The 100 Best 2000s Horror Movies
The latest: We added a slew of popular J-Horror titles, such as Pulse, Ju-On: The Grudge, and Suicide Club.
Welcome to the new millennium. The decade horror came home to America. The decade horror went global. Welcome to the 100 Best Horror Movies of the 2000s.
If horror movies reflect the fears and concerns of a people, it’s notable that America claimed torture-porn as their de rigueur subgenre. Something in Saw and its ilk’s slow-roasted dismantling of human flesh appealed to a nation consumed by post-9/11 paranoia and a bombardment of wartime images and atrocity. But while torture-porn movies made a killing at the box office, none were ever particularly well-reviewed; only Hostel arrives here. Recovering from the ’90s doldrums, the best horror movies came from overseas, as digital cameras lowered the cost to film and the rise of the internet made knowledge and dissemination of these movies as simple as a mouse click. In fact, of the top 10 movies here (which includes the likes of Pan’s Labyrinth and The Host), only two were shot in America. Other trends seen during this decade: Asian originals and occasional remakes (The Ring, Thirst), found footage (Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield), the return of the living dead (Shaun of the Dead, 28 Days Later), and nostalgic throwbacks (Slither, Death Proof).
Time to add some scary MIDIs to your MySpace and set AIM status to away (FOREVER), because here comes the best scary 2000s movies!
#1
Let the Right One In
(2008)
98%
#1
Critics Consensus: Let the Right One In reinvigorates the seemingly tired vampire genre by effectively mixing scares with intelligent storytelling.
Synopsis: When Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a sensitive, bullied 12-year-old boy living with his mother in suburban Sweden, meets his new neighbor, [More]
Directed By:
Tomas Alfredson
#2
Pan's Labyrinth
(2006)
95%
#2
Critics Consensus: Pan's Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable.
Synopsis: In 1944 Spain young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) and her ailing mother (Ariadna Gil) arrive at the post of her mother's [More]
Directed By:
Guillermo del Toro
#3
The Devil's Backbone
(2001)
93%
#3
Critics Consensus: Creepily atmospheric and haunting, The Devil's Backbone is both a potent ghost story and an intelligent political allegory.
Synopsis: After losing his father, 10-year-old Carlos (Fernando Tielve) arrives at the Santa Lucia School, which shelters orphans of the Republican [More]
Directed By:
Guillermo del Toro
#4
The Host
(2006)
93%
#4
Critics Consensus: As populace pleasing as it is intellectually satisfying, The Host combines scares, laughs, and satire into a riveting, monster movie.
Synopsis: Careless American military personnel dump chemicals into South Korea's Han River. Several years later, a creature emerges from the tainted [More]
Directed By:
Bong Joon Ho
#5
Shaun of the Dead
(2004)
92%
#5
Critics Consensus: Shaun of the Dead cleverly balances scares and witty satire, making for a bloody good zombie movie with loads of wit.
Synopsis: Shaun is a 30-something loser with a dull, easy existence. When he's not working at the electronics store, he lives [More]
Directed By:
Edgar Wright
#6
Drag Me to Hell
(2009)
92%
#6
#7
Rec
(2007)
90%
#7
Critics Consensus: Plunging viewers into the nightmarish hellscape of an apartment complex under siege, [Rec] proves that found footage can still be used as an effective delivery mechanism for sparse, economic horror.
Synopsis: A reporter (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman record the horrifying outbreak of a disease that turns humans into vicious cannibals. [More]
#8
Ginger Snaps
(2000)
90%
#8
Critics Consensus: The strong female cast and biting satire of teenage life makes Ginger Snaps far more memorable than your average werewolf movie -- or teen flick.
Synopsis: The story of two outcast sisters, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins), in the mindless suburban town of Bailey [More]
Directed By:
John Fawcett
#9
Zombieland
(2009)
89%
#9
Critics Consensus: Wickedly funny and featuring plenty of gore, Zombieland is proof that the zombie subgenre is far from dead.
