The found footage genre has provided some of the most gripping and innovative horror movies over the years, offering audiences a visceral, immersive experience that traditional filmmaking techniques can’t always match. Using a blend of realism and clever cinematography, these films captivate viewers with their authenticity and rawness. According to Rotten Tomatoes, here are the 10 best found footage horror movies that have effectively terrified audiences:

1. “The Blair Witch Project” (1999) – 86%

This seminal film arguably kick-started the found footage sub-genre in mainstream cinema. It tells the story of three student filmmakers who hike in the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland, to film a documentary about a local legend known as the Blair Witch. Their journey takes a terrifying turn when they lose their map and start encountering strange phenomena.

2. “Cloverfield” (2008) – 77%

Mixing giant monster movie tropes with found footage style, “Cloverfield” follows a group of New Yorkers as they struggle to survive during a massive monster attack on the city. Told from the perspective of one character’s handheld camera, the film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

3. “[Rec]” (2007) – 90%

This Spanish horror film is about a reporter and her cameraman who become trapped inside an apartment building quarantined by the CDC after an outbreak of what appears to be a deadly virus. The tension mounts as residents begin turning into vicious monsters.

4. “Trollhunter” (2010) – 82%

A Norwegian mockumentary that follows a group of students trying to expose illegal bear poaching only to discover that mythical trolls are real—and their hunter is government-sanctioned.

5. “Paranormal Activity” (2007) – 83%

This low-budget phenomenon revolves around a young couple who are haunted by a supernatural presence in their home, leading them to set up cameras in an attempt to capture evidence of what they believe is a haunting.

6. “Lake Mungo” (2008) – 96%

A chilling Australian psychological horror film which explores grief and the supernatural as a family mourns their daughter who drowned while swimming in a local dam.

7. “Creep” (2014) – 90%

An unsettling psychological thriller about a videographer who answers an online ad for a one-day job in a remote mountain town, only to find his client is not at all what he initially seems.

8. “The Taking of Deborah Logan” (2014) – 91%

This horror film involves an elderly woman’s descent into Alzheimer’s which conspicuously coincides with supernatural occurrences during her caretaking student’s documentary project—blurring lines between illness and demonic possession.

9. “V/H/S” (2012) – 86%

An anthology that showcases multiple short films in one full movie, each segment steeped in horrific imagery and concepts—told through recovered VHS tapes that tell diverse but equally disturbing tales.

10. “The Bay” (2012) – 77%

This eco-horror flick uses an unusual found-footage style to narrate the story of an ecological disaster in Chesapeake Bay where waterborne parasites have started taking over the populace.

These films have utilized the unique perspective of found footage to induce panic, fear, and suspense among audiences around the globe and boast commendable rankings on Rotten Tomatoes for their exceptional execution within this chilling genre.