100 best horror movies, according to critics

ullstein bild via Getty Images What makes for a truly great horror movie? Is it the jump scares and buckets of blood? A solid directorial voice? Creativity? Originality? Deeper layers of meaning? These are the questions critics might ask themselves when examining the genre from an analytical perspective. And as one will soon discover, their conclusions aren’t always tuned in to audience expectations. Nevertheless, critically acclaimed horror is usually unique in one way or another, and, therefore, worth checking out. After all, one can only take so many rote formulas and generic clichés, right? There’s a little bit of everything on this list of top-rated horror films and then some. Movies like “La Llorona” and “Under the Shadow” juxtapose supernatural terror with real-life atrocities. By contrast, films like “Halloween” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” let the slasher subgenre speak for itself. “Alien” incorporates sci-fi elements, while “The Babadook” and “Rosemary’s Baby” play upon psychological tropes. Meanwhile, horror comedies like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Little Shop of Horrors” have garnered critical acclaim and loyal followings alike. To celebrate this genre in all its permutations and possibilities, Stacker compiled data on the top-ranked horror films of all time from Metacritic as of September 2022. They’re presented here in order of their Metascore, ranked from low to high. Metascores are only published in whole numbers, but ties are broken in decimals internally at Metacritic. Expect some surprises, and not just because audiences didn’t always agree with the critical assessments. Here are the best horror movies, according to critics. You may also like: Incredible filming locations from popular movies #100. What We Do in the Shadows (2015) Unison Films – Directors: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi – Metascore: 76 – Runtime: 86 minutes Horror genre tropes get the comedic touch in this beloved mockumentary out of New Zealand. It follows a group of ancient and modern vampires who struggle with a contemporary, relatively nonviolent way of life. A similarly acclaimed TV series adaptation followed in 2019. #99. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) Paramount Pictures – Director: Dan Trachtenberg – Metascore: 76 – Runtime: 104 minutes The second installment in the Cloverfield franchise represents a stark departure from its found footage predecessor. Upon waking from a car accident, a young woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) finds herself captive to a man (John Goodman) with suspect intentions. Like the first film, this one benefited from a purposefully elusive marketing campaign. #98. Shaun of the Dead (2004) Rogue Pictures – Director: Edgar Wright – Metascore: 76 – Runtime: 99 minutes Edgar Wright arguably invented his own brand of horror comedy with this British cult smash. It tells the story of a down-and-out slacker named Shaun (Simon Pegg), who proves his worth during the zombie apocalypse. The film makes up part of Wright’s “Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy,” which also includes “Hot Fuzz” and “The World’s End.” #97. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) New Line Cinema – Director: Wes Craven – Metascore: 76 – Runtime: 91 minutes Equipped with razors for hands, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) slices and dices his way into the nightmares of teenagers. He also happened to dominate a newly formed slasher market, spawning a franchise. Few, if any, of the sequels or reboots captured the humor and horror of Wes Craven’s original. #96. The Amusement Park (1975) Laurel Tape & Film – Director: George A. Romero – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 54 minutes Commissioned as an educational film about elder abuse, this Romero effort wasn’t released until 46 years after it was made. The story follows an elderly man (Lincoln Maazel) around an amusement park and captures his increasingly delirious state of mind. A critical darling perhaps, but it has a meager audience score of 46% on Rotten Tomatoes. #95. Village of the Damned (1960) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios – Director: Wolf Rilla – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 77 minutes Based on a novel, this iconic British horror film welcomes viewers to the small village of Midwich. After a mysterious event, the local children begin to exhibit supernatural qualities. It was followed by both a sequel and a remake, plus it was parodied in “The Simpsons.” #94. Relic (2020) Carver Films – Director: Natalie Erika James – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 89 minutes This Aussie horror flick takes place in a remote country home and offers a unique examination of dementia. When checking in on grandma (Robyn Nevin), a woman (Emily Mortimer) and her daughter (Bella Heathcote) experience nightmarish visions. Irish Times critic Tara Brady called it “both an allegory and a nightmarish descent into this year’s creepiest movie home.” #93. Evolution (2016) Les Films du Worso – Director: Lucile Hadzihalilovic – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 81 minutes This French horror drama takes place in a small seaside village that’s populated exclusively by women and young boys. When he discovers a corpse in the ocean, young Nicolas reexamines the local environment and its mysterious customs. Director Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s stylistic sensibilities enraptured critics, but the pacing was a little too glacial for some audiences. #92. High Life (2019) Alcatraz