The Jack in the Box: Awakening(2022)
2022 · Lawrence Fowler · 89 min
When a vintage Jack-in-the-box is opened by a dying woman, she enters into a deal with the demon within that would see her illness cured in return for helping it claim six innocent victims.
Horror
6.2388 votes
TMDB score
2/5
Intensity
2/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How The Jack in the Box: Awakening scares
The story kicks off with a desperate bargain and then spreads out into a string of stalking-and-killing set pieces as the demon works through its list of victims. Pacing leans on simple build-up-then-jump rhythms rather than slow dread, with the clown creature popping up to deliver shocks more than sustained unease. It's a low-budget, monster-in-a-mask kind of scary, aimed at fans who enjoy cheesy creature horror rather than anyone looking to be truly shaken. Gore and tension stay fairly mild throughout, keeping this more of a rental-night curiosity than a heavy watch.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, The Jack in the Box: Awakening rates psychological 2/5, visceral 3/5, gore 2/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 2/5.
- Psychological: 2 of 5
- Visceral: 3 of 5
- Gore: 2 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 2 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 60 of 100 — leans Jump scares
Supernatural vs Real-world: 15 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 25 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow-building creature-feature that gradually ramps up scares through the middle before settling into a tense, scare-heavy back stretch.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3.
How scary is The Jack in the Box: Awakening?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, The Jack in the Box: Awakening rates 2/5 — moderately scary, delivering its fear through jump scares more than lingering dread. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be moderately gory and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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