Synopsis: After a virus turns most people into zombies, the world's surviving humans remain locked in an ongoing battle against the [More]
Directed By:
Ruben Fleischer
#10
Dracula: Pages From a Virgin's Diary
(2002)
88%
#10
Critics Consensus: Guy Maddin's film is a richly sensuous and dreamy interpretation of Dracula that reinvigorates the genre.
Synopsis: In this ballet version of Bram Stoker's classic vampire tale, Dracula (Zhang Wei-Qiang) arrives in London and performs a dance [More]
Directed By:
Guy Maddin
#11
28 Days Later
(2002)
87%
#11
Critics Consensus: Kinetically directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Days Later is both a terrifying zombie movie and a sharp political allegory.
Synopsis: A group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the "Rage" virus from a medical research [More]
Directed By:
Danny Boyle
#12
The Orphanage
(2007)
87%
#12
Critics Consensus: Deeply unnerving and surprisingly poignant, The Orphanage is an atmospheric, beautifully crafted haunted house horror film that earns scares with a minimum of blood.
Synopsis: Laura (Belén Rueda) has happy memories of her childhood in an orphanage. She convinces her husband to buy the place [More]
Directed By:
J. A. Bayona
#13
The Descent
(2005)
87%
#13
Critics Consensus: Deft direction and strong performances from its all-female cast guide The Descent, a riveting, claustrophobic horror film.
Synopsis: A year after a severe emotional trauma, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) goes to North Carolina to spend some time exploring caves [More]
Directed By:
Neil Marshall
#14
Slither
(2006)
87%
#14
Critics Consensus: A slimy, B-movie homage oozing with affection for low-budget horror films, Slither is creepy and funny -- if you've got the stomach for it.
Synopsis: Wheelsy is a small town where not much happens and everyone minds his own business. No one notices when evil [More]
Directed By:
James Gunn
#15
A Tale of Two Sisters
(2003)
86%
#15
Critics Consensus: Restrained but disturbing, A Tale of Two Sisters is a creepily effective, if at times confusing, horror movie.
Synopsis: After being institutionalized in a mental hospital, Korean teen Su-mi (Yum Jung-ah) reunites with her beloved sister, Su-yeon (Im Soo-jung), [More]
Directed By:
Kim Jee-woon
#16
Three... Extremes
(2005)
85%
#16
Critics Consensus: This anthology contains brutal, powerful horror stories by three of Asia's top directors.
Synopsis: Stories revolve around a witch doctor, a filmmaker (Lee Byung-hun) and a resentful extra, and a novelist and her twin [More]
#17
The House of the Devil
(2009)
85%
#17
Critics Consensus: Though its underlying themes are familiar, House of the Devil effectively sheds the loud and gory cliches of contemporary horror to deliver a tense, slowly building throwback to the fright flicks of decades past.
Synopsis: Desperate to make some money so she can move into a new apartment, college student Samantha Hughes (Jocelin Donahue) takes [More]
Directed By:
Ti West
#18
The Others
(2001)
84%
#18
Critics Consensus: The Others is a spooky thriller that reminds us that a movie doesn't need expensive special effects to be creepy.
Synopsis: Grace (Nicole Kidman), the devoutly religious mother of Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley), moves her family to the [More]
Directed By:
Alejandro Amenábar
#19
Pontypool
(2008)
83%
#19
Critics Consensus: Witty and restrained but still taut and funny, this Pontypool is a different breed of low-budget zombie film.
Synopsis: When disc jockey Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) reports to his basement radio station in the Canadian town of Pontypool, he [More]
Directed By:
Bruce McDonald
#20
Dog Soldiers
(2002)
82%
#20
Critics Consensus: Frightening, funny, and packed with action, Dog Soldiers is well worth checking out for genre fans -- and marks writer-director Neil Marshall as a talent to keep an eye on.
Synopsis: During a routine nighttime training mission in the Scottish Highlands, a small squad of British soldiers expected to rendezvous with [More]
Directed By:
Neil Marshall
#21
Shadow of the Vampire
(2000)
82%
#21
Critics Consensus: Shadow of the Vampire is frightening, compelling, and funny, and features an excellent performance by Willem Dafoe.
