10 Toxic Friendships in Horror Movies RANKED

Welcome to Knockout Horror. We brought a bunch of Valentine’s day related lists to you last week. This week, however, we are going to put a bit of a focus on a completely different type of relationship. The kind that can either last a lifetime or go completely wrong for almost no reason. Yep, we are going to be bringing you a few lists that follow a friendship theme. We are kicking things off with 10 Horror Movies With Toxic Friendships – Be Careful Who You Hang With.

Friendships and friend groups play a central part in many horror movies. From old classics like Deliverance, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street right through to movies like Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. It’s an incredibly common trope in horror.

So many movies feature a friend group on the run from someone. Working together to stop a killer and save each others lives. Or simply working as a group to avenge a fallen comrade. But what happens when those friendships turn toxic? What happens when the bonds break and the groups splinter?

Today’s list is 10 Horror Movies focusing on what happens when friendship goes wrong. These movies show the consequences of friendship falling apart. Be it through friends having to keep secrets, friends falling out over differing values or, simply, friends realising they have been deceived and the person they felt close to wasn’t exactly who they thought they were.

This is part one of a two part list so once you are done reading this, be sure to check out part two – 10 More Toxic Friendships in Horror Movies RANKED. If, on the other hand, you are looking for something all together more positive, why not check out our list of the 10 Best Friendships in Horror Movies RANKED.

Well, we will start with the worst movie on this list. It isn’t that 2017’s Game of Death is a terrible movie. It’s just one of those movies that feels a bit low effort and features a cast of annoying characters. A group of friends are enjoying themselves at a party after playing a board game when, suddenly, one of their friend’s heads explodes. Confused at first, it soon becomes clear that the friends are now involved in a game of kill or be killed. Setting them off on a rampage through the town that may, eventually, pit them against each other.

Game of Death’s concept is pretty interesting and it goes fairly hard on the gore but it’s just not all that great. Once the killing begins it all feels a bit formulaic and generic. It does pick up a fair bit towards the second half but there’s always that lingering feeling that it doesn’t quite work. Still, that board game design is pretty neat. The toxic friendship at play here is the entire damn group.

Unfriended is a screenlife horror movie that felt quite novel for the time. Following the story of a group of friends meeting up on a video chat app to hang out. Only to find themselves haunted by a mystery guest that threatens to reveal the group’s secrets and tear them apart. Unfriended shines a light on the subject of bullying and harassment. While pointing a finger at the plastic nature of some friend groups.

It wasn’t the first screenlife horror movie around, The Collingswood Story has a better claim to that, but it still works quite well. It is one of those movies where you can turn your brain off and just enjoy as it really doesn’t ask too much of the viewer. The uneasiness of the relationships between the friends and the constant uncovering of secrets keeps this one quite entertaining. It’s a great example of toxic friendships in horror. We awarded Unfriended 2.8/5 in our review.

Is this one more of a sci-fi thriller than a horror? Probably but I think there are enough horror elements here to keep fans entertained. Especially when you consider some of the psychological aspects of the story. Coherence follows a group of friends sharing a dinner party together as a comet passes. Little do they realise that the comet’s appearance has lead to a series of bizarre occurrences that threatens to fracture the group and force them to question their own, and each others’, identities.

Director James Ward Byrkit has done a lot with a little here. Extremely low budget and featuring minimal locations. Coherence plays out like a long form episode of The Twilight Zone. With a complex and fascinating plot that isn’t let down even a single bit by the entire cast who all seem to appreciate and understand the story. The friendships at play here prove to be less than solid and just a bit toxic as each member of the dinner party attempts to rationalise what is going on while inadvertently putting their own needs first. This one stays with you after watching. I watched it at least 8 years ago and it still pops into my head every now and then.

A group of friends hook up for a dinner date in 2016’s The Invitation. Little do the guests realise, however, that the hosts have an ulterior motive for the gathering. This is a pretty neat movie from director Karyn Kusama. Playing heavily on themes of bereavement and broken down relationships. The Invitation relies heavily on the paranoia and suspicion of our protagonist, Will, to create tension.

Will was in a prior relationship with the dinner party host Eden. The pair endured the loss of their child which, eventually, lead to them splitting up. The person Will sees before him is not the same person she once was. Prompting him to feel uneasy and increasingly nervous as the night goes on. The entire events of the film take place in one location and over the space of a few hours. Offering up something of a unique feel to the flow of the events. The ending is quite shocking and effective but it’s the build up that keeps you engaged. We awarded The Invitation 3.5/5 in our review. It doesn’t get much more toxic than what happens in The Invitation.

I jump at any chance to talk about Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes’s Australian horror comedy Sissy from 2022. Focusing on themes of lost friendship, bullying and social awkwardness. Sissy follows social media influencer Cecilia as she rekindles her relationship with former best friend Emma. Invited to spend the weekend with Emma to celebrate her upcoming wedding, Sissy is shocked to discover her former bully Alex is also attending. Leading to a chain of events that will end in mayhem.

