Top 20 Horror Movie Villain Weaknesses

“The Wolf Man” (1941) In this iconic horror film, we are introduced to the soon-to-be werewolf - Larry Talbot, a Welsh man who visits a local antique shop and purchases a silver cane. Later that night, he is attacked and bitten by a wolf, infecting him. By the end, he’s stopped by his father who strikes him down with the silver-tipped instrument. Why is this? Well, in the world of alchemy, silver is closely associated with the moon, and we all know werewolves avoid the moon like the plague. So, whether it’s a cane you’ve got or ideally silver bullets, it seems to be the only way to put one of these creatures to rest.

#19: Long Distances

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“It Follows” (2014) This 2014 movie is certainly one of the more creative scare fests out there, with its main antagonist taking the form of a strange curse that is passed on through intercourse. Throughout the movie, people try to get rid of said curse by sleeping with others, only for the other person to be bumped off, and the curse to come straight back to the sender. So how do you escape it? Well, we know the monster-like creature that comes after you has a physical form, and we know that it only ever travels at a walking pace. So, why not stay on the move and travel between countries, or even continents? Think about it, a permanent vacation… of survival.

#18: Water

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“Signs” (2002) A horror movie hinged on tension as opposed to jump scares, “Signs” is a classic case of it’s what you don’t see that creeps you out. Feeding us sightings of the aliens in dribs and drabs throughout the movie, the characters are stricken with confusion and fear when they finally come face to face with one. How do they defend themselves? Well, turns out that these aliens are vulnerable to water. Yep, plain old H20. In fact, even a glass of it is enough to burn them. You could question why such creatures would invade a planet filled with the stuff - but let’s just skip that for now - and cross our fingers for rain.

“Candyman” (1992) This legendary slasher movie shows us just how dangerous fear can be. The Candyman is an urban legend who apparently comes and hunts you down with a hook for a hand if you say his name five times in a mirror. So, how do you stop him? Well, not saying his name in a mirror is a good start, but he could still come after you if summoned by somebody else. The Candyman’s Achilles heel, though, is belief, or lack thereof. His existence is fueled by people’s fear and knowledge of him. Sure, burning him works too, but if you just avoid talking about him and fearing him, the guy’s got nothing. Probably doesn’t help that we’ve just written an entry on him. Yikes.

#16: Any Kind of Light

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“Lights Out” (2016) As horror movie premises go, this is probably as basic as it gets - but that doesn’t make it any less terrifying. Diana is a clawed creature that lurks in the shadows and attacks you once the lights go out, with her backstory revealing a sensitivity to light. And we’re talking any kind of light, from sunlight to the glow of a cell phone screen. But not black lights, avoid those, they don’t work. As we see throughout the movie, keeping the lights on can be quite difficult when the thing that’s hunting you keeps turning them off. So, our advice is, if Diana comes knocking, carry a torch and a disco ball, and you should be okay.

“The Ring” (2002) Okay, so let’s say you were silly enough to watch Samara’s dreaded videotape. And that she’s coming to hunt you down in seven days. Facing her probably isn’t such a good idea. But, you can avoid the curse if you make a copy of the tape and show it to someone else. They will simply inherit your bad luck - unfortunately for them. There’s always the option of avoiding screens and, er, wells, though. Samara comes after you typically through a TV screen after crawling out of a well. So, when the time comes, avoid those things and you might be okay.

Various It’s pretty obvious that with this entry, we are talking about vampires, although some of these methods have proven useful against a bunch of other monsters and ghouls - just ask Will Smith. By far the most famous vampire stories are that of Count Dracula, with movies like “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and various Hammer Horror classics. One thing’s for sure, vampires are to be feared, but they also have a wide variety of weaknesses. These include a thirst for blood, a wooden stake to the heart, garlic, crucifixes, holy water, and sunlight. And they can even be trapped in their coffins if you place a wild rose on top of it.

“The Exorcist” (1973) Another religion-infused entry next, revolving around an evil, mischievous demon called Pazuzu who possesses a 12-year-old girl. Like many possession movies we’ve seen, “The Exorcist” shows us that a demon acts through a host, and the best way to rid the host of said demon is through exorcism. Throughout “The Exorcist,” we can see that holy water harms the demon, which is a start, but holy water also harms the host. A more effective defense is banishment. With a properly executed exorcism, the demon can be removed from a host and the host’s soul can be saved. Just make sure you’re not around for the demon to jump ship and take over your body.

“Halloween” franchise (1978-) It’s strange how someone in a Captain Kirk mask walking really slowly is utterly terrifying. And no, we’re not going to say running is Michael Myers’ weakness, although it kind of is. But there’s an easier way to avoid the unrelenting, white-masked psycho. Just stay away from his family, and his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. Or at least when it’s Halloween, because he only seems to come out then. Michael has an uncontrollable desire to end the lives of his entire family. So, if you know a family member of his, then make sure you stay away from them. And that includes any houses they may have previously lived in.

