One of the things I hate is (usually amateur stuff on YouTube) in which the person is getting overly scared even when it makes no sense.
Like they'll over act and start hyperventilating at a leaf and saying shit like "Oh my god what is that?!?!?! WHAT IS THAT?!?!" at like...a thud in the distance.
YouTube and Ghost Hunting shows seem to be the worst offender.
Another trope I hate is a horror game one but it's somewhat related; I hate it when the game tells you when to be scared by having a "sanity" effect or by the player character gasp or scream or whatever. Worst is if they have some kind of heartbeat sound effect that plays when you're supposed to be spooked.
But yeah, if a character starts saying shit like "WhAt ThE FuCk WaS ThAt?!" then I just get more annoyed than scared.
you could argue that young women are disproportionately victimized in horror films because young women are disproportionately victimized in real life. horror is a reflection of the real darkness present in our society
that being said it often does cross the line into trashy exploitation. most filmmakers are men, and many of them are creeps who just get off on watching women get terrorized. I hate movies that seem to identify more with the villain than they do with the victims
but it's important to note that horror is also genre with many strong female leads. it's the rare genre where the protagonist is usually a woman, and typically that woman is the one who survives at the end (the "final girl" trope).
one of my favorite examples is A Nightmare on Elm Street. Nancy isn't just a victim, she's a survivor. she's strong-willed and determined to fight back even as everyone in her life fails her. as an audience we can identify with Nancy and actively want to root for her.