Bad Moon(1996)
1996 · Eric Red · 80 min
During an expedition in Nepal, a photo-journalist becomes infected by a werewolf. Returning to the U.S., he holes up in an isolated location in the woods, but when he invites his sister and nephew for a visit, their dog, Thor, knows something is amiss.
Horror · Fantasy
6.7303 votes
TMDB score
3/5
Intensity
3/5
Gore
2/5
Stays with you
How Bad Moon scares
There's a tense, prowling energy here, more like watching a dangerous animal circle a house than a spooky ghost story. The pacing builds through quiet family scenes before breaking into sudden bursts of animal violence and chase, with a loyal dog as the family's real line of defense. It leans more into practical creature effects and physical danger than mind games or dread, so it plays as a solid monster movie rather than something that lingers uneasily. Good for fans of old-school werewolf flicks who want some blood and teeth without a heavy emotional gut-punch.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Bad Moon rates psychological 2/5, visceral 4/5, gore 3/5, lingering effect 2/5, and overall intensity 3/5.
- Psychological: 2 of 5
- Visceral: 4 of 5
- Gore: 3 of 5
- Lingering: 2 of 5
- Intensity: 3 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 55 of 100 — balanced
Supernatural vs Real-world: 15 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 30 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 moody, slow-building creeper with a grim prologue that settles into simmering unease before ramping up hard toward a violent, all-out finish.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5.
How scary is Bad Moon?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Bad Moon rates 3/5 — solidly scary, balancing creeping dread with well-placed shocks. It attacks the body more than the mind — physical, in-your-face horror. Expect it to be moderately gory and fun-first. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
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