices and finds a shattered picture frame with a newspaper clipping about a missing girl. As time passes, she gradually puts the pieces together and learns more about this entity’s vengeful mission against Norman. Find out what happened to this paranormal being and if you can unveil the secrets of this seemingly perfect husband.
Split
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
M. Night Shyamalan has released countless movies within the scary movie genre, and he does it once again with the intricate story of Split.
Three girls find themselves kidnapped by Kevin (James McAvoy), a man with 23 different personalities without any reason or motive for abducting them. Furthermore, whenever he checks on the group, he transforms into another person who wants to hurt or protect them.
While the girls plan a way out, Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy) tries to befriend Kevin’s many personalities. At the same time, Claire Benoit (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula Marcia) look for ways to escape. Unfortunately, there is one more side of Keven called “The Beast,” and he is undoubtedly the most terrifying of them all.
The Haunting in Connecticut
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
If you don’t like overly violent and gory films, then The Haunting in Connecticut is the perfect movie for you. The story’s beginning features Matt (Kyle Gallner) and Sara Campbell (Virginia Madsen), a mother and son who frequently have to take long rides for his cancer treatments. As a result, Sara and her husband, Peter (Martin Donovan), realize that they must relocate their house, so they don’t have to do these drives anymore.
Because the family is low on money, they buy a cheap house closer to the hospital with a disturbing history. As the movie continues, they soon find out about the horrible events of this area and the terrible secrets about the room in the basement.
Cloverfield
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Cloverfield is one of the few movies that combines the modern technology age with the essence of horror. Like The Blair Witch Project, the cinematography is made up solely from footage on a (fictional) video camera found in Central Park after an attack from an unknown species.
In these videos, we watch a group of friends celebrating the promotion of Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) when an explosion sounds off nearby. Although they are terrified, they follow Rob to rescue the girl he likes, Beth McIntyre (Odette Annable), despite their initial warnings of going deeper into the city.
The movie’s massive popularity with fans prompted a continuation with 10 Cloverfield Lane, a film that expands the universe of these mysterious creatures.
The Woman in Black
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
After the successful history of the Harry Potter series, Daniel Radcliffe took on a more mature role in The Woman in Black. By either coincidence or fate, the character of Arthur Kipps in the 1989 version was played by the actor Adrian Rawlins, who also took on the role of James Potter (also known as Harry’s dad) in the magical franchise.
The 2012 rendition recreates the tale of The Woman in Black, a sinister entity that kills children in the village of Crythin Gifford that also has a connection to the Eel Marsh House. Arthur eventually goes to this area once his job demands him to collect documents from the eerie place, which he regrets the minute he steps inside the building.
Happy Death Day
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) is celebrating her birthday when she is suddenly murdered by a figure with a baby face mask. But, for some reason, she wakes up on the same day and relives it repeatedly until she figures out the killer’s identity and how to stop them.
Since the audience loved the hidden comedy elements of the film, the second installment, Happy Death Day 2U, emphasized the story’s humoristic approach. So, if you want a mixture of comedy and horror, you can also check out this movie to see what happens next for the characters.
The Sixth Sense
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Everyone knows Cole Sear’s (Haley Joel Osment) classic “I see dead people” line in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense. This haunting statement by a young kid was frightening enough to scare adults and teenagers alike.
The film tells the story of Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist who tries to help a mother (Toni Collette) and her son when he experiences dark occurrences. By the movie’s end, you’ll be shocked by the extraordinary plot twist and possibly go to sleep with the lights on.
The Ring
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Rachel Keller’s (Naomi Watts) life turns upside down when she investigates the brutal murders of several people, including her niece. During her research, she discovers that this family member watches a tape before she dies and goes on a search for this object. However, once Rachel watches the ominous video, someone calls her phone and whispers that she has seven days left to live.
Find out if the character lives by watching The Ring and unlocking the truth about the video with the ghost-like girl.
Red Eye
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
Since Wes Craven movies are often rated R, like Scream and A Nightmare on Elm Street, it may be challenging to find a PG-13 thriller from the famous director and writer. Thankfully, fans still got the frightening journey of Red Eye, a film about a woman that gets taken hostage on an airplane.
Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) befriends a fellow passenger, Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy), but once the airplane takes off, he turns on her and threatens the life of her father (Brian Cox). To her dismay, she can’t tell anyone about her terrifying situation and develops a strategy to fight off the violent man.
McAdams and Murphy embody their roles and are convincing enough to have you at the edge of your seat.
The Grudge
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
In The Grudge, the director Takashi Shimizu reimagines his famous Japanese horror movie, Ju-on: The Grudge. The film follows the journey of Karen Davis (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a nurse who recently moved to Tokyo.
When she arrives, she witnesses multiple eerie situations around her new house and feels the presence of a supernatural being. Moreover, this unknown force is no ordinary entity because of its mission to kill humans, with Karen being the next victim. So, she’ll have to do whatever it takes to survive this bizarre creature’s plot to destroy her.
The Mummy
Top 15 Best PG-13 Scary Movies
The Mummy series is a beloved franchise by many fans that perfectly combines horror, adventure, humor, and romance. You’ll experience the stories of Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser), Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz), and Jonathan Carnahan (John Hannah) when they find themselves caught up in the curse of an ancient mummy.
Not only do they have to battle this undead creature, but they also have to face hordes of man-eating bugs and an army of faithful soldiers. You can also watch more of the story in the next installment, The Mummy Returns, a movie that takes the thriller component to new heights.
Now that you have these top 15 best PG-13 scary movies on the brain, you can watch one of our picks for a frightening experience. While you’re here, you can check out the relevant links below and see our latest news coverage about a new Alien horror game.
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