Synopsis: F. W. Murnau (John Malkovich) is struggling to create his silent classic "Nosferatu" on location in Eastern Europe. The director [More]
Directed By:
E. Elias Merhige
#22
Paranormal Activity
(2007)
82%
#22
Critics Consensus: Using its low-budget effects and mockumentary method to great result, Paranormal Activity turns a simple haunted house story into 90 minutes of relentless suspense.
Synopsis: Soon after moving into a suburban tract home, Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat) become increasingly disturbed by what [More]
Directed By:
Oren Peli
#23
Thirst
(2009)
81%
#23
Critics Consensus: The stylish Thirst packs plenty of bloody thrills to satisfy fans of both vampire films and director Chan Wook Park.
Synopsis: Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), a respected priest, volunteers for an experimental procedure that may lead to a cure for a deadly [More]
Directed By:
Park Chan-wook
#24
Teeth
(2007)
81%
#24
Critics Consensus: Smart, original, and horrifically funny, Teeth puts a fresh feminist spin on horror movie tropes.
Synopsis: Dawn (Jess Weixler) is an active member of her high-school chastity club but, when she meets Tobey (Hale Appleman), nature [More]
Directed By:
Mitchell Lichtenstein
#25
Taxidermia
(2006)
80%
#25
Critics Consensus: Surreal and visually striking, Taxidermia is, at times, graphic and difficult to watch, but creatively touches on disturbing subjects with imagination and wit.
Synopsis: Set over three generations and beginning with Morosgoványi Vendel, a sexually frustrated orderly during the war who relieves his tensions [More]
Directed By:
Gyorgy Palfi
#26
1408
(2007)
79%
#26
Critics Consensus: Relying on psychological tension rather than overt violence and gore, 1408 is a genuinely creepy thriller with a strong lead performance by John Cusack.
Synopsis: Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a successful author who enjoys worldwide acclaim debunking supernatural phenomena -- before he checks into [More]
Directed By:
Mikael Håfström
#27
Bubba Ho-Tep
(2002)
78%
#27
Critics Consensus: The best movie to star both the King and JFK.
Synopsis: After falling into a lengthy coma following a freak accident involving hip gyration, a now aged Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell) [More]
Directed By:
Don Coscarelli
#28
Cloverfield
(2008)
78%
#28
Critics Consensus: A sort of Blair Witch Project crossed with Godzilla, Cloverfield is economically paced, stylistically clever, and filled with scares.
Synopsis: As a group of New Yorkers (Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman) enjoy a going-away party, little do they know [More]
Directed By:
Matt Reeves
#29
Dawn of the Dead
(2004)
77%
#29
Critics Consensus: A kinetic, violent and surprisingly worthy remake of George Romero's horror classic that pays homage to the original while working on its own terms.
Synopsis: When her husband is attacked by a zombified neighbor, Ana (Sarah Polley) manages to escape, only to realize her entire [More]
Directed By:
Zack Snyder
#30
Frailty
(2001)
76%
#30
Critics Consensus: Creepy and disturbing, Frailty is well-crafted, low-key horror.
Synopsis: Set in present day Texas, "Frailty" centers on the FBI's search for a serial killer who calls himself "God's Hands." [More]
Directed By:
Bill Paxton
#31
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
(2006)
76%
#31
Critics Consensus: A smart mockumentary that presents a gory, funny, and obviously affectionate skewering of the slasher genre.
Synopsis: Nice, normal-looking Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel) has an obsession with movie-style slashers like Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger. [More]
Directed By:
Scott Glosserman
#32
Pulse
(2001)
76%
#32
Critics Consensus: A sinister spine-tingling techno-thriller whose artistry lies in the power of suggestion rather than a barrage of blood and guts or horror shop special effects.
Synopsis: After college student Taguchi (Kenji Mizuhashi) commits suicide, a number of young adults living in Tokyo witness terrifying visions transferred [More]
Directed By:
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
#33
The Last Winter
(2006)
76%
#33
Critics Consensus: The Last Winter creatively and effectively uses horror tactics -- fear, tension, anticipation, and just enough gore -- to shock, but never repulse, its audience.
