The Most ‘Traumatizing’ Found-Footage Horror Movie of the 21st Century is Free to Stream Now

The terrifying found-footage horror movie that traumatized TikTokers is now accessible for free streaming, but beware… be very afraid.

The found-footage sub-genre boasts some of the most iconic horror films in history, featuring haunting images that leave a lasting impact. These films will leave you too scared to close your eyes, yet too afraid to keep them open.

These are just a few examples of iconic horror movie scenes, such as Mike standing in the corner of the basement in The Blair Witch Project, the reporter being dragged away into the darkness in Rec, and the masked killer slinking across the floor in The Poughkeepsie Tapes.

Despite its reputation, there is one specific moment in a movie that is notorious among those who have encountered it. These three words, “Photo Number One,”will undoubtedly send a chill down their spines.

This information is from the notorious 2011 horror film, Megan is Missing. The main character, Megan (Rachel Quinn), goes missing after meeting with a boy she had been communicating with online. Her best friend, Amy (Amber Perkins), takes it upon herself to unravel the mystery of Megan’s disappearance without revealing any spoilers.

There are two options for watching the film for free: it can be accessed on Hoopla with a valid library card in the US, or streamed from the Internet Archive.

In November 2020, the scene of “photo number one”gained viral popularity on TikTok as users filmed their reactions. This captured the attention of Michael Goi, the director of the film.

He urged viewers not to watch the movie in the middle of the night or alone. If the words ‘photo number one’ appear on the screen, he advised them to shut off the movie within four seconds if they are already feeling scared in order to avoid seeing things they may not want to see.

@michaelgoi
#mechanismmissing

♬ original sound – Michael Goi

Despite being marketed as an “educational”film, it has been prohibited in New Zealand because the country’s censorship board has deemed it “objectionable”and “harmful to the public.”

A recent member of the “Megan is Missing messed me up”community shared their thoughts and recommendation for the film on the horror subreddit.

“The photos scene was incredibly disturbing and it’s difficult to find the words to express how deeply it affected me. I’ve watched some intense films in the past, but this one pushed me to my absolute limit. I never want to experience something like that again,”they wrote.

“One user shared that as young teens, they and their best friend were deeply affected by this movie and could relate to the two protagonists. Even though they have only seen it once, the experience still lingers and makes them feel uneasy.”

A third viewer expressed, “I had the sensation of witnessing a real-time crime while watching this.”Another viewer chimed in with, “It’s been a long time since a film has affected me so deeply. This one truly disturbed me… and I say this as someone who has seen many films that challenge the boundaries of acceptability.”