By Charles Kirkland Jr.
I like horror movies.
I have been asked how I could be such a fan of the genre by many people, many times. Even some of my fellow critics seem mystified by how I don’t shy away from the field, especially after I just received my Master’s in Christian Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary.  Some of them cite the ickiness that lingers on them after watching many of the outings in the horror world. I must confess. Sometimes, they linger with me too. But there are two ways that I overcome the lingering effects of scary movies.
The first is that I recognize that spiritual battles are real. Scary movies and the lingering effect remind me that they are real. They also remind me of the fact that I can not overcome these battles on my own. They remind me that I need God’s help. Second Corinthians 12:10 states, “for when I am weak, He is strong.â€Â It is in my recognized weakness that I am forced to call on God to help me past the lingering effects of whatever scary movie I cannot get past.
The second thing that helps me enjoy horror movies is that I recognize the general revelation of God exists even in the dark and troubling films. General revelation is when we see God in the things that exist around us. Like enjoying the beauty of a sunset or the peace of a lake house in the woods, or even the joy in babies, things in this world point us to recognizing God every day. Some have to work to see them, to recognize the awesome power of God. Some people have an easier time recognizing God in everything. Being a spiritual leader, I find illustrations of God almost everywhere I go. My family will testify to the almost immeasurable number of times I have had an experience and told them that there is a sermon in it.
For many Christians, horror movies are often seen as something to be avoided, a source of fear, violence, and themes seemingly at odds with faith. Yet reality is often more complex. As a Christian, I’ve come to appreciate horror as a genre that, far from undermining my values, often reinforces them. Here are four reasons why I love horror movies:
1. The Bad Guys Always Get Their Comeuppance
One of the most satisfying conventions of horror movies is that evil is always confronted. It is rarely allowed to go unchecked. Monsters, malevolent spirits, and serial killers rarely escape justice. Whether it happens by the hero’s hand, the intervention of fate, or sometimes divine retribution, the outcome is clear: wickedness may thrive for a time, but it ultimately faces judgment. This echoes a fundamental Christian belief that justice, no matter how long it is delayed, will ultimately be done.
2. Bad Guys Often Punish Evil Doers
Some of the most iconic horror villains, like Freddy Krueger, Jigsaw, or the vengeful ghosts of Japanese horror, often target characters whose choices are morally questionable.Â
One of the classics where I first recognized this was 1977’s The Car. The movie was about a black, driverless Lincoln Continental Mark III that was possessed and killed people by running over them. During the film, one of the protagonists recognized that the car wouldn’t kill you unless you cussed at it.
How many times have we watched the slasher films and known right away that the promiscuous couple was next on the list? Or the guy who was the bully? Or even the person who cheats on the protagonist of the film?Â
While we don’t excuse the villain’s actions, it’s notable that, within the supernatural logic of these stories, those who harm, perpetrate cruelty, or neglect basic morality become prime targets. In a strangely poetic way, these tales serve as a cautionary tale, a dark mirror, warning us of the consequences of giving in to our worst instincts and rejecting God.
3. The Good People with Good Morals Usually Survive
A key trope in classic and modern horror is that the ones who survive are often those who display courage, self-sacrifice, and compassion. The “final girl†archetype isn’t just random; she usually resists temptation, helps others, and shows real resilience.
Just like we, the audience, know who is slated for death, simultaneously, we know who should survive because they usually radiate a general goodness that must be protected. We may not all agree on those morals in our lives, but we recognize them when we see them on the screen. This is a part of that general revelation of the virtues of God that we recognize, even if we do not ascribe to them.
In many stories, kindness and virtue become shields against darkness. These movies reinforce and silently celebrate the idea that living a moral life offers protection, even survival, when faced with evil.
4. God Always Wins in the End
Perhaps my greatest comfort is the recurring victory of good over evil, light over darkness. Often, horror movies draw explicitly or implicitly on Christian symbols, ideas, and even prayers to combat evil. We see crosses driving away vampires, prayers exorcising demons, and faith offering protection against the supernatural.
How many times have you heard someone quote “The power of Christ compels you!� Hidden in the line is the belief and even confession that there is power in the name of Christ. Every time the movie is watched and quoted, a real theological battle is being won.  People are unwittingly being exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This general revelation bordering on the divine!
Horror movies have stories that may be terrifying, but they ultimately affirm that there is a greater, Higher power and that darkness, in whatever form and regardless of how powerful, cannot win in the end.
Conclusion
While horror may seem at odds with Christian faith at first glance, I find that it often dramatizes spiritual truths in vivid, remarkable, and unforgettable ways. The defeat of evil, the vindication of virtue, and the triumph of good are themes embedded not just in scripture but in the heart of horror. In the end, these films remind me that, while evil is real, it never has the last word. For that reason, I unapologetically love horror movies.
