Summary
- 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.
Of all the numerous sub-genres associated with horror movies, workplace horror films possess a distinctive brand of their own. As opposed to dodging mind-numbing small talk at the water cooler, melting under the relentless glare of fluorescent lighting, or being offered a pizza party in lieu of a pay rise, movies associated with this brand of horror usually see their protagonists confronted with a life-threatening situation while at their place of work.
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The antagonists of these pictures can be human or supernatural, but they typically all harbor malicious intentions of some form towards the film's main characters. While such a premise may seem relatively benign in comparison to some of the wider genre's more heart-stopping outings, it's ironic that some of horror's most distinguished entries happen to fall into the workplace horror category of film 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 none other than Guardians of the Galaxy alum James Gunn, The Belko Experiment follows a large group of employees who arrive at work one day only to find themselves charged with an exceedingly morbid task. They must start killing each other in a form of twisted social experiment or face their own death as a punishment, courtesy of an explosive tracking chip implanted in the base of their skulls as "company policy."
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Directed by Greg McLean, the 2017 film can best be described as a gripping blend of action and psychological horror. It's a riotously entertaining watch from start to finish, with a number of nail-biting sequences and gruesome deaths perpetrated with office supplies when the carnage duly ensues. While some critics argued that the film failed to take full advantage of its uniquely compelling premise, there's never a dull moment during this in-office battle royale bonanza.
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's Willy's Wonderland sees the inimitable Nicolas Cage take on the role of an unnamed drifter who finds himself employed at the titular defunct family entertainment park to pay for repairs on his damaged car. Unfortunately, nobody told Cage's mysterious protagonist that the park's eerie line-up of mascots just so happens to be possessed by the souls of a depraved serial killer and his acolytes.
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While it won't be winning an Oscar any time soon, there's something ineffably satisfying about watching Nicolas Cage beat an array of animatronic animals to death in hilariously brutal fashion. The film's premise is so ridiculous that nothing about it should work, yet Willy's Wonderland is endlessly entertaining from start to finish; striking the perfect balance between "legitimately creepy" and "hysterically over the top" to produce a hidden gem for the workplace horror genre.
4 Alien
Taking Workplace Horror Into Outer Space
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- Release Date: June 22, 1979
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Runtime: 1h 57min
- Cast: Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Harry Dean Stanton, Tom Skerritt
The recent release of Alien: Romulus has shone new light on one of the finest workplace horrors ever conceived. 1979's Alien takes place in outer space, far from the confines of cubicles and water coolers, but still follows a group who come into mortal danger at their place of work; in this case, the crew of a commercial space-hauler, the Nostromo. After exploring an abandoned alien spacecraft, the crew soon find themselves beset upon by the first iteration of the franchise's nightmarish alien predators; the Xenomorph.
Ridley Scott's stunning picture is deservedly acclaimed as one of the finest sci-fi horror offerings of all time. Despite an initially lukewarm critical reaction, many modern critics argue that it has no equal in this category of film. Featuring jaw-dropping visual effects and an array of stunning performances from the ensemble cast, Scott expertly ratchets up the tension across 116 nail-biting minutes before producing one of the most iconic closing sequences in cinematic 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
An adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' 1991 novel of the same name, 2000's American Psycho is not a workplace horror in the traditional sense. Serial killer Patrick Bateman's abhorrent antics are not limited to his office, nor is he the victim of any threat to his physical or mental well-being.
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However, Christian Bale's psychopath places such an intimate importance upon his status in his place of work that his iconic turn here arguably transcends the traditional conventions associated with the genre; Bateman is just as invested in his reputation as an investment banker as he is in his brutal murders. The end result is an unforgettable blend of horror and black comedy that retains cult classic status to this day, as well as a role that The Dark Knight trilogy star will always find his name inextricably linked to.
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
Arguably horror virtuoso Robert Eggers' finest offering to date, 2019's universally acclaimed The Lighthouse is a workplace horror like no other. This stunning black-and-white movie follows two nineteenth-century lighthouse keepers marooned at their place of work, chronicling their subsequent descent into madness in indescribably riveting fashion.
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Carried by a pair of powerhouse performances from leading duo Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe in tandem with Eggers' inimitable style of direction and cinematography, The Lighthouse is a masterpiece from start to finish. Expertly navigating the line between the realms of a psychological thriller and full-fledged horror, Eggers' picture is a macabre triumph across the board, a film that reveals a new piece of symbolism with every 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.
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Proceedings turn horrific in short order, with Torrance's sanity rapidly deteriorating as a result of the paranormal forces at play in the hotel, all before an explosive conclusion for the ages. The Shining isn't just the greatest workplace horror of all time, it's one of the finest offerings that the wider genre has to offer. Nicholson is utterly electrifying in his role as Jack Torrance, lending terrifying legitimacy to his unhinged portrayal of a man relentlessly losing his grip on reality against the backdrop of Kubrick's iconic direction.
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