Time loops are a popular cinematic trope, most famously played for laughs in such films asGroundhog Day. But the concept of being trapped in time, forced to repeat the same actions again and again, is horrifying. Not surprisingly, some of the best films with time loops are horror movies.
A time loop is distinct from time travel (another popular sci-fi and horror film trope) because the characters are trapped — locked in the cycle until they can find a way to break free. Sometimes the hero or heroine escapes; other times, they gain awareness of the loop only to forget as they return to the beginning of the cycle. If Hell is repetition, the characters in these horror films are truly damned.Time loops and time travel in general continue to be some of the most effective and unique premises when it comes to horror movies, with more and more movies effectively using it for their own terrifying scares. Even recent releases such asTotally Killercontinue to prove the longevity and effectiveness of time-loops and time-travel-based shenanigans in a horror movie setting.
16’Lucky' (2020)
Directed by Natasha Kermani
Brea GrantofHeroesfame writes and stars in this horror film as May, a popular self-help book author who finds herself in a writing slump and struggling to get her next book deal approved. Navigating her troubled marriage with an emotionally distant husband, May finds herself trapped in a time loop, where she is targeted by a masked killer every night. When no one seems to notice or help her with her troubles, May is forced to take matters into her own hands and regain control of her life.
Luckyuses horror as a metaphor and offers a layered perspective on May and her life. While the narrative includes thepopular tropes from slasher movies, the film also dives into social critique and addresses pressing issues like gaslighting, victim-blaming, and the emotional toll of living in the modern world. Premiering at the 2020 Fantasia International Film Festival,Luckyhad a positive reaction from fans and critics alike.– Maddie P
Watch on Shudder
15’Haunter' (2013)
Directed by Vincenzo Natali
Abigal Breslinstars as Lisa, a 16-year-old girl forced to relive the day of her family’s murder. She is the only one aware that they’re long dead and trapped in a time loop. Lisa is eventually able to cross into other timelines, identifying her family’s murderer and saving another household from becoming his new victims.
Haunterreceived mixed reviewsbut is a clever spin on the haunted house story. Breslin shines as the initially apathetic teenager trapped in purgatory who eventually finds the spirit to investigate – and resolve – the secret behind her family’s plight. Combining the time loop formula with an overarching mystery does a great deal of making each individual loop and repeat feel exciting and worthwhile to the audience.
14’The Final Girls' (2015)
Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson
Max (Taissa Farmiga) and her friends attend a double-bill screening of “Camp Bloodbath” 1 and 2, the franchise her actress mother was famous for. But when a fire breaks out, the group inexplicably finds themselves trapped in the film — and its 92-minute time loop. Max and her friends discover that they, like the movie characters, are very much in danger of becoming the next victims.
The Final Girlsis a fun meta take on ’80s horror films, to which it also pays loving homage.The simple premise of having someone from the modern day having to deal with all of the tropes and archetypes of a cheesy 80s horror film makes for a great deal of both scares and comedy. Despite only having a limited theatrical release, it was warmly received by critics, who noted the clever concept andThe Final Girls' heartfelt exploration of family and legacy.
The Final Girls (2015)
Directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa
TheEnglish-language French horror filmfollows the dysfunctional Harrington family, who, on their way to a family Christmas Eve gathering, end up experiencing a series of horrifying events en route. When the family patriarch, Frank Harrington (Ray Wise), decides to take a shortcut through a wooded road, they come across a woman dressed in white and offer to give her a ride. But when the woman disappears, terrifying things begin to happen to every member of the family, including the pursuit of a mysterious hearse.
Directed by French filmmakersJean-Baptiste AndreaandFabrice Canepa,Dead Endalso starsAlexandra Holden,Lin Shaye,Mick Cain,Billy Asher, andAmber Smith. Set during Christmas and featuring ample eeriness and tension,Dead Endalso makes for an interesting holiday horror film. The suspenseful narrative explores both the literal and figurative significance of its title, where the Harringtons find themselves in a fix because of the choices they make.Dead Endearned several accolades across its festival circuit and has been praised for the spine-chilling atmosphere and cast performances.– Maddie P
12’Lost Things' (2004)
Directed by Martin Murphy
Four teenagers set off on a typical surfing weekend but are soon beset by unexplained visions and strong feelings of déjà vu. The group meets a charismatic but menacing drifter, Zippo (Steve Le Marquand), who is gradually revealed to be a demonic entity. It is revealed that one year ago, one of the teenagers, Emily (Lenka Kripac), promised all their souls to Zippo for “freedom.” In return, he slaughtered and enslaved them and has been forcing the group to relive the weekend of their murders ever since.
