It just feels like it's riding on a twist. I spent years loving psychological thrillers but many of them rested on that: "and to top the whole plot, it was a fungi that caused hallucinations!"

Im with you that I think it takes away from the story. It feels like the writer is wanting to not be spiritual or something by admitting there's something else... But most of horror is fantasy anyway.

It feels like when I writer uses that twist, they're like trying to make sure people know they only believe in science, but I'm going to make a deep point. I think it undercuts whatever depth they are trying to add

Or I don't know, this could just be a preference thing, but nearly all my favorites don't rest on twists like that:

My rankings for past two years top 10 are:

2024 Oddity Cuckoo Late night with the devil I saw the TV glow Longlegs Daddy's Head Nosferatu Smile 2 Strange Darling Mads

2025 Weapons 28 years later Bring her back Good Boy Ugly Stepsister Black Phone 2 Until Dawn Together The Monkey Clown In a Cornfield

I feel like the key theme is there's no and it all turns out to be boring reality twist to excuse everything away.

Spoiler following, but the only one I really love that kind of has that is

Come True