“Night of the Living Dead” (1968) Considered by many to be the mother of all zombie movies, George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” gave us many of the zombie tropes we still love and fear today. The slow, clumsy walk, the farmhouse setting - and of course, the number one zombie weakness - headshots. This movie laid the foundations for zombie defense. And apparently, the best way to stop an undead creature in the 60s, and today in fact, is by destroying its brain, or taking off its head entirely. So, a gunshot to the head or a heavy swing of a machete should do it. Or you could always just try to blend in.

“The Conjuring” franchise (2013-) Valak has worn a number of guises over the years, appearing as an evil nun, as well as the unsettling Crooked Man. However, while the demon’s supernatural abilities are formidable, including demonic possession and telekinesis, it can be harmed by holy substances, such as as the blood of Christ. This doesn’t seem to harm it permanently though, and there aren’t always holy substances ready to hand. Fortunately, as Lorraine Warren eventually realized, Valak’s own name can be turned against it. This, combined with an incantation, is capable of banishing Valak back to Hell.

“The Faculty” (1998) The antagonists of this film are largely composed of aliens masquerading as the faculty at a high school. Originating from an aquatic world, the creatures depend on water to survive, and not hydrating frequently weakens them. In addition, diuretic drugs, which increase the rate at which water leaves the body, are lethal to them. However, while these can harm them individually, as a collective group, the aliens depend on a telepathic connection to their queen. So her death results in the death of all of them, making her their principal vulnerability.

“The Babadook” (2014) This sinister creature that manifests from a popup book hounds a grieving widow and her son throughout the film. Their attempts to rid themselves of the fiend mirror the stages of grief: denying its existence doesn’t work, nor does getting angry with it, running from it, or bargaining with it. The only way to defeat the Babadook is by accepting both it, and the loss of their loved one. While the Babadook, like grief, never goes away completely, it can be lived with and managed during everyday life.

#7: High-Frequency Sounds

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“A Quiet Place” (2018) These extraterrestrials hunt down humans using their extremely sensitive hearing. They’re so good at it that only a handful of survivors seem to be left. Their skin is heavily armored, making them especially difficult to kill. However, their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. As Regan Abbott discovers thanks to her cochlear implant, their hearing is so sensitive that high-frequency sound leaves them writing in pain and barely able to move. It also causes the armour plating on their heads to protrude, exposing vulnerable flesh beneath.

“Predator” franchise (1987-) The Predators are a race of alien hunters whose equipment and skills in combat make them formidable foes. However, their code of honor provides rules of engagement that limit who they’re allowed to hunt. Their prey must be considered “worthy game”, healthy and in their prime. This could conceivably lead to costly mistakes. But their biggest weakness is the fact they see mostly in infrared. While this can be a boon in many situations, such as when tracking warm-blooded prey, attempts to mask body heat, such as with mud, can make it difficult for them to locate their targets.

#5: Chucky’s Heart & Human Characteristics

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“Child’s Play” franchise (1988-) A doll animated by the soul of a serial killer, Chucky may look like he’d be immune to normal human weakness. And he HAS proven his ability to come back again and again using voodoo. However, he does have some pretty glaring weaknesses - on top of the fact that he’s probably not a great runner. The longer he inhabits the doll, the more that doll starts to take on human characteristics, meaning that he can be wounded like a regular person. His other downfall is his heart - not because he’s secretly a softy, but because a bullet there can kill him.

“The Thing” (1982) This “thing from another world” is a grotesque monstrosity that can impersonate other beings after consuming and “assimilating” them. It makes for a skilled infiltrator, and is difficult to kill, since it’s made up of independent cells. However, fortunately for the human race, it isn’t completely invulnerable. It can be detected by applying extreme heat to a blood sample, since the blood cells react as autonomous organisms. It can then be burnt or blown up using explosives. The Thing may also be vulnerable to electrocution, judging by its reaction to a defibrillator.

“It” (2017) An ancient, nameless entity who feeds on the fear of its victims, “It” is a monstrously powerful being. Every 27 years, it awakens to torment the hapless children of Derry. Even so, It still has some susceptibilities. First, it needs to hibernate for long periods of time. Second, although it can take on various forms, it also takes on some of their physical limitations. But what It REALLY can’t stand is courage! Since it feeds of fear, the absence of fear leaves it weak and starving. When confronted with courage, especially by a group, It falls apart.

“Friday the 13th” franchise (1980-) The scourge of Crystal Lake and camping teens, Jason Voorhees is an undead killer whose implacable pursuit of his victims is legendary. However, the hockey-masked murderer is not without vulnerabilities. He generally seems to ignore those who don’t visit his stomping grounds, and has shown mercy towards children. He can be manipulated by those disguised as his mother Pamela, and he’s taken serious injuries from traditional weapons such as machetes and axes. Oh, and boat propellers. He can also be re-imprisoned beneath the waters of Crystal Lake.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise (1984-) For being a powerful and sadistic dream demon, Freddy Krueger actually has an awful lot of weaknesses. Going without sleep is one way to avoid him, although that obviously can’t last forever. He CAN be brought out into the real world however, which puts him at a significant disadvantage. He can also be subdued by showing him his own reflection while reciting the famous nursery line. Additionally, he has a vulnerability to holy objects and a fear of fire, due to how he originally died. Lastly, the killer’s influence is limited to Springwood, and he can’t manifest there if no one remembers or is frightened of him anymore.