Synopsis: Sent to evaluate the environmental impact of oil drilling in the Arctic, James Hoffman (James Le Gros) clashes with the [More]
Directed By:
Larry Fessenden
#34
Land of the Dead
(2005)
75%
#34
Critics Consensus: George A. Romero's latest entry in his much-vaunted Dead series is not as fresh as his genre-inventing original, Night of the Living Dead. But Land of the Dead does deliver on the gore and zombies-feasting-on-flesh action.
Synopsis: In a world where zombies form the majority of the population, the remaining humans build a feudal society away from [More]
Directed By:
George A. Romero
#35
Fear(s) of the Dark
(2007)
72%
#35
Critics Consensus: This French animated horror portmanteau is monochrome and minimalist, visually stunning, but light on scares.
Synopsis: Animated sequences explore people's fear of darkness. [More]
#36
I Sell the Dead
(2008)
71%
#36
Critics Consensus: A horror comedy that's almost as chilling as it is funny, I Sell the Dead relies on its dark humor and offbeat charm to overcome its low budget shortcomings.
Synopsis: Arthur Blake (Dominic Monaghan) is about to be executed by guillotine for the crime of grave robbing. But before he [More]
Directed By:
Glenn McQuaid
#37
Lake Mungo
(2008)
96%
#37
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Alice drowns while swimming and her family begins experiencing inexplicable events in their home. The family hires a parapsychologist whose [More]
Directed By:
Joel Anderson
#38
Requiem
(2006)
86%
#38
Critics Consensus: This harrowing, naturalistic drama holds you in its grip through Huller's intense performance.
Synopsis: Michaela, an epileptic, enrolls in college to study education. She goes off her medication and soon begins hearing voices and [More]
Directed By:
Hans-Christian Schmid
#39
Trick 'r Treat
(2007)
82%
#39
Critics Consensus: A deftly crafted tribute to Halloween legends, Trick 'r' Treat hits all the genre marks with gusto and old fashioned suspense.
Synopsis: Interwoven stories demonstrate that some traditions are best not forgotten as the residents (Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker) of [More]
Directed By:
Michael Dougherty
#40
Dark Water
(2002)
84%
#40
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In this moody Japanese horror film, newly-single mom Yoshimi Matsubara (Hitomi Kuroki) is enduring a bitter divorce and struggling to [More]
Directed By:
Hideo Nakata
#41
Wake Wood
(2011)
81%
#41
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The parents of a deceased girl are given three days with their dead daughter. [More]
Directed By:
David Keating
#42
Ju-on: The Grudge
(2003)
80%
#42
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In a Japanese house, a vengeful spirit goes after one person after another, each suffering a horrible death. [More]
Directed By:
Takashi Shimizu
#43
Eden Lake
(2008)
76%
#43
Critics Consensus: A brutal and effective British hoodie-horror that, despite the clichés, stays on the right side of scary.
Synopsis: During a romantic weekend getaway, a young couple confronts a gang of youths, and suffers brutal consequences. [More]
Directed By:
James Watkins
#44
Planet Terror
(2007)
77%
#44
Critics Consensus: A cool and hip grindhouse throwback, Planet Terror is an unpredictable zombie thrillride.
Synopsis: An ordinary evening in a small Texas town becomes a grisly nightmare when a horde of flesh-eating zombies goes on [More]
Directed By:
Robert Rodriguez
#45
Brotherhood of the Wolf
(2001)
74%
#45
Critics Consensus: Brotherhood of the Wolf mixes its genres with little logic, but the end result is wildly entertaining.
Synopsis: In a rural province of France, a mysterious creature is laying waste to the countryside, savagely killing scores of women [More]
Directed By:
Christophe Gans
#46
Hair High
(2004)
75%
#46
Critics Consensus: Hair High isn't first-tier Plympton, but like the rest of the animator's work, this is an assuredly odd tale that should resonate with fans of strange cinema.
Synopsis: As the prom approaches, the head cheerleader (Sarah Silverman) of Echo Lake High dumps her quarterback boyfriend (Dermot Mulroney) in [More]
Directed By:
Bill Plympton
#47
The Mist
(2007)
74%
#47
Critics Consensus: Frank Darabont's impressive camerawork and politically incisive script make The Mist a truly frightening experience.
