One of the things I hate is (usually amateur stuff on YouTube) in which the person is getting overly scared even when it makes no sense.
Like they’ll over act and start hyperventilating at a leaf and saying shit like “Oh my god what is that!!! WHAT IS THAT!!!” at like…a thud in the distance.
YouTube and Ghost Hunting shows seem to be the worst offender.
Another trope I hate is a horror game one but it’s somewhat related; I hate it when the game tells you when to be scared by having a “sanity” effect or by the player character gasp or scream or whatever. Worst is if they have some kind of heartbeat sound effect that plays when you’re supposed to be spooked.
But yeah, if a character starts saying shit like “WhAt ThE FuCk WaS ThAt?!” then I just get more annoyed than scared.
Characters being unconvincingly incompetent or foolish. Alien and Aliens are some of my favorite horror movies to this day because the characters behave in a consistent and believable fashion based on who they are and what they know. The space truckers aren’t at all equipped to handle the situation but they apply their knowledge as best they can. The marines are totally absorbed in their self image as gung ho badasses and so wildly underestimate their enemy while making foolish but believable decisions.
Basically; I like when the characters behave competently and lose not because the writer’s made them carry the idiot ball and behave foolishly, but because the threat overwhelmed their competence and resourcefulness. It makes the threat more legitimately frightening; these peopkle did their best and were still wiped out, so hwo could I expect to do better?
