Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture > Entertainment

7 Female Protagonist Horror Movies to Watch This Halloween

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at App State chapter.

With Halloween right around the corner this is the perfect time to grab your bestie and binge-watch these horror movies with these talented female protagonists that will make your Halloween night! I listed movies that consist of gripping storytelling yet are still thrilling at the same time. All of the movies are on Amazon Prime and if you’re a student you can sign up for Prime Student for a free six-month trial. Take advantage of being a student!

Malignant (2021)

Picture: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3811906/
dWYDs0bvw2WjxAA5k90VV5cBrvQStuBYesmkxXJKW1xioRHbGHASXcE5vYbvRJi8DcFMw74ySeDJ6KzQgBxgD9h QBJmdaGxhVE8CvEEJlFByrcsZjUmy2JF4md2wbY15VHBDmh enKq2WdUNYKpEN JYkbiuYBT1tZsW6HNUg4MGG2NQ0nkTFDKZA

The movie Malignant follows the character of Madison, who was in an abusive relationship that eventually came to an end one day by a monster exterminating her partner. Madison suddenly wakes up and starts to have visions of people getting killed as if she were in the scene. Soon these visions become a reality and she starts to put together the puzzle pieces of her past and how it relates to the recent murders.

This is a movie that you have to watch for yourself to not get spoiled. It’s a film to watch with your friends and strap in for a wild ride. Confusion and shock will occur, but it will make your Halloween!

Ready or Not (2019)
s5qjWuGLh9Qx1OVRw34Jo9G5B qH7NxXxGduB3cIWCgHmTL6kGoA9toqCrlE B BeiRIZgzmEOB Ziao8rzS9P8rHpYYzhCGrB3RcRqU3ZEFTEqSBKp8q6f

Picture: https://moviesanywhere.com/movie/ready-or-not-2019

In the movie Ready or Not the protagonist is a newlywed bride participating in her in-law’s traditional game night in which she must win to be a part of her husband’s wealthy family. What seems like a simple game turns into a terrifying wedding night of survival – she must survive until midnight while the rest of her husband’s family must assassinate her to win the game. 

What the heck? Right! I said the same thing, how could your in-laws do this? Watch this movie to understand the full story. It’s wicked, humorous, and suspenseful at the same time. It’s a movie that makes you not want to marry anyone!

The Descent (2005)
p0VIKuCUdnHBcm6P4uVsbZ750HeRl wMmmcv1y93gagci6yDOEEA9tbzQO2ryr9LV2bpAjO9qclg7arB cjZ T1DSFVg2zfzLdafjHmjR5cJ7S1oehb MiH

Photo https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435625/

You’ll need a friend for this movie as it will be a night to remember! The Descent protagonist is a mother who recently suffered severe trauma and is invited by her best friends to go on a caving expedition to heal her grief. As her group of friends explore the cave, they are not able to get out. As they try to find an exit, they find strange drawings on the walls and bones around them, realizing there is something in the cave with them!

This has action, friendship, and betrayal. You get to learn more about characters and their true colors of who they are and you’ll question, “Are they truly friends?”

Candyman (1992)

Photo: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9529-candyman/images/posters 
2Jv0JURMAcPz29cgZEdPSJTdZ5JNoA5j6VR eTKfFhxf2IeIzNoTyUYBvuku9MhVdIpGJ6hyR PQqm2rfXWxCmNGq1m1SkUj6Lsu zBCF

Candyman focuses on Helen Lyle, a student researching a thesis about myths and legends who wants to learn more about the famous legend of the Candyman. Helen visits an abandoned building where the Candyman ‘supposedly’ lives and wants to see if this local legend is true by attempting to summon it by saying his name five times in a mirror. After her attempt to summon the legend, the witnessesing of strange murders begin to arise in her community. Helen starts to question herself if she is responsible for bringing the urban myth to life.

The film has been around for a while and is favored by classic horror fans. It’s more on the thriller and supernatural side If you are into an in-depth story about myths and legends, this might be on your favorite list!

The Babadook (2014)

Photo: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2321549/
xLtnFGI BZcwPHSoRxQxEpg83aWtWGnRdXRTT6MTZaez jzvb oCu1gys7 dagi6o EfMUtWP rpX0tciva4pPhrHhpsMj0Eb3TuyRWiVD bqAgfyRyG5xne6cg62xVstxl14 6jdJ708TukeRvcHKBEpP15hAP 3lkPe4YM 5mvRRXiUzppTzYGcg

The Babadook revolves around a single mother, named Amelia, and her son who deals with disturbing dreams that are affecting their social lives. As they both try to navigate a normal life, they come across a book called “Mister Babadook” in their house and start to experience paranoia when coming across the book’s creature called the Babadook. They both have to work together despite their differences to overcome this horrifying creature.

The story may not sound too terrifying but it’s very suspenseful and dwells on the supernatural. This is a mature and psychological film that dives into mental illness. The movie is creative and symbolic in how it represents depression and I think it’s a great film to watch rather than just getting scared!


Us (2019)

Photo: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6857112/
8pvqSmsKbz6SGZoBqNftOW5BRTrx2lgta2N XBqSg2vgdMDel3ZD oCqfzHu7jRLF6zmbI f0LgOpCENn4KuN8pjnpuX1 ZgDOIExSpSNqCu3Q2g8722guZPDjXm7px7dlYFsZQ

The movie Us is about the Wilson family, primarily focusing on Adelaide, the mother of the family (Lots of badass moms on this list!), who wants to take a trip to Adelaide’s childhood home. During the trip, Adelaide and her family are faced with masked strangers at their house who break inside their home. When the strangers reveal who they are, Adelaide and her family see that the intruders look just like them. 

Adelaide has to be in the position of more than just a protective parent but a guide for survival. This movie is full of twists and turns that will make you question every second. A movie to get you hooked and surprised!

Scream (1996)

Picture: https://www.amazon.com/Bang-SCREAM-Poster-Horror-24x36inch/dp/B019P1IFW4
J6H3IjFRV70GcrrI0SYtg

Scream is your classic slasher teen horror film. The main character is Sidney Prescott, a high school student who becomes a target of an anonymous masked killer who is terrorizing her friends and peaceful town. As these strange events keep occurring, Sidney has to question her own friends and surroundings on who is disguised as this mysterious slasher.

This movie is a favorite by audiences and has become one of the most sensational modern horror films. This is a mystery film that you’ll have to watch to solve as it keeps the viewer entertained and on the edge of their seats! It has to be on your watchlist for Halloween!

Giselle Gonzalez-Garcia is currently a student at Appalachian State University majoring in Communication, Advertising, with a minor in Graphic Communication Management. Outside of school, she spends time drawing and shopping for stationery. She hopes to work at a creative advertising agency and live in a city with her mixed terrier.