Not everyone is an avid horror movie viewer (whatever may be the horror theme used), however, those who are, rarely let go of them. Viewers today are exposed to a number of international horror movies apart from those produced in Hollywood.
Some of these movies are appreciated worldwide and go on to make a name for themselves, while most of them just fail to create any interest because of their below-par production quality and storyline. Sadly, there are some, which have remained unrecognized and underrated, even though they are worth the palpitations they generate.
So here’s a list of horror movies that deserve your attention at least once, if not more:
1. Eden Lake (2008)
A directorial debut by James Watkins (best known for directing The Woman in Black), Eden Lake is a British thriller cum horror film. Jenny, a nursery school teacher, and her boyfriend Steve, visit a serene lakeside surrounded by forest, to enjoy a romantic weekend.
However, the romantic setting is upset by a group of delinquent teenagers, led by a sociopath Brett, who vandalizes their belongings. This leads to a gruesome confrontation between Steve and the teenage gang, resulting in a terrifyingly brutal ordeal for him.
With the gang turning violent and sadistic, it’s now up to Jenny to escape the forest and seek help. What ensues is a harrowing and nasty twist of events, that keeps one glued to their seats till the end. Eden Lake is one of the horror movies that will surely give you the chills.
IMDb Rating: 6.7
2. Silent Hill (2006)
Sharon, a young, adopted girl, sleepwalks and cries every night, naming the town ‘Silent Hill’. Unable to accept the fact that her daughter could be permanently rendered under psychiatric care, Rose decides to take Sharon to Silent Hill, against her husband’s will.
While arriving there, she meets with a car accident and awakens to find Sharon missing. As she begins the search for her daughter in the desolate and eerie town, Rose faces the dark and disturbing mystery surrounding it.
IMDb Rating: 6.5
3. The Ruins (2008)
A group of American couples are on a leisurely trip to Mexico when they meet a German tourist, who is looking for his brother. The search takes them to a remote archaeological dig at a desolate Mayan ruin in the jungle.
While looking for the lost man, they encounter angry Mayan villagers. Things take a turn for the worst when one of them touches a Vine. This is when they realize that there is something extremely evil and deadly that resides in the ruins. The Ruins is among the top 3 movies in our horror movies list.
IMDb Rating: 6.0
4. The Loved Ones (2009)
Brent, a teenager, politely turns down her classmate Lola’s offer for a prom night, as he is already going with his girlfriend Holly. What he is not aware of is that Lola is a psychopath, and has a dad who is equally weird.
They capture Brent and bring him to their home, set up for a prom night dance. However, Lola has concocted some macabre plan for revenge, assisted by her father. Brent then goes through a series of sadistic torture, all the while trying to escape from the house.
IMDb Rating: 6.6
5. Don’t Breathe (2016)
Rocky, a young girl, wants a better life for herself and her sister. She agrees to assist her boyfriend Money and their friend Alex to rob a blind man (a seasoned ex-Marine). What seemed a simple robbery plan for easy cash, turns out to be a real nightmare for the three delinquents.
They have no idea of the blind man’s capabilities and hidden secrets. With the tables turned on them by their ruthless blind adversary, the group must find a way out of his trap house in the dark, before they become his next victims. This horror flick is among the top 10 horror movies on Netflix that are a must-watch. You can also watch this on SonyLiv and Amazon Prime Video.
IMDb Rating: 6.6
6. Lights Out (2016)
A textile factory employee sees a mysterious female silhouette when the lights are out, however, cannot see it when the lights are on, and she suddenly gets a lot closer when they go black out again. Paul, her boss falls victim to this supernatural entity in the factory. His little boy Martin and his half-sister Rebecca are also frightened by the same creature.
His mother, Sophie, is mentally disturbed and regularly communicates with this entity, called Diana in the dark of her room. Rebecca and her boyfriend, then investigate the connection between Sophie and Diana and thus revealing the scary past of her family. Lights Out is one of the best horror movies on Netflix.
IMDb Rating: 6.3
7. The Woman (2011)
Christopher Cleek, a misogynistic lawyer, captures and brings home a savage woman and the last survivor of a cannibalistic tribe, in an attempt to “civilize” her. Along with his dysfunctional family, he attempts to domesticate this feral female by torturing her in different cruel ways. However, no shackles or restraints could keep this untamed woman in check, and soon the family is in grave jeopardy.
IMDb Rating: 6.0
8. Them (2006)
Clementine is a French teacher in a school in Romania and lives peacefully with her husband Lucas, in an isolated country house. They are awakened during the night by strange noises. Lucas finds their car is missing, with the phone lines dead, and the power goes out.
This is when they find out that they have company. As the night passes, they are stalked and terrorized by this group of hooded assailants. What follows is a night of terror that maintains a heart-pounding tension throughout the film. This film is supposedly based on real events. Them is one of the best horror movies.
IMDb Rating: 6.4
9. The Final (2010)
Dane, a suicidal high school outcast, along with a bunch of other bullied kids, plots to take a sadistic vengeance against the popular kids who bullied them and made their lives hell. Getting his inspiration from the torture methods of the Han Dynasty and other horror films, Dane plans a costume party at a secluded lake house that he inherits from his late uncle.
To put his plan into action, he recruits the other outcast kids and invites all the bullies, with the gruesome intention of making them suffer a fate worse than death.
10. The Cabin In The Woods (2012)
Five friends go to a seemingly deserted cabin in the woods. But the secret lies within the cabin as it’s not an ordinary one, but actually a set for a diabolical scientific experiment. The cabin is being controlled by an underground laboratory, from where these students are being manipulated. They get more than they bargained for when they discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods. This is one of the best horror movies Hollywood has to offer.
IMDb Rating: 7.0
11. A Tale Of Two Sisters (2003)
Based on a famous Korean folktale, the film is about a girl Su-mi, who is released from a mental institution and returns home along with her sister, to be welcomed by her father and stepmother Eun-joo. The girls despise their stepmother and have a cold reunion with her.
Once there, Su-mi starts to experience terrifying nightmares with strange violent visions. She becomes convinced that Eun-joo knows some dark secrets which he has withheld from the family.
IMDb Rating: 7.1
12. Martyrs (2008)
Brutally abused and tormented for a year, young Lucie escapes from an abandoned slaughterhouse and befriends Anna, another girl who had suffered abuse. Fifteen years later, Lucie is convinced that she has found her tormentor and kills the entire family, while visions of a horrible creature haunt her.
However, Lucie and Anna discover that they have only scratched the surface of the horror to come. This movie is among the most popular movies in the horror movies list.
IMDb Rating: 7.0
13. The Strangers (2008)
James and Kristen, a young couple, return to their remote summer vacation home after midnight. Knocks on the door in the night are the beginning of a terrifying ordeal for the couple, as three masked strangers invade their home. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, with no means to contact help. They now have to hold on as long as possible in order to survive. You can watch it on Prime Video.
IMDb Rating: 6.1
14. Session 9 (2001)
Gordon Fleming is struggling to keep his asbestos removal company afloat. He wins the contract to remove asbestos from an abandoned mental asylum, by committing to complete the work in one week. He hires a crew to finish the task within a tight timeline. However, each crew member has a secret.
It’s only a short time before tensions rise within the cleaning crew and the haunted atmosphere of the asylum, which had a ghastly past, starts working its dark spell on them. It is one of the best horror movies to date.
IMDb Rating: 6.4
Please note, the list is not in any order. All the listed movies are enough to give you a scare, however, some failed to make an impression on the box office collections. But for the lovers of this genre, this is a perfect collection of movies to get those edge-of-the-seat thrills and sudden shrills! So, happy watching!