Films – Director: Claire Denis – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 113 minutes French auteur Claire Denis heads into deep space for this poetic blend of sci-fi and horror. As part of an interstellar experiment, a group of death row inmates embark on a dangerous mission. Critics loved the movie’s rich atmosphere and willingness to defy convention. #91. The Masque of the Red Death (1964) Alta Vista Productions – Director: Roger Corman – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 89 minutes This Roger Corman outing is one of a number of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations from the prolific director and producer. Set in medieval Italy at the height of a deadly plague, it stars Vincent Price as the sadistic Prince Prospero. While trying to evade infection inside castle walls, the prince soon learns that no one is above their own mortality. #90. The Gift (2015) Blumhouse Productions – Director: Joel Edgerton – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 108 minutes Joel Edgerton wrote, directed, and starred in this gripping Blumhouse thriller. When a business executive (Jason Bateman) reconnects with an old schoolmate (Edgerton), it kicks off a series of dangerous mind games. The movie’s psychological tension is more impactful than most horror tropes. #89. Nope (2022) Universal Pictures – Director: Jordan Peele – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 135 minutes Jordan Peele’s third feature offers a clever mix of sci-fi, horror, comedy, and social commentary. As random objects begin falling from the sky, residents of Agua Dulce try to capitalize on their potential UFO sighting. Peele has hinted that he might revisit this story in future films. #88. i’m thinking of ending things (2020) Likely Story – Director: Charlie Kaufman – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 134 minutes Adapted from a novel by Iain Reid, this psychological thriller puts a surrealist spin on both existential themes and classic genre tropes. It follows a young woman (Jessie Buckley) to a remote farm for a nightmarish stay with her boyfriend’s parents. This is heady horror as only someone like Charlie Kaufman can deliver. #87. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2022) Dweck Productions – Director: Jane Schoenbrun – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 86 minutes This unconventional horror film stars Anna Cobb in her debut feature role as a lonely teen named Casey. What begins with a viral internet challenge becomes a hallucinatory breakdown as the story unfolds. General moviegoers were far less receptive than critics, hence the film’s audience score of just 27% on Rotten Tomatoes. #86. Pit and the Pendulum (1961) Alta Vista Productions – Director: Roger Corman – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 80 minutes Roger Corman and Vincent Price reunite for another Edgar Allan Poe adaptation, with Richard Matheson back on scripting duties. While investigating his sister’s death in 16th-century Spain, a man (John Kerr) uncovers grave horrors. Consciously exploitative, the film nevertheless retains an authentic atmosphere. #85. Saloum (2022) Lacmé – Director: Jean Luc Herbulot – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 84 minutes This Senegalese thriller takes place in 2003 against the backdrop of Guinea-Bissau’s violent military coup. Laying low in the wake of a dangerous mission, three mercenaries come up against a vengeful force. Director Jean Luc Herbulot “makes even old genre sights–like a flashlight beam scouring a darkened room–look almost new again,” wrote critic Glenn Kenny for Roger Ebert. #84. The Devil’s Backbone (2001) El Deseo – Director: Guillermo del Toro – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 106 minutes Upon losing his father to the Spanish Civil War, a young boy is sent to a haunted orphanage. In the vein of del Toro’s most acclaimed works, this one layers humanism, history, and horror. On Bloody Disgusting’s list of the Top Films of the 2000s, it lands at #18. #83. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) Vortex – Director: Tobe Hooper – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 83 minutes One of the scariest movies ever made remains a raw and visceral experience, namely thanks to Tobe Hooper’s realistic approach. While visiting a gravesite in Texas, five friends come up against a sadistic family of cannibals. Despite the relative absence of blood and gore, the film renders an almost traumatic impression. #82. It Comes at Night (2017) Animal Kingdom – Director: Trey Edward Shults – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 91 minutes Critics and audiences don’t see eye to eye on this dramatic thriller, which takes place in the midst of a zombie-like outbreak. Living deep in the woods, a paranoid man (Joel Edgerton) and his family take in suspicious new houseguests. In lieu of cheap thrills, director Trey Edward Shults opts for a slow burn and shocking finale. #81. The Witches (1990) Lorimar Film Entertainment – Director: Nicolas Roeg – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 91 minutes A young boy crosses paths with real-life witches in this adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic novel. Under the direction of Nicolas Roeg, the film’s tone and visuals are much creepier than its PG rating would suggest. Executive producer Jim Henson (creator of “The Muppets”) died just before its release in the U.K. #80. Godzilla (2004) Toho Film (Eiga) Co. Ltd. – Director: Ishirô Honda – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 98 minutes Initially released in 1954, the original “Godzilla” wasn’t officially available to American audiences until 2004. While rife with spectacle, the film also examines themes of nuclear destruction and man vs. nature. It remains the longest continuously running movie franchise in history. #79. 