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25 Jump Scares That Still Make Us Jump

We ranked the most chilling, spine-tingling, utterly terrifying scenes that get us every time, and asked writers, filmmakers and stars to explain why.

“The greatest mirror jump-scare of them all features multiple shocks, a devilishly charismatic villain and a deliriously creepy three-act soundscape: a familiar synthesizer lulling you into a sense of safety, a metallic shriek and a growl haunting your dreams.” — Jason Zinoman When a rotting figure gasps for breath, the reaction of Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and John C. McGinley was so convincing, it spawned a modern myth: that they weren’t told the body was an actor, not a prop. “This expertly constructed bedroom jolt from Sam Raimi combines classic violins and gross-out high jinks with a victim who might deserve to be doused in worms: She’s been cursed for callously repossessing a Hungarian immigrant’s house.” — Amy Nicholson

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