The setting defines so much of a horror film's aesthetic, just moving a concept from one venue to another can radically change a story. Some horror films have become famous for ruining beloved locations, from the beach to the shower, to a sleepy small town.
There are a wide variety of films that take place in enclosed spaces, but something about a long-haul flight makes a great setting for horror movie moments. Perhaps the most famous horror story on a plane is the iconic "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" episode of TheTwilight Zone. Shatner's earnest panic at seeing a horrendous beast on the wing of the airplane has left a mark on pop culture forever. These plane-based horror films tell a variety of stories in the same setting.
Snakes on a Plane
The plot is in the title for this classic Samuel L. Jackson vehicle. It isn't good, but it is one of the most recognizable films in modern history. The set-up, if there can be claimed to be one, concerns an attempted assassination on a 747 which, for some reason, is executed via countless venomous snakes. Director David R. Ellis is also the director of the second and fourth films in the well-known Final Destination franchise.
The film had an interesting journey to production. First-time screenwriter David Dalessandro started with a story called Venom, about a single snake loose in an airplane. The film went through multiple drafts, most of which amounted to adding additional snakes. After the studio acquired the film and retitled it, hype began mounting online. Though it's mostly known for one iconic Samuel L. Jackson line, this comical schlock is still worth watching.
Blood Red Sky
Perhaps the most underrated horror film of last year, Peter Thorwarth's Blood Red Sky is a masterful work of tension and surprise. Set on a long-haul flight from Germany to New York which is in the midst of a violent hijacking. The passengers are terrified as they attempt to survive the ire of the armed men. But, as the violence escalates, one woman reveals a terrifying secret that flips the entire film on its head and turns the tension up to unimaginable levels.
Viewers are well-advised to go in knowing as little as possible, this is a fast-paced thrill ride that states its objective and pulls it off beautifully. Once the central premise is revealed, it's immediately one of the most intelligent one-sentence film ideas of the past decade. This film was released directly to Netflix, it's available there now and everyone should go see it immediately.
Shadow in the Cloud
Chloë Grace Moretz stars in this bizarre yet gripping horror film set in a World War II-era Flying Fortress. Written and directed by Roseanne Liang, the film centers around Moretz as a flight officer charged with traveling aboard the warplane with a mysterious package. Very much in the mold of "Terror at 20,000 Feet", she sees a strange winged beast attached to the wing of the old-fashioned bomber. The monster, which the film refers to as a gremlin, is ignored by the rest of the crew until it breaches the vehicle and begins a life or death struggle with the soldiers.
It's a strange and messy film, but Moretz's performance, the no-frills presentation, and the extremely tight runtime help it feel fun and engaging. Critics were not kind to Shadow in the Cloud, and there's plenty to criticize about it, but there's also a lot to love about this fast-paced horror ride.
Panic Button
This 2011 English horror film plays out like a classic torture horror film on a private jet. Four strangers believe they've won an all-expenses-paid vacation, courtesy of a social media network, and board a luxurious private jet. They swiftly discover that they're actually part of a nightmarish game of violence and deceit for the fate of their loved ones on the ground. This film was made on a tiny budget, and while the scares are visceral enough, its primary goal is to send a message.
Panic Button is a semi-cogent cautionary tale about the downsides of social media. In some horror films, it's just easier to root for the main characters to die. This one, at least by the time of the big third-act twist, actively encourages it.
Red Eye
Horror icon Wes Craven's 2005 psychological thriller is an underrated high-point of his excellent catalog. Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy star as passengers seated next to each other on a late-night flight to Miami, Florida. Swiftly, Murphy reveals himself as a domestic terrorist who has boarded this flight to assassinate a key US government figure. McAdams finds herself caught in the crossfire, and her role back home turns out to be crucial to the fatal scheme.
It's a high-tension battle of wills, most of the action takes place miles from the main characters, and Craven does an excellent job with the unusual format. Fans of the director's output have probably already caught this one, but it's an impressive high-wire act worth looking back to.