Synopsis: After a powerful storm damages their Maine home, David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and his young son head into town to [More]
Directed By:
Frank Darabont
#48
Splinter
(2008)
74%
#48
Critics Consensus: Never taking itself too seriously, Splinter scores as a fast-paced, fun thriller with more than enough scares.
Synopsis: When their plans for a nature trip go awry, Polly Watt (Jill Wagner) and boyfriend Seth Belzer (Paulo Costanzo) decide [More]
Directed By:
Toby Wilkins
#49
Grace
(2009)
74%
#49
Critics Consensus: Though not entirely effective as a conventional horror flick, Grace is still a graphic, disturbing, and artful exploration of twisted maternal instinct.
Synopsis: In the wake of a horrific car accident that kills her husband, Michael (Stephen Park), expectant mother Madeline Matheson (Jordan [More]
Directed By:
Paul Solet
#50
28 Weeks Later
(2007)
73%
#50
Critics Consensus: While 28 Weeks Later lacks the humanism that made 28 Days Later a classic, it's made up with fantastic atmosphere and punchy direction.
Synopsis: Six months after the original epidemic, the rage virus has all but annihilated the population of the British Isles. Nevertheless [More]
Directed By:
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
#51
Dahmer
(2002)
73%
#51
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In this fictionalized, fragmented biopic of one of America's most notorious serial killers, Jeffrey Dahmer (Jeremy Renner) contemplates his latest [More]
Directed By:
David Jacobson
#52
The Ring
(2002)
72%
#52
Critics Consensus: With little gore and a lot of creepy visuals, The Ring gets under your skin, thanks to director Gore Verbinski's haunting sense of atmosphere and an impassioned performance from Naomi Watts.
Synopsis: It sounds like just another urban legend -- a videotape filled with nightmarish images leads to a phone call foretelling [More]
Directed By:
Gore Verbinski
#53
Fido
(2006)
71%
#53
Critics Consensus: Making the most of its thin premise, Fido is an occasionally touching satire that provides big laughs and enough blood and guts to please gorehounds.
Synopsis: When a cloud of space dust causes the dead to rise as ravenous zombies, the ZomCon Corp. emerges to conquer [More]
Directed By:
Andrew Currie
#54
Gozu
(2003)
71%
#54
Critics Consensus: Miike continues his run of compellingly bizarre flicks.
Synopsis: Chaos ensues when a yakuza boss orders a young gangster (Hideki Sone) to kill an insane colleague (Shô Aikawa). [More]
Directed By:
Takashi Miike
#55
Black Sheep
(2006)
71%
#55
Critics Consensus: With an outrageous premise played completely straight, Black Sheep is a violent, grotesque, and very funny movie that takes B-movie lunacy to a delirious extreme.
Synopsis: Sheep-fearing Henry (Nathan Meister) returns to his brother's (Peter Feeney) New Zealand farm, hoping his sibling will buy out his [More]
Directed By:
Jonathan King
#56
The Midnight Meat Train
(2008)
70%
#56
Critics Consensus: A creative and energetic adaptation of a Clive Barker short story, with enough scares and thrills to be a potential cult classic.
Synopsis: When struggling photographer Leon Kaufman (Bradley Cooper) meets the owner of a prominent art gallery, he sees a chance for [More]
Directed By:
Ryûhei Kitamura
#57
Open Water
(2003)
71%
#57
Critics Consensus: A low budget thriller with some intense moments.
Synopsis: Daniel (Daniel Travis) and Susan (Blanchard Ryan) embark on a tropical vacation with their scuba-diving certifications in tow. During a [More]
Directed By:
Chris Kentis
#58
Vampire Hunter D
(2000)
70%
#58
Critics Consensus: Vampire Hunter D's gothic charms may be lost on those unfamiliar with the anime series that spawned it, but the crisp action and nightmarish style will satiate horror aficionados' bloodlust.
Synopsis: In a dark and distant future, when the undead have arisen from apocalyptic ashes, an original story unfolds. Ten thousand [More]
Directed By:
Yoshiaki Kawajiri
#59
May
(2002)
70%
#59
Critics Consensus: Above average slasher flick.
