Having a tough week? Why not cheer yourself up by watching some bone-chilling terror? Critic Travis Johnson has combed through the Netflix archive to pick the very best horror movies.
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1922 (2017)
Watch on NetflixAustralian director Zak Hilditch adapts Stephen King’s dour novella about a farmer (Thomas Jane) whose decision to murder his wife (Molly Parker) causes him to lose his son, his farm, his sanity and his life. A sustained exercise in tone, this is a relentlessly downbeat period chiller.
Annihilation (2017)
Watch on NetflixA group of women led by Natalie Portman’s steely scientist undertake a mission into a mysterious wilderness zone where the usual laws of nature no longer apply, only to confront both unspeakable physical horrors and the complete dissolution of the self.
Loosely adapted by director Alex Garland from the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, the result is a smart, visceral updating of Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker more than anything else.
Apostle (2018)
Watch on NetflixAction specialist Gareth Evans (The Raid) turns his hand to horror in this Wicker Man-inspired chiller. At the dawn of the 20th century a man (Dan Stevens) infiltrates a strange religious cult on a remote Welsh island in order to liberate his sister, only to uncover far stranger doings than the usual fire and brimstone. Michael Sheen turns up as a charismatic preacher, and Evans proves that his gory tastes in action aesthetics translate quite well to the horror genre.
The Babysitter (2017)
Watch on NetflixTwelve-year-old Cole (Judah Lewis) discovers his smokin’ hot babysitter Bee (Samara Weaving) is the head of a high school Satanic cult and plans to sacrifice him in an occult ritual. This is a brisk and brutal horror comedy, wherein our plucky hero has to dodge Bee’s brat pack devil worshippers (Bella Thorne, Hana Mae Lee and Robbie Amell). Plenty of bloody kills are balanced by a witty script that never takes itself too seriously.
Barbarian (2022)
WATCH ON NETFLIXA booking mix-up sees strangers Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård staying overnight at the same Airbnb, but there’s something weird going on in the basement.
Zach Cregger’s taut riff on the “bad house” trope invokes issues of class, gender, gentrification, and exploitation while never forgetting to deliver primo thrills and chills.
Blood Red Sky (2021)
Watch on NetflixTerrorists hijacking a flight from Germany to the U.S. when their plans are disrupted not by Wesley Snipes but by Nadja (Peri Baumeister), a widowed single mother heading to New York not for cancer treatment, but to find a cure for her vampirism. Carnage ensues in this high concept German horror, which takes the “Die Hard on a X” model and drops a Nosferatu into the mix.
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
WATCH ON NETFLIXDrew Goddard and Joss Whedon deliverd perhaps the most post-modern horror movie ever, as a group of friends on a weekend retreat to the titular shack to find
themselves caught up in basically every horror movie ever made. From a secret control centre, a team of scientists are observing. What’s their story? That would be telling. A great cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins, some bold plot swerves, and impressive effects make this one essential.
Cargo (2017)
Watch on NetflixIn the midst of a zombie apocalypse a man (Martin Freeman) desperately searches for a safe harbour for his infant daughter before his infected bite turns him undead. Australian filmmakers Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke smartly expand their award-winning short and find fresh soil in the well-turned fields of zombiedom.
Day Shift (2022)
WATCH ON NETFLIXThis amiable action/horror hybrid brings us Jamie Foxx as a jobbing monster slayer paired by the Vampire Hunter’s Union with Dave Franco’s untried newbie. Unfortunately, Karla Souza vampiric real estate agent is bent on world domination (aren’t they all?). The spirit of Ghostbusters is strong in this one.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
WATCH ON NETFLIXYears after the events depicted in The Shining, psychic Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) battles a coven of rapacious immortals for the soul of a psychic child (Kyliegh Curran). Rising horror star Mike Flanagan manages the task of constructing both an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel and a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s superb 1980 film. Although he can’t dodge every pitfall, the result is worth your time.
Eli (2019)
Watch on NetflixA young immunocompromised boy (Charlie Shotwell) begins experiencing supernatural phenomena at the remote medical facility where he’s being treated by a secretive doctor (Lili Taylor). But what starts out as a typical “bad place” haunted house flick takes some unexpected twists and turns on its way to a surprising climax. The less you know going in, the more fun you’ll have.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Watch on NetflixStandalone entry in the brilliantly bloody cult horror franchise that sets its scene in an urban apartment building, where the children of single mother Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) unleash the usual coterie of evil spirits. With Ellie possessed, rock chick auntie Beth (Lily Sullivan) is forced to violently defend the family. Nascent themes of motherhood already present in the series are brought to the fore in this great and gruesome addition.
