If you're looking for a film that chills you to your very core in time for Halloween, science has your back. A new study has just identified the most terrifying release of 2024 and it's currently free to stream.
Founded in 2020, the Science of Scare Project aims to identify the scariest English language films ever made, equipping a panel of 250 people with heart rate monitors and tracking their experience watching a variety of films to generate a ranking.
The latest batch of results are now in and have revealed which film of 2024 is the most likely to leave you sleeping with the lights on.
Irish horror film Oddity, directed by Damian McCarthy, topped the charts with a 'Scare Score' of 69, inching ahead of releases like Terrifier 3 (68), Longlegs (54) and even The Substance (45) to secure the title of 2024's most terrifying watch. For comparison, Shrek has a score of 3.
Oddity follows grieving doctor Ted (Gwilym Lee) after his wife Darcy (Carolyn Bracken) is brutally murdered in their new home, seemingly at the hands of one of his patients. On the anniversary of her death, his deceased spouse's identical twin sister shows up with an unusual item in tow and the truth about what really happened starts to come to light.
One disturbed viewer described the film as their "top choice for best horror movie of the year." They continued: "Damian McCarthy's follow up to his impressive directorial debut Caveat, is just as atmospheric and dread inducing but with a much more linear and involving plot, plus much more frightening."
Another described Oddity as "gripping from beginning to end", calling it "a masterclass in film making", while one fan shared: "I was honestly SO surprised and totally gripped by this movie. There are SO many things going on... and homages to so many different horror genres - but somehow it feels extremely well contained, and the pacing and plot never suffer for it."
There's some good news for brave viewers ready to take Oddity on, as it's currently streaming on Shudder which offers new customers a seven day free trial. If you started your trial later this week, you'd be able to watch the film at no cost on Halloween.
While Oddity has been crowned 2024's scariest release, the project's most terrifying film of all time is supernatural horror film Sinister with a Scare Score of 96. In second place is Host at 95, and in third is Skinamarink with 91.
Oddity is now streaming on Shudder