I’ve said for a couple of years now that The Autopsy of Jane Doe is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. I stand by this statement, even after the dulling of multiple viewings.
My 12-year-old daughter recently got the horror movie bug—at last! She went over to a friend’s house and saw Halloween Ends, which I still haven’t seen (and frankly don’t care to), and subsequently declared herself an unafraid fan of horror.
Unafraid, huh? I thought.
Apparently she asked my wife what the scariest movie she’d ever seen was, to which Petal answered the same as myself: The Autopsy of Jane Doe. Thus, that movie would be, so my daughter thought, her next horror flick to conquer.
Well . . . let’s just say she developed a mysterious stomach ailment about midway through the film and we were forced to stop its showing. However, she did finish it the next day, with the perceived safety of the sun now squeezing through the blinds. Actually, I didn’t expect her to finish it. God knows I would have struggled to at her age. So, go Ella!
The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a modern masterpiece of horror. When I think of the scariest movies I’ve seen, these come to mind: The Ring, The Blair Witch Project, Vacancy, The Exorcist, and the original Pet Sematary. More recently, The Dark and the Wicked, Smile, and Speak No Evil. But none of them hold a candle to this one, in my opinion.
It has a slow burn quality but still manages to move along at a nice pace, building suspense from the opening scene onward, revealing more and more bizarre and terrifying elements. I hesitate to say too much about the plot, for fear ruining it for anyone who has yet to watch it. Let’s just say the obvious—it’s about an autopsy that doesn’t quite go as planned.
When Brian Cox’s character, after a particularly nerve-wracking incident, says “Let’s get the fuck out of here,” you as the viewer will agree with him whole-heartedly. For some reason, seeing his character, Tommy, accept the horrors of the situation so quickly and completely, makes it that much more terrifying to watch. We’re used to seeing the guys who refuse to accept what is happening, even if the monster is staring them in the face, fangs bared. Not here. Tommy and Austin (Emile Hirsch) understand quite early on that there is no rational explanation for the events taking place. They don’t bother trying to explain things away like so many other horror movies. In short, they react the way people would in the real world. That’s just a small part of the brilliance.
PC3’s Horror and Exploitation Movie Scale of Awesomeness!
Gore - 6
Special Effects - 6
Nudity/Sexuality - 2
Wow Factor - 9
Acting - 9
Fear Factor - 10
Story/Plot/Originality - 8
Cinematography/Atmosphere - 8
Sound/Music - 7
Fun Factor - 7
A well-deserved 72 PHEMSA for The Autopsy of Jane Doe. Acting is superb. The story is unique. The shocks just keep coming. And the fear keeps getting more intense.
I’m curious what the scariest movie you’ve ever seen is. Please list whatever comes to mind. If it’s something I haven’t seen, I look forward to watching it and seeing how it stacks up against The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
I was really surprised how much I like this movie. I stumbled across it by chance. I was always put off by the generic, dreadful poster/cover image.
I absolutely agree! This is the single most perfect example of a horror movie I've ever seen. It is the first movie I suggest to anyone when they ask for horror suggestions. Every little thing is done right in this flick. The characters feel.like real people,it looks amazing, the plot is brilliant,and it's truly terrifying.