It’s almost Halloween, which means that you’re looking for one thing: horror. And blood and guts and gore too, I guess. What better way to find those things in a safe and controlled way than watching horror movies at home on Netflix? So, for your ease and pleasure, here is a list of the 13 Best Horror Movies on Netflix.
Note: This list is based more on entertainment rather than quality, which is really the only way to judge horror flicks. You have been warned.
13. V/H/S 2
It’s a clever conceit. V/H/S took the concept of a found-footage horror movie to the next level with 6 directors and 9 writers creating a grouping of short films stitched together by an overarching terrifying narrative. Despite the strong concept, the original V/H/S/ was hit and miss for me. Mostly because of the varying quality of the shorts. However, V/H/S 2 takes that concept and goes batsh!t crazy. Gore, aliens, and zombies is all you need apparently. Although the film still has its lulls and is pretty much as hit and miss as its predecessor, it still makes for a great night of horror.
12. Grave Encounters
You know that show Ghost Adventures with Zak Bagans, a man we’re supposed to trust even though he only has a “k” in his name? This movie is like that, but good. I mean we’ll start off with the fact that it so hilariously parodies a fake ghost hunting show, and when I mean fake I don’t mean fictional, and keeps you thoroughly entertained during the entire setup. However, when the shit hits the fan it doesn’t just hit everyone, it breaks the fan. A group of ghost hunters in a mental asylum where they can’t trust what they see or where they are. Sounds like horror to me. Although so much of the success of the film is reliant on dread, there are still enough jump scares to last you that never ending night.
11. Pontypool
Zombies and radio. Sounds like my kind of movie. Pontypool is a type of zombie movie that no one has seen before. The concept that words are infecting us is something I never even imagined, so the fact that these filmmakers were able to come up with and flesh out (pun intended) this concept is impressive. Even more impressive is that the film turns at to be dreadful, funny, and heartfelt, so much that by the time the screen cuts black, you sit there not wanting it to end.
10. Paranormal Activity 3
The first movie was good because it felt so important. There was nothing out there like it and it was the fans who released it. Remember that whole “like” campaign where you had to like the film to bring it to your city, then when it reached a certain amount it’d get a wide release? Yeah, as a marketing major, that was one of the greatest viral campaigns ever organized. That and Kony 2012, but that’s a completely different story. Although on second inspection the film wasn’t as great as we thought it would be, the 3rd installment finally took the concept to an entirely different level. It balanced the creep and suspense with big scares so well, and it just goes to show you that throwing in a couple kids always makes a movie scarier.
9. Dead Snow
Killer zombie nazis. Enough said.
8. You’re Next
You’re Next starts and ends as two completely different movies. You begin watching what looks to be a pretentious indie horror flick simply looking to be a smarter, more stylish version of its mainstream counterparts. I’ve never been so wrong in my entire life. Well, maybe I have. Either way, it’s clear about halfway through You’re Next that you’re with it till the end, mostly because of the BAMF lead character Erin who grew up in a survivalist camp in the Australian Outback. Could she be our next Ash Williams? See our full review here.
7. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
See our review here.
6. The House of the Devil
It’s an homage to the horror films of the 60s and 70s, which could be a great relief to someone tired of frequent jump scares and paint by the numbers plots. It’s a masterful movie based on suspense and dread rather than the constant barrage of “jump out of your seat” scares that get old after the 3rd time. There are baby sitters, creepy rituals, and a final reveal that’ll make you ask for more.
5. The Omen
This is really the only classic on this list, but it’s definitely one of the few horror movies that would come close to making my Best Films overall list. Although it doesn’t really go for the screams, The Omen knows how to creep people the f*ck out. From hangings to decapitation, it is the true definition of horror. I mean, just throw the word “antichrist” out there and you know you’ve got a movie on your hands.
4. Scream
It arguably set the precedent for the modern day horror film. The brilliant mix of horror, gore, and comedy started a chain of horror movies that in reality we could have done without, but like anything that spawns copycats, the original is always the best. What makes Scream even better is its self-awareness of what type of film it is. It knows it’s there for fun and it frequently capitalizes on that fact. Great jump scares coupled with crippling suspense make this teen slasher the perfect Halloween screener. However, if you don’t watch it for that, at least give it a once over to see the who’s who of new celebrities launching their careers.
3. Let the Right One In
This is another one of those movies where the less you know the better. Either way, give it a watch. Especially you Twilight fans. See what a proper vampire movie is supposed to be.
2. The Cabin in the Woods
As of last night, I’ve watched this film 14 times. I. LOVE. IT. The best part about this film is that it’s essentially two movies in one. You have the classic horror movie set up of 5 friends going to a cabin in a remote part of bumf*ck USA (we’ll talk more about this with number 1) and the two mysterious men in short sleeve button downs and ties planning some ritual. I’m not going to go further than that, because watching this for the first time my senior year of high school with my two best friends and no expectations was one of the best experiences I’ve had at the theater. It’s funny, gory, and sometimes legitimately scary, but it’s also one of the best satirical horror movies I’ve ever seen.
1. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
Speaking of the classic horror movies setup, the Evil Dead series basically set the precedent for that. Even to the point that The Cabin in the Woods is a quasi-remake of the film. However, even more impressive, Evil Dead II is basically a parody of the first film. We bring back Bruce Campbell’s Ash, who will always be one of the greatest movie characters, and throw in a bit more gore and tree rape and add some of the best and slightly disturbing slapstick comedy I’ve ever scene on film. I mean, Sam Raimi parodied his own movie! Who does that!? He does apparently. WATCH THIS ISH!
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What are your favorite horror movies on Netflix?
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.