28 Weeks Later (2007) Fox Atomic – Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo – Metascore: 78 – Runtime: 99 minutes The sequel to “28 Days Later” unfolds six months after the “rage virus” was first unleashed. As various survivors try to repopulate London, the zombie-like infection rears its ugly head once again. When the U.S. military goes to extremes in its containment effort, the story takes on allegorical overtones. #78. The Innocents (2022) Twentieth Century Fox – Director: Eskil Vogt – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 117 minutes In this Norwegian stunner, four children discover the supernatural. But as they test the boundaries of their newfound powers, innocent child’s play turns into something sinister. Variety’s Jessica Kiang said the film serves as “both a satisfying genre exercise and a minute observation of the process by which young children acquire morality.” #77. Suspiria (1977) Seda Spettacoli – Director: Dario Argento – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 98 minutes With its gothic palette and eerie score, this Italian horror classic retains a perennial atmosphere of unease. It goes behind the scenes at a prestigious dance academy to uncover something sinister. Critics and fans alike consider it one of director Dario Argento’s finest hours. #76. Let Me In (2010) Overture Films – Director: Matt Reeves – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 116 minutes Like its Swedish predecessor, this Hollywood adaptation centers on the unlikely bond between a bullied outcast and young female vampire. Blending heartfelt drama with shocking violence, it straddles two genres and defies easy categorization. Director Matt Reeves honors the source material while injecting just the right amount of original storytelling. #75. Poltergeist (1982) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) – Director: Tobe Hooper – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 114 minutes According to legend, Steven Spielberg ghost-directed this suburban ghost story. It chronicles a haunting and puts a novel twist on some good old-fashioned scares. There’s also sly commentary about America’s TV diet and cultural norms. #74. Only Lovers Left Alive (2014) Recorded Picture Company (RPC) – Director: Jim Jarmusch – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 123 minutes Director Jim Jarmusch brings his indie sensibilities to the vampire subgenre and the results are predictably offbeat. Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston play vampires Adam and Eve, whose on-again, off-again romance is quite literally one for the ages. Already struggling to adapt in modern society, their love undergoes another stress test with the arrival of Eve’s sister. #73. Green Room (2016) Broad Green Pictures – Director: Jeremy Saulnier – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 95 minutes Punk rock band The Ain’t Rights have just arrived at a skinhead bar in the Pacific Northwest and that’s the least of their problems. So goes this thriller from Jeremy Saulnier, who kicks things off with a grisly murder and then keeps the tension running high. The Daily Telegraph critic Patrick Smith called it a “pulverizing piece of Seventies-style grindhouse exploitation.” #72. Barbarian (2022) Boulder Light Pictures – Director: Zach Cregger – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 102 minutes Comedy icon turned horror director Zach Cregger delivered one of the wildest rides of 2022, in which a short-term property rental becomes the stuff of nightmares. Its premise was inspired by a self-help book called “The Gift of Fear,” about the various red flags women should look out for in men. The less one knows going in, the better the viewing experience. #71. La Llorona (2020) El Ministerio de Cultura Y Deportes de Guatamala – Director: Jayro Bustamante – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 96 minutes A former general and his family are literally haunted by ghosts from the past in this Guatemalan horror. The film takes inspiration from an ancient folktale as well as real-life historical atrocities. It’s not to be mistaken for less acclaimed “The Curse of La Llorona,” which makes up part of “The Conjuring” franchise. You may also like: 50 best WWII movies of all time #70. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) Werner Herzog Filmproduktion – Director: Werner Herzog – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 107 minutes Employing lurid and saturated hues, director Werner Herzog updates a silent-era classic. Frequent collaborator Klaus Kinski takes on the title role and even uses the same makeup style as his 1922 predecessor. Upon moving from Transylvania to a remote German village, Count Dracula preys upon a new host of victims. #69. You Won’t Be Alone (2022) Causeway Films – Director: Goran Stolevski – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 108 minutes Macedonian Australian filmmaker Goran Stolevski makes his feature debut with this disturbing and atmospheric period piece. In a remote 19th-century Macedonian village, a young girl becomes a witch. Detroit News critic Adam Graham describes it as being “like ‘The Witch’ by way of Terrence Malick.” #68. Annihilation (2018) Paramount Pictures – Director: Alex Garland – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 115 minutes Director Alex Garland followed up the cult hit “Ex Machina” with this similar blend of sci-fi and