Synopsis: Young misfit May (Angela Bettis) endured a difficult childhood because of her lazy eye. And though contact lenses have helped [More]
Directed By:
Lucky McKee
#60
The Happiness of the Katakuris
(2001)
69%
#60
Critics Consensus: If nothing else, Happiness of the Katakuris scores points for its delirious, over-the-top originality.
Synopsis: Fearing bad publicity, an innkeeper and his family bury the bodies of their ill-fated guests themselves. [More]
Directed By:
Takashi Miike
#61
Red Dragon
(2002)
69%
#61
Critics Consensus: Competently made, but everything is a bit too familiar.
Synopsis: Ex-FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) is an expert investigator who quit the Bureau after almost losing his life in [More]
Directed By:
Brett Ratner
#62
Snakes on a Plane
(2006)
69%
#62
Critics Consensus: Snakes on a Plane lives up to its title, featuring snakes on a plane. It isn't perfect, but then again, it doesn't need to be.
Synopsis: FBI agent Nelville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson) boards a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles, escorting a witness to trial. [More]
Directed By:
David R. Ellis
#63
Daybreakers
(2009)
69%
#63
Critics Consensus: Though it arrives during an unfortunate glut of vampire movies, Daybreakers offers enough dark sci-fi thrills -- and enough of a unique twist on the genre -- to satisfy filmgoers.
Synopsis: Ten years after a plague turns most of the world's population into vampires, a critical blood shortage causes panic and [More]
#64
American Psycho
(2000)
68%
#64
Critics Consensus: If it falls short of the deadly satire of Bret Easton Ellis's novel, American Psycho still finds its own blend of horror and humor, thanks in part to a fittingly creepy performance by Christian Bale.
Synopsis: In New York City in 1987, a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), lives a second life as [More]
Directed By:
Mary Harron
#65
Session 9
(2001)
68%
#65
Critics Consensus: Relying more on atmosphere than gore, Session 9 is effectively creepy.
Synopsis: A tale of terror when a group of asbestos removal workers start work in an abandoned insane asylum. The complex [More]
Directed By:
Brad Anderson
#66
The Manson Family
(2003)
68%
#66
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Members of Charles Manson's cult tell their story. [More]
Directed By:
Jim Van Bebber
#67
My Little Eye
(2002)
68%
#67
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: As part of an Internet reality show, five people sign up to spend six months in a mansion while cameras [More]
Directed By:
Marc Evans
#68
Tormented
(2009)
68%
#68
Critics Consensus: It relies too heavily on American slasher cliches, but Tormented is a timely, funny, and even somewhat touching entry in the high school horror genre.
Synopsis: Darren Mullet (Calvin Dean) doesn't have it easy. He's overweight, uses an inhaler and is constantly bullied by his spoiled [More]
Directed By:
Jon Wright
#69
Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
(2006)
67%
#69
Critics Consensus: Poultrygeist may be relentlessly tasteless and juvenile, but it's also a lively slice of schlocky fun.
Synopsis: Some fast-food workers discover the restaurant they work in is built on an ancient burial ground, and the chickens they [More]
Directed By:
Lloyd Kaufman
#70
The Girl Next Door
(2007)
67%
#70
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A teen (Blythe Auffarth) suffers horrible abuse at the hands of her caretaker (Blanche Baker), who also encourages the neighborhood [More]
Directed By:
Gregory M. Wilson
#71
Dead Snow
(2009)
67%
#71
Critics Consensus: Though it doesn't cover new ground, Dead Snow is an entertaining mix of camp, scares, and blood and guts.
Synopsis: A party of eight Norwegian medical students travel to a remote Arctic mountain for an Easter weekend filled with skiing [More]
Directed By:
Tommy Wirkola
#72
Martyrs
(2008)
66%
#72
Critics Consensus: A real polarising movie, this Gallic torture-porn is graphic, brutal, nasty and gruesome and not to everyone's taste.
