11 Horror Movies That Feature Isolation

I hate a small space. There is something deeply uncomfortable about walls closing in around someone and the inability to call for help. It almost reminds me of my childhood fear of quicksand. Rapid sinking and descent into madness. Isolation Horror takes all of these fears and wraps it up with a suffocating bow.

Made popular by classics like The Shining and The Thing, the subgenre is built on small or confined spaces and characters removed from the outside world. The remote cabin, something that shouldn't be messed with, or a group of dumb friends. With this simple structure, the possibilities for twists are endless. Aliens, cults, monsters, ghosts, serial killers, or a tragic backstory coming back to haunt you!

We've compiled a list of our favorite horror movies that take place or feature parts in isolation.

Good Boy (2025)

Ben Leonberg's reimagining of the haunted house trope takes place in a remote cabin in the woods through the perspective of a dog.

The Hole (2001)

Thora Birch and Keira Knightley star in Nick Hamm's psychological thriller following a group of teens who discover an underground fallout shelter.

Gerald's Game (2017)

Based on Stephen King's novel, Mike Flannigan's psychological horror follows Jessie (Carla Gugino) and her husband Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) in a secluded house for an attempt at a romantic getaway.

TW: SA

The Strangers (2008)

Liv Tyler and Scoot Speedman star in Bryan Bertino's overwhelming home invasion film. A couple staying in a vacation home is terrorized by three masked killers.

Creep (2014)

Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice both star and wrote this unnerving found footage flick about a videographer taking a one day job from Craigslist in a remote cabin in the woods (are you seeing the trends in the subgenre?)

Grave Encounters 2 (2012)

9 years after the events of the first Grave Encounters, Alex (Richard Harmon) is a film student and Grave Encounters conspiracy theorist. After convincing his group of friends, they set out to uncover the truth by visiting the hospital from the original film.

Rear Window (1954)

We're taking you back with this Hitchcock classic! Though this isn't traditional horror like the other titles on this list, it's the perfect example of isolation through being bound to the space.

Get Out (2017)

We couldn't leave out Jordan Peele's directorial debut! We're given a modern masterclass in isolation through uncomfortable pauses in dialogue, tight shots, and perfectly executing the feeling of losing control.

The Ruins (2008)

Speaking of out of touch, disrespectful white people! A group of friends fight for their lives while exploring a remote Mayan ruin in Mexico.

47 Meters Down (2017)

Mandy Moore and Claire Holt star in Johannes Roberts' survival horror is about 2 sisters who are trapped in a cage in the ocean.

Onibaba (1964)

Directed by Kaneto Shindō, the wife and mother of a soldier make their living by attacking warriors and selling their belongings. Tensions rise between the two when they encounter a samurai in a mask.