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One of the genres Netflix focuses on in its work is horror. And even though it hasn’t made as many horror movies as one might expect, it has been consistently creating new horrors for the past few years. These are some of the best Netflix horror movies currently available.
Updated September 26, 2022 by Kath Leroy: Netflix continues producing movies of different genres based on the demands of the audience and the profitability and popularity of said genres. Since horror can often be made with a low budget and score a big office gross, multiple new original horror movies have premiered on Netflix in the last few years.
As a result, the fans of this genre have a lot of options to choose from on Netflix and might hesitate about what to watch next. Luckily, fans have several great options to choose from when it comes to entertaining original content on Netflix.
14 No One Gets Out Alive (2021)
Some of the most intense horror movies are set in a small space that the heroes can’t so easily escape. This underrated British horror movie uses a limited setting to create a strong atmosphere of terror, at least for those viewers who imagine themselves in the main hero Ambar’s shoes. Ambar is a Mexican immigrant who finds temporary solace in a boarding house in Cleveland while she’s searching for a place where she could stay. To her terror, the boarding house hides ugly secrets that might cost Ambar and the rest of its guests their lives.
The movie keeps the audience guessing what happens next, at least until it reveals the cause of the events happening in the boarding house. It’s easy to sympathize with Ambar as the heroine and thanks to Cristina Rodlo’s performance in the leading role, the movie doesn’t disappoint viewers who like horror movies with similar settings.
13 In The Tall Grass (2019)
Films combining multiple genres are still popular because they have the potential to attract a wider audience. In the Tall Grass successfully combines horror and science-fiction. Just like multiple films in this list, it’s based on Stephen King’s work, more specifically a novella.
A sister and a brother wander through tall grass in Kansas, and they discover something dangerous might be hiding in the tall grass. Director Vincenzo Natali has a lot of experience with the horror genre as he directed Cube (1997) and the TV series Hannibal.
12 A Classic Horror Story (2021)
Some movies don’t make it obvious which genre they belong to, but that’s not the case with the Italian movie A Classic Horror Story. Despite its name, the movie will be surprising even for those who have seen a lot of classic horror stories, or at the very least enjoyable. It centers on a group of friends who end up in the middle of a forest during their journey, and they’ll be forced to face an evil living inside the forest.
Forests can be a scary place, as multiple stories have proved, starting with Hansel and Gretel. A Classic Horror Story is a more adult movie and while some viewers objected to the movie’s initial slow pace, they also enjoyed its overall atmosphere and the setting of the story.
11 Vampires Vs. The Bronx (2020)
Vampires are a popular topic, one that can have many different forms - from a romance story to horror. This film proves that horror comedies can still attract audiences who will have a laugh but also be afraid. The film primarily focuses on younger viewers since its heroes are also young.
A group of boys discovers that vampires moved into the Bronx and want to control it. They decide to find them and get rid of them. As the viewers could expect, that leads to a lot of dangerous situations but luckily, this horror is watchable even for those who don’t normally enjoy the genre.
10 Nightbooks (2021)
Despite the fact that children are a prominent part of the audience segment, there aren’t that many horror movies oriented primarily at them. Nightbooks is one of the few exceptions, and it works well as a dark horror fairytale. The main hero Alex is captured by an evil witch and imprisoned in her home. Each night, he has to tell the witch a different story, or she’ll hurt him. However, as Alex and his new friend and ally Yasmin soon realize, there’s much more to the house and the witch Natacha than meets the eye.
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The movie offers more than one surprising twist, especially in its ending. The child heroes are relatable for the younger audience but who steals the movie for herself is Krysten Ritter as Natacha who seems to be enjoying her evil role. Nightbooks might not be scary for adult viewers but families with children who want to watch a horror movie together might enjoy the film.
9 Eli (2019)
A lot of horrors tend to focus on children or at least have one or more significant child characters. One of the reasons for this is that adult viewers are more likely to fear a child might get hurt in a horror movie than another adult.
As its title suggests, Eli focuses on a boy named Eli who has an autoimmune disorder. He finds out that the house he lives in might not be as safe as he thought. Scary houses are a popular trope in horror movies. Eli manages to make the trope work, even though some critics pointed out the film has a rather slow pacing.
8 The Perfection (2018)
Not so many films manage to combine music and horror and put them into one coherent whole. The Perfection, while not perfect, does exactly that. Refreshingly enough, the film gives a lot of space to female characters. That’s still not so typical in horrors as well as films of other genres.