Synopsis: A young woman's quest for revenge leads her down a path of depravity. [More]
Directed By:
Pascal Laugier
#73
In My Skin
(2002)
66%
#73
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A Parisian marketing professional, Esther (Marina de Van) has a gruesome secret. She's been obsessed with the damage she can [More]
Directed By:
Marina de Van
#74
Severance
(2006)
66%
#74
Critics Consensus: A twisted and bloody spoof on office life, Severance nicely balances comedy and nasty horror.
Synopsis: Members (Danny Dyer, Laura Harris, Tim McInnerny) of the Palisades Defense Corp. sales group arrive in Europe for a team-building [More]
Directed By:
Christopher Smith
#75
Lunacy
(2005)
64%
#75
Critics Consensus: A Svankmajer movie is not for everyone, but he displays his usual creative flair for surreal imagery.
Synopsis: In 19th-century France a young man (Pavel Liska) meets a nobleman (Jan Tríska) who invites him to spend the night [More]
Directed By:
Jan Svankmajer
#76
#77
Ju-on: The Curse
(2000)
64%
#77
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In a jealous rage, a man kills his wife and son in their home, and everyone who visits falls prey [More]
Directed By:
Takashi Shimizu
#78
Willard
(2003)
64%
#78
Critics Consensus: In this creepy story of a man and his rodents, Glover seems born to play the oddball title character.
Synopsis: Desperate for companionship, the repressed Willard (Crispin Glover) befriends a group of rats that inhabit his late father's deteriorating mansion. [More]
Directed By:
Glen Morgan
#79
Ichi the Killer
(2001)
63%
#79
Critics Consensus: Ichi The Killer is a thoroughly shocking gorefest that will surely entertain those with strong stomachs and a penchant for brutal violence.
Synopsis: A bloodthirsty hoodlum (Tadanobu Asano) sparks a series of violent reprisals after his boss is apparently taken by a mysterious [More]
Directed By:
Takashi Miike
#80
Identity
(2003)
63%
#80
Critics Consensus: Identity is a film that will divide audiences -- the twists of its plot will either impress or exasperate you.
Synopsis: When a vicious storm breaks out in the Nevada desert, 10 people seek refuge in an isolated motel. At the [More]
Directed By:
James Mangold
#81
Suicide Club
(2001)
63%
#81
#82
Them
(2006)
63%
#82
Critics Consensus: Suspenseful and tense from start to finish, the French horror film Them proves that a lack of gore doesn't mean a dearth of scares.
Synopsis: Lucas (Michaël Cohen) and Clementine (Olivia Bonamy) live in an isolated house near Bucharest. On one rainy night in their [More]
#83
Day Watch
(2006)
62%
#83
Critics Consensus: Day Watch is frequently cheesy but it offers enough twists, surprises, and inventive action sequences to maintain viewer interest.
Synopsis: Anton (Konstantin Khabensky), a member of a group of supernatural guardians who monitor the forces of the Dark, discovers that [More]
Directed By:
Timur Bekmambetov
#84
My Bloody Valentine
(2009)
62%
#84
Critics Consensus: This gory, senses-assaulting slasher film is an unpretentious, effective mix of old-school horror stylings and modern 3D technology.
Synopsis: Ten years ago, an inexperienced coal miner named Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles) caused an accident that killed five men and [More]
Directed By:
Patrick Lussier
#85
Cabin Fever
(2002)
62%
#85
Critics Consensus: More gory than scary, Cabin Fever is satisfied with paying homage to genre conventions rather than reinventing them.
Synopsis: Bert (James DeBello), a college student vacationing with friends in the mountains, mistakenly shoots a local man (Arie Verveen) with [More]
Directed By:
Eli Roth
#86
Diary of the Dead
(2007)
62%
#86
Critics Consensus: As Diary of the Dead proves, time hasn't subdued George A. Romero's affection for mixing politics with gore, nor has it given him cinematic grace or subtlety.
Synopsis: While on location filming a horror movie, a group of college students find themselves overrun by zombies, and ultimately end [More]
Directed By:
George A. Romero
#87
#88
Hostel
(2005)
60%
#88
Critics Consensus: Featuring lots of guts and gore, Hostel is a wildly entertaining corpse-filled journey -- assuming one is entertained by corpses, guts, and gore, that is.