Sissy is just a whole lot of fun. Hilarious, gory, and quite shocking in parts. It’s a perfect example of friendship gone wrong in horror as Sissy tries to overcome the sadness and anger she feels during her weekend away. Her relationship with Alex is toxic beyond belief, despite the uneasy truce between the two. It’s also one of those movies that doesn’t go quite the way you might think. Very enjoyable and absolutely worth checking out. We awarded Sissy 3.6/5 in our review.

We are going straight from one Aussie horror movie to another next with Talk To Me from 2022. Did anyone actually see this movie coming? It seemed like a real sleeper hit all things considered. A group of teens make contact with the dead using an embalmed hand. Addicted to the rush. one of the group takes things too far. Setting off a spiral of events that will impact everyone around her.

If you can get past the obnoxious teens, lousy main character, and the typical horror tropes that come along with this type of movie; there is a great story here. The whole “traumatised kid” thing is done a little too much in horror as of late but Talk to Me deserves praise for trying something new with the tired supernatural formula. Younger viewers will probably love this one. Being completely honest, the movie struggles to live up to its hype but it is still a decent watch. We awarded Talk to Me 3.5/5 in our review which you can check out at the link.

Super Dark Times is a little slice of small town American violence condensed into a genuinely enjoyable, often moving, package. A pair of best friends fall apart after a tragic accident leaves them with secrets and trauma that steals away their innocence. Leaving them to try to rebuild their lives against a backdrop of paranoia and resentment in this brilliant psychological thriller from Kevin Phillips. This is toxic friendship at its finest with Zach and Josh’s relationship completely falling to pieces in the worst way imaginable.

Super Dark Times is one of those movies that manages to capture teenage friendship so perfectly. All while breaking it down to reveal the consequences of rejection and jealousy. Perfectly highlighting just what can happen when that friendship turns toxic. This isn’t an action packed movie and doesn’t have any horror themes beyond a couple of scenes. But I definitely think it is a movie that plenty of horror fans can enjoy. Plenty of people will be able to relate to the characters and Super Dark Time’s depiction of outsider characters feels authentic and genuine. I really wish the ending was a little different as the movie goes out with a whimper but it is still completely worth watching. We awarded Super Dark Times 3.5/5 in our review.

Definitely one of the most well regarded horror movies on this list. The Descent is Neil Marshall’s follow up to Dog Soldiers and is a legitimately scary horror movie. Following the story of a group of friends who head out to the Appalachian mountains for a spelunking trip in a cave system. Fractured relationships and hidden secrets are the least of the group’s worries as the cave they entered plays host to something truly terrifying.

I am sure most people have heard of The Descent and know about its reputation. The story of frayed friendships and eroded trust is set against a backdrop of grief and betrayal that manages to stand alone in its own right. Even when placed up against what is a genuinely frightening monster movie. Creature designs are fantastic and have proved iconic over time. The location is claustrophobic and wince inducing and the scares come thick and fast. Awesome stuff though it does show its age in parts and copy cat movies have eaten away at some of the originality. Still a great watch and a perfect example of a horror movie with friendship gone wrong. We awarded The Descent 3.5/5 in our review.

This is a pretty grim horror movie from Norway that puts a bit of a spin on the “friendship gone wrong” theme. The Innocents differs in as much as the main characters here are all children. A group of friends on a housing estate discover they have strange, almost supernatural, powers that allow them to communicate through telepathy, move objects and even influence others. What starts as amusement and mischief soon turns dark as the group’s friendship begins to splinter.

This is a truly bleak movie. It is one of those horror films that really leans into creating a legitimately brooding mood and a sense of despair in the viewer throughout. There are some genuinely troubling scenes in The Innocents, some of which involve depictions of violence to animals, and it should be watched with a special consideration towards sensitive viewers. The way the story subverts the typical expectation of childhood play and puts the focus on the cruelty children are capable of deserves special mention. The Innocents is a film that is hard to shake once you have watched it. Not at all fun but it is both powerful and moving while being effective throughout. We awarded The Innocents 4/5 in our review.

An underrated and, somewhat, hidden gem of a horror, thriller, movie. Calibre sees a pair of friends head out to the wilds of Scotland on a hunting trip. After a night of partying, the pair hit the woods only for a terrible accident to set off a chain of events that will threaten more than simply their friendship. Again, this one is more of a thriller than a horror but it is such a good movie that I think horror fans will find plenty to enjoy.

The friendship of the two main characters plays a pivotal role in the progression of the story but also plays heavily into the deepening of the pair’s problems. Brilliant stuff, fantastically acted and gripping from start to finish. Calibre deserves way more praise than it gets. Once things get going, it never lets up for a minute and goes out of its way to leave your nerves shredded. Essential viewing and one of the best examples of toxic friendships in horror. We awarded Calibre 4/5 in our review.

Thanks for Reading!

So that’s 10 Toxic Friendships in Horror Movies. Thanks very much for reading and if you enjoyed this you will be happy to know we have another list following the same theme – 10 More Toxic Friendships in Horror Movies. For something more positive, take a look at our list of the 10 Best Friendships in Horror Movies RANKED.

Be sure to check out our Valentine’s day themed lists 10 Anti Valentine’s Day Horror Movies RANKED, 10 Romantic Horror Movies For Valentine’s Day RANKED and 10 Horror Movies With Murderous Couples RANKED.

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