The Best Workplace Horror Movies

Key Takeaways

Workplace horror movies feature protagonists facing life-threatening situations at their place of work.
Antagonists can be human or supernatural with malicious intentions towards main characters.
Films like
The Belko Experiment
and
The Shining
exemplify the unique and terrifying nature of workplace horror.

As a film enthusiast with a particular soft spot for horror and black comedy, I must say that the portrayal of Bateman in “American Psycho” is nothing short of mesmerizing. The character’s duality – a successful investment banker by day and a brutal murderer by night – is a testament to both the actor’s talent and the filmmaker’s vision. It’s no wonder that Christian Bale will forever be associated with this iconic role.

Among various categories of horror films, workplace horror movies have a unique flavor all their own. Unlike avoiding tedious chatter near the water cooler or feeling suffocated under harsh fluorescent lights, or being tempted with a pizza party instead of a raise, these types of horror films typically portray their main characters grappling with life-threatening scenarios right at their workplace.

In these images, the adversaries can be either human or supernatural, but they often have harmful intentions towards the movie’s primary characters. This plot may appear relatively tame compared to some extreme examples in the genre, but surprisingly, many of horror cinema’s most notable works belong to the subcategory of workplace horror for one reason or another.

6 The Belko Experiment

A Literal Take On The Cut Throat Nature Of Corporate Life

Release Date: March 17, 2017
Director: Greg McLean
Runtime: 1h 29min
Cast: John Gallagher Jr., Adria Arjona, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker

Written by James Gunn, who is famous for his work on Guardians of the Galaxy, The Belko Experiment revolves around a multitude of employees who show up to work one fateful day. To their shock, they’re presented with an inhumane assignment: they must begin murdering each other as part of a sinister social experiment, or face the grim consequence of being blown up due to a deadly chip implanted in their skulls – a policy enforced by their employer.

2017’s movie titled “Wolf Creek 2,” under Greg McLean’s direction, offers an exhilarating mix of action and psychological terror. This film is a thrilling rollercoaster ride that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, featuring intense scenes and grisly deaths using everyday office supplies when the violence breaks out. Some critics felt it didn’t fully exploit its captivating concept, but this office-based battle royale remains consistently engaging throughout.

5 Willy’s Wonderland

Nicolas Cage At His Weirdest And Most Wonderful

Release Date: February 12, 2021
Director: Kevin Lewis
Runtime: 1h 28min
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, Beth Grant, Caylee Cowan

2021 brings us the movie “Willy’s Wonderland,” starring the unique Nicholas Cage as an anonymous traveler forced to work at Willy’s Wonderland, a dilapidated amusement park, to fix his broken-down vehicle. However, it appears that no one informed Cage’s enigmatic character about the unsettling fact that the park’s mascots are actually possessed by the evil spirits of a notorious serial killer and his followers.

As a die-hard Nicolas Cage fan, I must admit that the movie “Willy’s Wonderland” isn’t exactly an Academy Award contender. But there’s an undeniable joy in watching him take on a menagerie of animatronic animals in a way that’s nothing short of brutally hilarious. Despite its outlandish plot, this film manages to keep me captivated from beginning to end; it masterfully blends “genuinely spooky” elements with “ridiculously over-the-top” action to create a hidden gem in the workplace horror genre.

4 Alien

Taking Workplace Horror Into Outer Space

Release Date: June 22, 1979
Director: Ridley Scott
Runtime: 1h 57min
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Harry Dean Stanton, Tom Skerritt

The new movie “Alien: Romulus” has shed fresh perspective on one of the most chilling office horrors ever created. While set in outer space and not within the walls of offices or around water coolers, the 1979 film “Alien” still depicts a team who encounter deadly peril at their workplace. In this instance, the cast is the crew aboard a commercial spaceship, the “Nostromo”. Upon investigating an unoccupied alien spacecraft, the crew are swiftly hounded by the initial form of the terrifying creatures that would become synonymous with the franchise – the Xenomorph.

Ridley Scott’s masterful film is widely recognized as one of the best sci-fi horror productions ever made. Although it initially received mixed reviews from critics, many contemporary commentators contend that there’s nothing quite like it in this genre. The movie boasts breathtaking special effects and a stellar performance by its ensemble cast, with Scott skillfully building suspense over 116 edge-of-your-seat minutes to create one of the most memorable endings in film history.

3 American Pyscho

Cinema’s Archetype For The Slick Psychopath

Release Date: April 14, 2000
Director: Mary Harron
Runtime: 1h 42min
Cast: Christian Bale, Justin Theroux, Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto, Willem Dafoe

2000’s film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel “American Psycho” doesn’t fit the conventional definition of a workplace horror. The character Patrick Bateman, a serial killer, doesn’t just exhibit repugnant behavior in his office environment; it transcends beyond that setting. Furthermore, unlike many horror characters, he isn’t subjected to any external threats to his physical or psychological health.

Christian Bale’s portrayal of the psychopath in the movie is so entwined with his professional standing at work that it may surpass typical expectations for this genre. Essentially, Bateman values his reputation as a banker just as much as he enjoys his violent acts. This unique mix of horror and dark humor has left an indelible impact, maintaining its status as a cult classic to the present day, and a role that Christian Bale will forever be associated with in film history.

2 The Lighthouse

Robert Eggers’ Inimitable Style At Its Harrowing Best

Release Date: October 18, 2019
Director: Robert Eggers
Runtime: 1h 49min
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman

Without a doubt, the master of horror, Robert Eggers, delivered one of his best works with the critically praised film, “The Lighthouse,” released in 2019. This unique take on workplace horror stands alone. The captivating black-and-white production tells the story of two lighthouse caretakers stranded at their job site during the 19th century. As the tale unfolds, we witness their alarming slide into madness in a way that is incredibly gripping and hard to forget.

Remarkable and captivating from beginning to end, The Lighthouse showcases outstanding performances by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe under Eggers’ unique directorial and cinematographic touch. Straddling the boundary between psychological thriller and horror, this film by Eggers is a chilling success in every aspect, offering fresh layers of symbolism with each viewing.

1 The Shining

The Greatest Workplace Horror Film Of All Time

Release Date: May 23, 1980
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Runtime: 2h 26min
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers

The quintessential workplace horror offering, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining brings Stephen King’s novel of the same name to life on the silver screen. Starring Jack Nicholson in one of his most celebrated roles, this 1980 horror flick follows Jack Torrance – a recovering alcoholic who moves into the Overlook Hotel with his wife and son after taking up employment as the caretaker of the mysterious Overlook Hotel.

As I delve deeper into the eerie Overlook Hotel, the events quickly take a chilling turn, with my sanity slipping away as some otherworldly powers wreak havoc. It all builds up to an explosive climax that leaves me breathless. The Shining stands tall as not only the ultimate workplace horror but also one of the most captivating contributions to the genre, period. Jack Nicholson delivers a spine-tingling performance as Jack Torrance, making his descent into madness feel shockingly real against Stanley Kubrick’s iconic filmmaking.

2024-09-10 09:33