A horror movie seeks to instill fear, anxiety, and revulsion in its audience. It accomplishes this using various methods, frequently incorporating elements such as creatures, catastrophic events, and concepts that challenge societal norms. Horror films frequently investigate grim themes, examining the “other” – people or beings that are feared due to their differences or misunderstandings. This investigation of the “other” enables horror to mirror the societal anxieties and fears that exist during any specific period.
In the horror films Sinners (by Nia DaCosta, 2025) and The Possession of Hannah Grace (by Diederik Van Rooijen, 2018), they both depend on supernatural horror; they differ in themes, locations, and cinematic techniques. Sinners is set in 1930s Mississippi, and it makes use of the vampire theme and African American heritage. It tells the story of twin brothers caught in sin, belief, as a supernatural creature infiltrates the community, while The Possession of Hannah Grace is a modern horror movie set in a morgue in Boston. The main character, Megan, a former police officer in recovery from addiction, faces a body still possessed by a demonic entity.
Both movies illustrate Modus Legendi, the concept that horror functions to interpret the world using symbols, myths, and ethical principles. In Sinners, vampirism serves as a symbol for America’s racial and ethical decline during the Depression. The “sinners” include not just the actual monsters but also the people involved in greed, lust, and violence. Hannah Grace, conversely, uses the demonic body as a representation of guilt and regression. Megan, the main character, is unable to flee from her tormented history of watching her partner die, and Hannah’s resurrected body symbolizes her internal conflict. Both movies employ supernatural horror to explore the human condition: Sinners examine the collective sin of a community, while Hannah Grace focuses on the individual sin of self-destruction.
Both films utilize camera movement and lighting to influence mood, tempo, and anticipation. In Sinners, slow camera movements and extended fades reflect the rhythm of blues; shadows dance across faces during performances, suggesting that something primal is awakening underneath. The Possession of Hannah Grace uses still images and static framing to convey a sense of entrapment. The morgue’s fluorescent light turns into a weapon—cruel and relentless. The camera’s unwavering gaze compels the audience to feel confined to the main character, anticipating any motion on the edge of the scene. Each corridor scene creates anticipation through emptiness: the terror comes not with movement but with stillness
The pivotal point in Sinners is when a brother discovers that the evil tormenting their town is linked to their family’s past; the blood curse fueling the vampires originated from ancestral treachery. In The Possession of Hannah Grace, the pivotal point occurs when Megan, the former cop lead, barricades herself in the autopsy room with Hannah’s corpse, understanding that belief and determination, not firearms, will end the horror.
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