Halloween is here meaning you probably want to know what the best horror movies on Netflix are. Well wait no longer as we’ve got the definitive top 25 horror movies that are currently streaming on Netflix US.
The actual library of horror movies goes far beyond the 25 we’ve featured on this list. In fact, Netflix is currently offering over 206 horror movies as of right now that fit in the horror category. You can search and sort all of them in our complete list of horror movies on Netflix list.
We’ve picked out some of the newer movies and classics on Netflix where they exist. Frankly, Netflix is sorely lacking in horror movie department which we outlined with an explanation as to why.
Without further ado, here’s the 25 best horror movies on Netflix for Halloween 2016.
25. When Animals Dream – 2014
This is a Danish movie with subtitles. Don’t be put off. The special effects are excellent and the interaction between the characters is strong. The concept of the werewolf has been thrashed by the movie industry over and over again and one of the nice things about When Animals Dream is that it manages to leave plenty to the imagination without the usual hackneyed bits.
24. Out of the Dark – 1995
Out of the Dark is a ghost movie from Hong Kong. It’s also an extremely well-made comedy and a spoof on Leon the Professional. Who said Halloween had to be serious? There’s plenty of action and this is one of Stephen Chows best pieces of work.
23. The Shrine – 2010
The Shrine should be watched, if for no other reason, for the superb make-up. This is worthy of the Exorcist. The movie starts slowly but accelerates into some true gory horror. And we warm to the hapless characters as they are beset but some really nasty villagers who want them dead.
22. The Ouija Experiment – 2011
We’ve all seen a Ouija Board, if not played with one. The sense that there might just be something in it is almost impossible to resist. In the Ouija Experiment, sure enough, there is something in it; it wouldn’t be much of a movie without. Frankly, it isn’t much of a movie with. But as an attempt to deal with something children are warned away from, it’s OK.
21. The Fog – 2005
Not to be confused with John Carpenters 1980 rendering of the story, the 2005 version of the Fog is a poor remake. The story is fine and holds up, but this version struggles to create any real horror or tension. It’s in our list as a tribute to the original.
20. The ABCs of Death – 2012
The ABCs of Death is interesting as a 26 chapter anthology of shorts from 26 different directors. It was good enough to spawn a sequel. You won’t be surprised to hear that some of the stories are better than others but the good ones are truly worth it. With each segment at about 4 minutes, you never have to wait long for something truly gory to come along.
19. Scream – 2016
We’re cheating a bit here. This is the TV Series which lists Wes Craven as an executive producer. Can’t be bad. It follows on from the classic horror movies and you might be skeptical about whether it could be pulled off. Don’t be. The directing, acting and writing are all exceptional and, for many people, the series is an improvement on the movies.
18. At the Devil’s Door – 2014
This is not one for the faint hearted. The tension and shocks in At the Devils Door and really well done. Sadly, the script jumps around rather too much and it’s not nearly as good as director Nicholas McCarthy’s first film The Pact. But the acting is good and the story is essentially solid.
17 Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut – 1990
Based on a novel by the excellent horror writer Clive Barker, the studio never understood the movie and hacked it to pieces. Thank goodness therefore for the Directors Cut which put it all back together again. The make-up is what you would expect of a horror movie and the protagonists are all pretty scary.
16 Hellraiser – 1987
Directed by Clive Barker, his first after success as a horror novelist, Hellraiser has one of the most enigmatic posters of all time. That head with the pins in it just draws you in. And therein lies it’s strength; the gruesome imagery is held throughout the film (and it’s four sequels) and the special effects are excellent.
15. Hangar 10 – 2014
How did we get to No15 before we meet our first aliens? This is not a documentary of the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident. It’s a spurious horror movie set in the private areas of Rendlesham in the UK. The aliens give the movie it’s horror and they’re an unpleasant bunch. There are shades of the Blair Witch Project in the filming.
14. Alien Abduction – 2014
More aliens eh! Alien Abduction is based on a true story and this often adds tension to a horror movie. There’s some strong original footage and the acting is good. While this plot has been used more than once, this rendering has some nice horror and is worth a watch.
