Whether it be Michael Myers’ razor-sharp butcher knife or Leatherface’s menacing close-quarter chainsaw, melee weapons in horror movies are undoubtedly the norm when it comes to vengeful killers wishing to attack. And, with these destructive weapons at a killer’s total disposal, an array of helpless victims are usually slaughtered — although, some horror fans have pointed out that a few killers swam against the current by refusing to utilize melee weapons in their repertoire.
Over on r/horror, user u/Soarha sparked the initial conversation by mentioning that most horror movie villains rely on specific melee weapons or “magic” for capitalizing on range abilities. In that same post, u/Soarha pointed out that the killers from 2011 slasher film You’re Next utilize a crossbow for their crimes — which is certainly not a traditional melee weapon.
In response, horror fans on Reddit quickly congregated in the comments, mentioning several notable villains that also used ranged weapons during their warpath.
A few users noted that Jason Vorhees — who is certainly one of the most recognizable villains in horror — has used several ranged weapons, including a speargun, a bow and arrow, and throwing knives.
Several other users mentioned the masked killer from Mike Flanagan’s heart-stopping thriller Hush, in which the mysterious killer used a crossbow as his weapon.
Another user mentioned that parasitic twin Gabriel used a wooden chair as a deadly ranged weapon in an intense scene from James Wan’s Malignant.
Whether it’s a ranged weapon or melee, there’s certainly no denying that each killer harbors their own unique set of skills that terrify both the audience and victims within the movie. And, without these spine-tingling villains and their trusty weapons, the captivating horror genre certainly wouldn’t be the same.