Its main heroine Charlotte and her rival Elizabeth start a psychological war that will eventually lead to uglier events than they could have anticipated. Allison Williams and Logan Browning star as Charlotte and Elizabeth, respectively, and their strong performances make the film worth watching.
7 1922 (2017)
Netflix does often turn to Stephen King and his extensive literary work for inspiration for its horror movies. In this case, Netflix decided to adapt a short novella by King. Taking place (unsurprisingly) in 1922, the film follows the life journey of a farmer and his young son.
When the farmer’s wife wants to sell their home and move to a bigger city, the husband decides to kill her, and he gets their son involved in it. Full of tension as is typical for Stephen King’s work, the film stars Thomas Jane (who played in The Mist in 2007, also inspired by King), Molly Parker, and Dylan Schmid.
6 Fear Street Part One: 1994 (2021)
Based on the popular horror series by R.L. Stine, the Fear Street trilogy scored with the audience and earned above-average ratings. As the first movie’s title suggests, it takes the audience back to 1994, and it focuses on a group of friends who live in the small city Shadyside where a masked killer is on the loose. In order to save themselves, the friends are going to have to figure out who the killer is and how to stop him before it’s too late for them.
Just like the books the series is based on, Fear Street Part One: 1994 focuses on the younger audience but is suitable for adults as well thanks to the movie’s intense atmosphere. It brings back the popular slasher genre and will make multiple horror fans recall the classics of the genre, such as Scream. The movie doesn’t spare the heroes and since it’s not clear who’ll live and who’ll die, it’s easy to become invested in the characters’ fates.
5 Apostle (2018)
Period horror films often have a lot of charm. They allow the audience to get a glimpse into a world now long gone. And sometimes it seems to be for the best. Especially if said world is filled with danger and/or creatures out of this plane of existence.
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In the case of Apostle, the main hero decides to save his sister. He’s not going to have it easy since he crosses the path of a religious cult living on an isolated island. Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) plays the leading role.
4 Gerald’s Game (2017)
Film and TV adaptations of Stephen King often do well with the audience and critics alike. And even though Gerald’s Game isn’t one of King’s most famous novels, its adaptation still managed to captivate the audience. Well-established actors, Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood, star as a married couple.
When the husband dies during intimate moments, the wife Jessie who’s handcuffed to a bed has to figure out how to survive dangerous situations and break free. Mike Flanagan who directed the film is responsible for several other well-rated horror films, such as Oculus (2013) or Before I Wake (2016).
3 Bulbbul (2020)
What makes Netflix attractive to many viewers is that it gives space to films from many countries and supports local original productions. Bulbbul was filmed in India, and it might be especially fascinating for viewers from different cultures.
The film tells the story of a man who comes back home to his village years after he was gone, and he discovers people have been dying in mysterious ways. A strong atmosphere, as well as excellent actors, make Bulbbul one of Netflix’s hidden gems.
2 Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (2021)
Rating-wise, the third part of the Fear Street trilogy stands between the first and the second movie. Unlike the previous two movies, Fear Street Part Three: 1666 takes place in a more distant past, allowing the creators to try something new. The characters finally learn the origin of the evil that’s been plaguing their home, Shadyside, for centuries, but even the discovery might not be enough to save their lives and defeat the evil once and for all.
The stakes are high in the movie which means that the viewers can get captivated by the story. There aren’t that many horror movies set in the 17th century so Fear Street Part Three: 1666 offers a slightly new look at the horror genre. Overall, the entire trilogy did well with the audience and proved that sometimes it works out for the best to trust the audience and make all three movies at once.
1 Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (2021)
The general movie rule is that sequels aren’t as good as their predecessors. That’s not the case for Fear Street Part Two: 1978. What’s more, to this day, this movie remains the best-rated released original Netflix horror on IMDb. This time, the story is set in 1978 and takes place during a summer camp made drastic by the fact that a serial killer is moving around.
Once again, the atmosphere is strong, this time, even more, thanks to the setting and the fact that the characters can’t call for help as easily as their 1994 counterparts. The viewers of this movie appreciated its soundtrack as well as the occasional jokes that flash through the dark story. Sadie Sink, known for another horror adventure - Stranger Things- gives a solid performance, and the same is true for the rest of the cast.
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