13 Wes Craven’s New Nightmare – 1994
There are some really nice twists here. Heather Lengankamp, who starred as Nancy in the original Nightmare on Elm St, plays herself in real life where the movie comes back to visit her. Ingenious stuff from Wes Craven. If you were a fan of Freddy before, you’ll certainly be a fan again.
12. Trollhunter – 2010
Interesting, Netflix has this as one word title when it the first US release of the Norwegian original was two words. Ho Hum. Now we all know that the trolls of Scandinavian folklore are real. So it’s logical that the government would have a secret agency looking for them. Filmed on a hand-cam, this movie has some strong moments.
11. The Unwanted – 2013
Would you believe we’ve made it this far without a vampire? This is a gothic movie with sexual overtones that buries the horror slightly too deeply. It relies as much on the erotic elements as the horror to carry it through. It’s certainly different.
10. The Queen of the Damned – 2002
It’s sad that Anne Rice, the writer of the books on which this fantasy movie was based, left the project. The result is that many of the major themes of the trilogy of books are missing from the movie. One book of the trilogy, Interview with the Vampire was made into an excellent movie starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
9. Spiders – 2013
The premise of 3D movies was more to combat piracy than to improve the viewing experience. Spiders was released in 3D and the arachnids in question arrive in New York from a soviet space station. Given the relatively low budget of the movie, the special effects are pretty good and the action sequences towards the end of the movie are compelling.
8. The House at the End of Time – 2013
This claims to be the first supernatural thriller to come out of Venezuela. Who are we to argue? Delivered in Spanish, this is an engaging story spread over 30 years. You never guess what’s going to happen next and the suspense is brilliantly delivered. This is a sorely underestimated movie.
7. The Babadook – 2014
Babadook might sound like a name you’d give to your favorite teddy bear but don’t be fooled. The Babadook is your typical monster and this is not your typical horror movie. The issues facing a single mother with a problem child are amplified many times over by the presence of the monster. This is a truly scary movie.
6. 12 Days of Terror – 2004
With an uncanny resemblance to Jaws, this is a docudrama of true events in 1916 when a shark terrorized the shores on New Jersey on which Jaws was based. As if there wasn’t enough going on at the time, a heatwave, a polio epidemic and a world war from which holiday makers are desperately trying to escape, shark attacks are the final straw for the local residents. Jaws it isn’t; and that’s good.
5. Stephen King’s Children of the Corn – 1984
Stephen King is the master of horror novels and many have been made into movies. Children of the Corn manages to deliver great horror with very little of the guts and gore typical of the genre. Perhaps the most scary thing is that the protagonists are children and there’s very little, apparently, the grown-ups can do to resist them.
4. The Fly – 1958
This is original on which Jeff Goldblum’s 1986 remake was based. Although it doesn’t have the special effects of the later version, the story is powerful and the acting good, especially that of the relatively unknown Patricia Owens who holds the movie together. A great entry for the older movies.
3. The Fury – 1978
The fury was a triumph of its time. The callousness and ease with which a mysterious government agency attempts to harness the psychological powers of gifted youngsters is daunting in itself. But when they start to use their powers for the worst, the horror explodes from the screen. This is a movie that has stood the test of time and spawned many imitators but never an equal.
2. Sleepy Hollow – 1999
Tim Burton’s gothic masterpiece brings us the headless horseman who is killing people in a rather nasty way. Burton lead man of choice, Johnny Depp, plays a naïve investigator sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the deaths. Christopher Walken, who’s lines in the movie you can count of the fingers of one hand, delivers the typically frightening role that you would expect from this great actor.
1. From Dusk Till Dawn – 1996
While there is a fine storyline underneath From Dusk Till Dawn, it’s a vehicle for the trademark blood and guts with which Quentin Tarantino never fails to delight. While he didn’t direct the movie, he wrote the screenplay and starred in a leading role. The make-up and special effects bring a grittiness to the movie where many take on a slightly silly humorous tone. A definite must.