Get Out (2017)
Watch on NetflixJordan Peele’s directorial debut sees a young Black man (Daniel Kaluuya) head off for the weekend at his white girlfriend’s family home in upstate New York, only to find her ultra-liberal parents (Bradely Whitford and Catherine Keener) have designs on his body. And not in a sexy way. Steeped in metaphor but never forgetting to be genuinely unsettling, Peele’s film is one of the best horror movies of the 21st century.
Halloween (1978)
Watch on NetflixMaster of Horror John Carpenter’s genre-codifying slasher, that sees Jamie Lee Curtis’ virginal babysitter stalked by the implacable mass murderer Michael Myers (Nick Castle) on October 31. New viewers may find Halloween overly familiar, but that’s simply because it inspired every slasher that followed it. Fun fact: Carpenter’s none-more-iconic minimalist electronic score only exists because the production couldn’t afford a dedicated composer, so Carpenter did it himself.
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
Watch on NetflixA nurse (Ruth Wilson) caring for a senile writer (Paula Prentiss) begins to suspect that the writer’s house is haunted and uncovers a murder that took place in the early 19th century. Director Oz “son of Anthony” Perkins has quickly proved himself a master of the modern gothic tale, and this stands alongside his other films such as The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel as a sterling example of the subgenre.
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Watch on NetflixBrad Pitt’s world-weary bloodsucker narrates his life—or unlife—story to Christian Slater’s curious writer, telling the tale of seduction by—and eventual rebellion against—Tom Cruise’s amoral vampire prince, Lestat. Neil Jordan’s adaptation of Anne Rice’s hugely influential novel is a lush gothic fever dream and one of the finest vampire films ever made.
Jaws (1975)
WATCH ON NETFLIXIt’s easy to forget that the very first summer blockbuster is a horror flick. Pitting Roy Scheider’s city cop, Richard Dreyfuss’ oceanographer, and Robert Shaw’s salty shark hunter against the toothsome beast menacing the beaches of a bucolic holiday town, Steven Spielberg’s breakthrough hit has lost none of its power.
Life (2017)
WATCH ON NETFLIXDaniel Espinosa’s sci-fi horror features an all-star cast (including Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson and Ryan Reynolds) as the crew of a space station, forced to battle an ever-evolving alien lifeform. The influences on Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick’s script, including Alien and The Thing, are obvious, but Life is a robust, stakes-raising thriller in its own right.
Men (2022)
WATCH ON NETFLIXAlex Garland’s allegorical folk horror sends Jessie Buckley’s widow on a country retreat, only to find herself on a remote village where all the men look unsettlingly like Rory Kinnear. Is it simply a case of rural inbreeding, or is something far stranger going on? Steeped in pagan imagery and fertility themes, Men offers few concrete answers, but maintains an unsettlingly eerie tone punctuated with bursts of impressive body horror.
Midsommar (2019)
Watch on NetflixGrieving after the death of her family, Florence Pugh follows her boyfriend and his mates on a getaway to rural Sweden, where they find themselves at the mercy of a pagan cult. The thing is, submitting to the cult’s strange ways may be a better option than the emotional trauma of life in the modern world. A kind of modern take on The Wicker Man, Ari Aster’s second feature is a visually striking and shockingly violent slice of folk horror.
The Mist (2007)
Watch on NetflixFrank Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s grim novella is even grimmer than its inspiration, putting artist Thomas Jane and a mixed bag of regular, small town King characters (Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, Laurie Holden, Melissa McBride, et al) in the local supermarket as a mysterious mist filled with horrifying monsters closes in around them. Contains one of the most shocking endings in 21st century horror—consider yourself warned.
The Ninth Gate (1999)
Watch on NetflixClassical horror from director Roman Polanski that sees Johnny Depp as a rare book dealer on the trail of a rare 17th century grimoire said to be able to summon the Devil himself. As his quest takes him across Europe, others who want the book start to die in mysterious and gruesome ways, and he begins to suspect that the book’s occult history is not mere superstition. Classy, upmarket horror co-starring Frank Langella and Lena Olin.