Lost Thingsmay initially seem like another surf-beach slasher or “Wolf Creek-by-sea,” but it evolves into a chilling storyheavy with existential dread. The sun-drenched Australian beach has rarely seemed more terrifying, as the film makes perfect use of its compact setting. The film makes the most out of its lower budget by focusing much more on the characters and story at hand, creating a terrifying and thrilling mystery that is expertly unraveled.
Lost Things
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11’Synchronic' (2020)
Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead
Synchronicfollows the story of two New Orleans paramedics (played byAnthony MackieandJamie Dornan) whose lives are ripped apart following numerous encounters with a number of horrific deaths. As the deaths show themselves to all be linked to a designer drug that touts bizarre and otherworldly effects, the investigation into the murders, the drugs, and their effects changes the lives of the paramedics forever.
More than simply telling a surprisingly effective time loop horror story,Synchronicuses its story as a jumping-off point to preach about the terrors and real-life consequences of grief and loss. The film has a number of poignant things to say about how people will go off the deep end in the wake of terrible events in their lives, weaving together a beautiful tale with a highly effective emotional core. Even outside its messaging, the film’s strange time-travel antics also giveSynchronica number of unique connectionsto other time-travel horror films.– Rob Lee
Synchronic
10’Koko-di Koko-da' (2019)
Directed by Johannes Nyholm
Tobias (Leif Edlund) and Elin (Ylva Gallon) go camping to try and fix their marriage, which has been on the rocks since the death of their young daughter. On their first morning, the couple is attacked, mocked, and murdered by three strangely dressed figures who resemble the nursery rhyme characters from their dead daughter’s music box. Tobias and Elin then wake up again, only for the cycle to repeat itself. The pair realize they are trapped in a time loop.
Koko-di Koko-dais a Swedish/Danish production that is a dark surrealist horror fantasy exploring the monstrous shadow of grief.A trio of nursery rhyme characters are unexpected antagonists for what at first appears to be a typical camping horror movie — but Mog, Sampo, and Cherry are undeniably terrifying. Especially compared to other time-loop horror movies, the film takes a much more surrealist and nightmarish approach to the proceedings, featuring a number of amazingly terrifying imagery and setpieces.
Koko-di Koko-da
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9’Coherence' (2013)
Directed by James Ward Byrkit
In this sci-fipsychological horror thriller film, eight friends get together one evening for a dinner party, which quickly goes awry when a comet passing the Earth causes a power outage. The group begins to experience strange occurrences and anomalies, realizing they are trapped in a time loop. They find themselves in alternate realities with different versions of the evening and their own selves, resulting in a disturbing overlap of their interpersonal dynamics with quantum decoherence.
Directed byJames Ward Byrkitin his directorial debut,Coherenceis a surreal and mind-bending narrative about how human beings are constantly trying to escape their reality in favor of something more appealing. It also challenges the tropes of sci-fi and horror, fusing them into a refreshing story. The film is also said to be influenced byThe Twilight Zoneand has earned critical acclaim for its remarkable storytelling and complex nature, earning several awards and accolades across its film festival circuit.– Maddie P
8’In the Tall Grass' (2019)
Siblings Cal (Avery Whitted) and Becky (Laysla De Oliveira) are driving cross-country when they stop by a field of long grass after hearing a boy, Tobin (Will Buie Jr.), shout for help. They enter the field but quickly become separated – and realize something in the grass is altering their perceptions of time, sound, and distance. Soon Cal, Becky, Tobin and his family, and Becky’s ex-boyfriend Travis (Harrison Gilbertson) all become entangled in the tall grass, trapped in a time loop.
In the Tall Grassis adapted from a novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill and effectively stretched into a tense and nightmarish horror movie. The beautifully shot film captures the natural lushness of the grass and the sinister, claustrophobic entanglement of the characters. The film is a great time loop adjacent companion piece to all of the other amazing horroradaptations to come from King’s catalog.
In the Tall Grass
7’Happy Death Day' (2017)
Directed by Christopher Landon
College student Theresa (Jessica Rothe), who goes by “Tree,” is murdered on the night of her birthday — only to wake up and find the day repeating itself. Trapped in a time loop, Tree is murdered daily as she attempts to solve the mystery of her killer’s identity and reevaluate her life choices, for the better, in the process.
Happy Death Dayis a clever, funny take on teen slasher whodunits, with a genuinely good plot twist regarding the identity of the killer.The film’s self-aware tone and vision work greatly when it comes to the film’s effective comedy, making the series one of the best examples of horror comedy in the 2010s. A sequel,Happy Death Day 2Uwas made in 2019, and directorChristopher Landonis still hoping to make a third filmin the series.