Synopsis: Best friends Josh (Derek Richardson) and Paxton (Jay Hernandez) decide to spend the summer after college graduation on an all-out [More]
Directed By:
Eli Roth
#89
Wendigo
(2001)
60%
#89
Critics Consensus: An artsy horror flick, Wendigo effectively creates an eerie atmosphere.
Synopsis: A blue Volvo makes its way through the fading light this chilly winter evening in upstate New York. Kim (Patricia [More]
Directed By:
Larry Fessenden
#90
Night Watch
(2004)
59%
#90
Critics Consensus: This Russian horror/fantasy film pits darkness and light against each other using snazzy CGI visuals to create an extraordinary atmosphere of a dank, gloomy city wrestling with dread.
Synopsis: Hundreds of years ago there was a battle between the Warriors of Light and the evil Warriors of Darkness. Realizing [More]
Directed By:
Timur Bekmambetov
#91
#92
The Devil's Rejects
(2005)
55%
#92
Critics Consensus: Zombie has improved as a filmmaker since "House of 1000 Corpses" and will please fans of the genre, but beware -- the horror is nasty, relentless, and sadistic.
Synopsis: After a raid on the rural home of the psychopathic Firefly family, two members of the clan, Otis (Bill Moseley) [More]
Directed By:
Rob Zombie
#93
Wolf Creek
(2005)
55%
#93
Critics Consensus: Though Wolf Creek is effectively horrific, it is still tasteless exploitation.
Synopsis: Stranded motorists (Nathan Phillips, Cassandra Magrath) fall prey to a murderous bushman (John Jarratt) who offers to fix their vehicle, [More]
Directed By:
Greg McLean
#94
Final Destination 2
(2003)
52%
#94
Critics Consensus: Final Destination 2 is little more than an excuse to stage elaborate, gory scenes of characters getting killed off.
Synopsis: Kimberly (A.J. Cook) has a premonition of a horrible highway accident killing multiple people -- including her and her friends. [More]
Directed By:
David R. Ellis
#95
The Hills Have Eyes
(2006)
51%
#95
Critics Consensus: Faster paced for today's audiences, this Hills remake ratchets up the gore for the hardcore horror fans, but will turn away casual audiences.
Synopsis: A family road trip takes a terrifying turn when the travelers become stranded in a barren atomic zone established by [More]
Directed By:
Alexandre Aja
#96
Saw
(2004)
50%
#96
Critics Consensus: Saw ensnares audiences with a deceptively clever plot and a myriad of memorable, nasty set pieces, but its lofty ambitions are undercut by a nihilistic streak that feels more mean than profound.
Synopsis: Photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell) and oncologist Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) regain consciousness while chained to pipes at either end [More]
Directed By:
James Wan
#97
Final Destination
(2000)
50%
#97
Critics Consensus: Despite a panel of X-Files' alums at the helm and a promising premise, flighty performances and poor execution keep Final Destination from ever taking off.
Synopsis: Alex Browning (Devon Sawa), is embarking on a trip to Paris. Alex experiences a premonition -- he sees the plane [More]
Directed By:
James Wong
#98
30 Days of Night
(2007)
50%
#98
Critics Consensus: While 30 Days of Night offers a few thrills, it ultimately succumbs to erratic execution.
Synopsis: In the far Northern Hemisphere, the small town of Barrow, Alaska, experiences a solid month of darkness every year. Though [More]
Directed By:
David Slade
#99
The Strangers
(2008)
50%
#99
Critics Consensus: The Strangers has a handful of genuinely scary moments, but they're not enough to elevate the end results above standard slasher fare.
Synopsis: Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) are expecting a relaxing weekend at a family vacation home, but their stay [More]
Directed By:
Bryan Bertino
#100
What Lies Beneath
(2000)
49%
#100
Critics Consensus: Robert Zemeckis is unable to salvage an uncompelling and unoriginal film.
Synopsis: It had been a year since Dr. Norman Spencer (Harrison Ford) betrayed his beautiful wife Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer). But with [More]
Directed By:
Robert Zemeckis