horror. When her husband goes missing, a biologist (Natalie Portman) must enter a mysterious realm to find him. Brimming with stunning, otherwordly visual effects, part of the experience of the film is figuring out what it all means. #67. The Fly (1986) SLM Production Group – Director: David Cronenberg – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 96 minutes A brilliant scientist (Jeff Goldblum) falls victim to his own ghastly experiment in this tale of love and obsession. By remaking a 1958 classic, director David Cronenberg found the perfect venue for his body horror fixations. The special effects practically drip off the screen and stick with the viewer long after the credits roll. #66. X (2022) A24 – Director: Ti West – Metascore: 79 – Runtime: 105 minutes In the spirit of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” comes this graphic slasher, which takes place in 1979. A porn crew rents out a rural guest house for their next shoot, only to incite murderous envy from their elderly hosts. It makes up part of a trilogy, and director Ti West is currently working on the final installment. You may also like: Biggest box office bombs of all time #65. Under the Skin (2014) Film4 – Director: Jonathan Glazer – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 108 minutes A sci-fi movie quite unlike any other, this one juxtaposes hallucinatory visuals with stretches of stark realism. Graced with a human body and blank expression, an alien seductress (Scarlett Johansson) cruises Scotland in search of new victims. Viewers expecting the standard invasion fare are bound to be disappointed. #64. The Endless (2018) Snowfort Pictures – Directors: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 111 minutes Two brothers thought they were out of a wacky UFO death cult, but now a mysterious VHS tape has pulled them back in. Banking on the power of talent and creativity, the film squeezes palpable tension out of its micro-budget. The less one knows going in, the better. #63. Demon (2016) Telewizja Polska – Director: Marcin Wrona – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 94 minutes Inspired by Jewish folklore, this absurdist horror dramedy hails from Poland and takes place during a wedding. An unruly spirit lurks inside the groom and continues to disrupt the ceremony. At the movie’s core is a story of history and revenge. #62. Mad God (2022) Tippett Studio – Director: Phil Tippett – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 83 minutes Visual effects wizard Phil Tippett reportedly spent 30 years bringing this stop-motion horror epic to life. It welcomes viewers into a savage and fully realized underworld, where a masked assassin embarks on a final mission. The project would have sat on the shelf forever if not for a successful Kickstarter campaign, which raised over $124,000 in funding. #61. Berberian Sound Studio (2013) Illuminations Films – Director: Peter Strickland – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 92 minutes Director Peter Strickland pays homage to 1970s Italian giallo horror films with this psychological nightmare. It tells the story of a British sound effects engineer (Toby Jones), whose latest assignment uproots his grip on reality. An erratic narrative and jarring visual style together maintain the dream-like aesthetic. You may also like: 50 best movies about the Vietnam War #60. Resolution (2013) Rustic Films – Directors: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 93 minutes Shot on a reported budget of just $20,000, this friendship-themed horror flick opens with a story of intervention. That gives way to a series of mysterious occurrences as a much graver plot unfolds. It’s all brought to viewers from the same filmmaking team behind “The Endless.” #59. Freaks (1932) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) – Director: Tod Browning – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 64 minutes Director Tod Browning cast real-life sideshow acts for this unique and controversial effort. Hoping to inherit a fortune, a trapeze artist attempts to seduce a carnival performer. Infused with palpable pathos, the work arguably delivers sincerity over exploitation. #58. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) Maljack Productions – Director: John McNaughton – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 83 minutes Follow a drifter (Michael Rooker) as he commits a series of murders in this disturbing cult classic. Tightly executed and totally uncompromised, the movie’s shocking authenticity is one of its best attributes. It was one of the first films to prompt the creation of an NC-17 rating. #57. Arrebato (1979) Nicolás Astiarraga P.C. – Director: Iván Zulueta – Metascore: 80 – Runtime: 105 minutes This freshly restored Spanish arthouse flick is waiting to be rediscovered by lovers of cult horror. It follows a drug-addicted filmmaker as he tries to capture his delirious state of mind on celluloid. Roger Ebert critic Carlos Aguilar writes that it “invokes cinema as an otherworldly entity that possesses, just as addictive and destructive as mind-altering substances injected into the bloodstream.” #56. Goodnight Mommy (2015) Ulrich Seidl Film Produktion GmbH – Directors: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz – Metascore: 81 – Runtime: 99 minutes Things are not what they seem in this Austrian psychodrama. When their mother undergoes cosmetic surgery, two twin brothers are convinced that she’s been replaced by someone else. The National Board of Review named “Goodnight Mommy” one of its top foreign films of 2015. You may also like: 50 times actors hated their own movies #55. The Blair Witch Project (1999)