The Old Ways (2020)
Watch on NetflixFolk horror heads south of the border in this creepy little number, wherein Brigitte Kali Canales’ Mexican-American reporter is taken captive by villagers who are convinced she’s possessed. While she may not have a demon within, she does have a heroin addiction, and as withdrawals kick in the question must be asked: what’s a hallucination and what’s a vision of the supernatural? A tightly controlled, evocative debut from director Christopher Alender.
The Perfection (2018)
Watch on NetflixAllison Williams’ cello prodigy travels to Shanghai to study under Steven Weber’s revered music teacher, only to be seduced and mutilated by his star pupil (Logan Browning). But a freshly amputated hand is really the least of her worries, as she discovers Weber’s music academy is covering up a horrifying secret. A wilfully perverse and transgressive work of psychological and body horror, The Perfection delights in pushing the audience’s buttons, offering up a seemingly endless smorgasbord of torture and terror as it builds to a wonderfully deranged climax.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Watch on NetflixAfter the world is invaded by monsters who hunt by sound, a married couple (director John Krasinksi and his real life partner Emily Blunt) struggle to keep their two children alive, and dread the imminent birth of their third. One of the big horror hits of recent years, this transcends its gimmicky premise to deliver something genuinely powerful.
The Ritual (2017)
Watch on NetflixFollowing the death of their friend, four men take a hiking trip in the forests of northern Sweden to reforge their bonds, only to fall afoul of a hidden pagan cult and the…thing…they worship. This atmospheric chiller draws its influences from a wide variety of sources but gets extra points by not skimping on the final creature reveal, giving us one of the most unique horror critters in recent memory.
The Ruins (2008)
Watch on NetflixA passel of young, photogenic American tourists find themselves forcibly trapped on an ancient Mexican pyramid—and fodder for carnivorous, possibly intelligent, vines. Which sounds a little silly, but director Carter Smith offers us a punishing combo of both folk horror and body horror, as our cast (Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Laura Ramsey, Shawn Ashmore, et al) are dispatched in various gruesome and inventive ways.
Talk to Me (2023)
Watch on NetflixAussie YouTube stars Danny and Michael Philippou make a stunning feature debut in this suburbia-set shocker centring on a mysterious mummified hand that lets the user commune with the dead. Bereaved Mia (Sophia Wilde) naturally wants to talk to her late mother—and things get rapidly and horribly worse from there. A stone cold modern classic.
Under Paris (2024)
WATCH ON NETFLIXFrench fright-smith Xavier Gens puts a shark in the Seine and sets it on an ensemble cast of crusading biologists, self-serving politicians, and hapless
bystanders in this knowingly pulpy schlocker. Nods to Jaws are inevitable, but what makes Under Paris worth taking the plunge is its sheer commitment, relentlessly escalating both the stakes and the carnage.
Viking Wolf (2022)
WATCH ON NETFLIXThis Norwegian offering marries Norse legend to werewolf folklore. Teenager Thale (Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne) finds herself undergoing some changes after
she’s injured in a wild animal attack; of course, it wasn’t an ordinary animal that bit her, being tied to a local legend involving an ancient church and a “demonic” beast. The plot may be familiar, but the cultural and historical details give this one a unique flavour.
The Witch (2015)
WATCH ON NETFLIXRobert Eggers’ debut feature makes witches scary again, putting a devout family (including Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickey and Anya Taylor-Joy in her breakthrough role)
through hell in colonial America as they contend with a malevolent sorceress haunting the forest near their farm. Stringent historical detail and a strong
sense of the uncanny make this a modern horror classic.
X (2022)
Watch on NetflixIndie horror auteur Ti West pays tribute to ‘70s horror and ‘70s porn as a group of horny young people (Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Scott Mescudi, Brittany Snow, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell) head off to a remote farmhouse to make a dirty movie, only for the wrong kind of body fluids to start getting spilled when they earn the wrath of their murderous host. A note perfect throwback to the heyday of exploitation cinema.
This guide is regularly updated to reflect changes in Netflix’s catalogue. For a list of capsule reviews that have been removed from this page because they are no longer available on the platform, visit here.
