The American Presidential election is happening on November 5, and it’s a pivotal one since the country is nearly equally divided between its primary political parties. Also, it could lead to the first female president in American history. With it being such a groundbreaking moment, people will either be at the polls, or watching the results on TV, or both.
How about a little horror the night before? But it’s a hard theme to find. For some reason, Hollywood hasn’t done much with horror movies about politics and the ones that are available aren’t exactly the greatest, but they are entertaining.
We have selected five movies below that have political leanings and are terrifying in their own right. If you want to find out where to watch them, check out the website JustWatch and it will point you in the right direction.
The Dead Zone (1983)
Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) develops the supernatural ability to see the future. These psychic abilities are initially used to help people independently. But after shaking the hand of a political candidate (Martin Sheen), Johnny sees there might be a threat on a grander scale, one that threatens the entire world.
The Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)
Is Damien on his way to becoming the leader of the free world? His father the Devil sure hopes so. But first, he must stop the second coming of Christ. Not as thrilling as the first two movies in this trilogy, but at least Omen III follows its own formula as a biblical supernatural slasher.
The Purge: Election Year (2016)
“Former Police Sergeant Barnes becomes head of security for Senator Charlie Roan, a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate the Purge.”
Civil War (2024)
Some may argue this isn’t a horror movie, and technically it isn’t. But with all the bloodshed, the complete collapse of America, and that one “What kind of American are you?” scene with Jess Plemons it’s scarier than many others. The MPAA seemed to think so too as they gave it an R rating for: Strong violent content, bloody/disturbing images, and language throughout.
Founders Day (2023)
This one was basically ignored this year. It’s a slasher through and through but with a satirical edge. It involves a mayoral election and not a presidential one, but the moving parts are the same. From IMDb: “A small town is shaken by a series of ominous killings in the days leading up to a heated mayoral election.”
Honorable Mention:
Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Although this might be the best of the bunch and is politically charged, The Manchurian Candidate is more of a psychological political thriller. Still worth a watch.
Extra Credit (TV edition):
Chucky Season 3
Sadly, this series was canceled way too soon. Even people who never watched the proper movies liked this series. In season three Chucky infiltrates the White House with deadly results. Creator Don Mancini definitely inserted some underlying personal commentary here, but unlike the real election, it’s all in good fun.