As we explore the scariest movies ever, per IMDb, get ready for a spine-tingling trip into the world of horror cinema. These movies have left viewers shivering with dread, unable to sleep at night, and tortured by their permanent moments. Each film on this list, from vintage psychological thrillers to modern otherworldly stories, has made its mark on cinema history by generating physical tension, spine-tingling fear, and lasting nightmares.
1. Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg’s classic horror-thriller Jaws is a genre staple. Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, and Robert Shaw all appear in the movie. A police chief, a marine expert, and a shark hunter team together to find a giant great white shark that is terrorizing the island’s seas in the film set on the fictional island of Amity.
Jaws established the bar for creature-based horror films and continues to instill a terror of the open sea with its tense storytelling and famous scenes. There are people who still don’t get into the ocean because of this film.
2. Midsommar (2019)
Ari Aster’s Midsommar is a creepy folk horror movie. Florence Pugh is a suffering woman who goes to a secluded Swedish village with her boyfriend and his pals for a midsummer celebration.
The group is caught up in a terrifying pagan ceremony as the festivities take a terrible turn. Midsommar creates psychological dread that remains long beyond the end credits with its unsettling mood and horrific imagery.
3. Saw (2004)
James Wan’s revolutionary horror movie Saw is a genre first. The film’s leading actors are Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, and Danny Glover. Two guys find themselves imprisoned on opposite sides of a cramped bathroom when they wake up, and they must work together to unravel a series of bizarre riddles to free themselves from Jigsaw, a vicious serial murderer. Saw exposed viewers to a brand-new era of psychological horror and established a lucrative franchise.
4. The Exorcist (1973)
William Friedkin is the director of the supernatural horror movie The Exorcist. Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, and Max von Sydow all appear in the film. When a demon takes over a young girl, her distraught mother turns to two priests to help perform an exorcism. The horror movie The Exorcist is regarded as one of the most horrifying and influential horror movies ever due to its powerful performances and unnerving scenes.
5. Se7en (1995)
David Fincher is the director of the psychological crime thriller Se7en. In the movie, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman play detectives looking into a string of terrifying murders. These murders were motivated by the seven deadly sins.
As they investigate the case further, they face a systematic and sadistic serial killer. Se7en keeps spectators on the edge of their seats with its ominous and frightening atmosphere.
6. 28 Days Later (2002)
The post-apocalyptic horror movie 28 Days Later is helmed by Danny Boyle. The story centers on a man who emerges from a coma to see an abandoned London where rage-infected people have taken over.
He joins a group of survivors as they fight to leave the city and avoid the diseased hordes. A compelling story of survival and the breakdown of society, 28 Days Later is renowned for its intense and quick-moving scenes.
7. Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott’s Alien is a classic science fiction horror movie. Sigourney Weaver plays the role of Ellen Ripley in the film, a crew member of a commercial space tug who is caught up in a deadly collision with a horrific extraterrestrial species. Alien transformed the horror and sci-fi genres with its claustrophobic intensity, inventive creature design, and strong female lead.
8. Pearl (2022)
The horror movie Pearl examines the terrifying effects of a catastrophic tragedy. Malicious energy is unintentionally released as a heartbroken mother, played by Larsa Pippen, tries to communicate with her departed daughter through a mysterious ritual.
The film explores themes of loss, guilt, and the paranormal, giving viewers a spine-tingling experience that makes them wonder where the line between life and death should be drawn.
9. Barbarian (2022)
A recent horror movie called Barbarian explores the macabre. A group of buddies are going on a hiking vacation when they come upon a strange and evil cult. The film expertly combines psychological horror and suspense components to create a spine-chilling experience that examines the worst qualities of human nature and the uncanny.
10. Hereditary (2018)
A family’s dark and terrible secrets are the focus of the highly unpleasant horror movie Hereditary, which Ari Aster directed. As her family goes through a string of bizarre and terrible occurrences, Toni Collette plays a lady who discovers a terrifying ancestral connection. The eerie investigation of loss, trauma, and the paranormal in Hereditary is accompanied by eerie imagery and compelling performances.
11. The Shining (1980)
The Stanley Kubrick film The Shining, which is based on the Stephen King book of the same name, is a classic of cinema. In the lead role, Jack Nicholson plays a caretaker who spirals out of control while managing a secluded, haunted hotel in the dead of winter. His family is caught in a frightening situation as his mental state declines. The movie is praised for its memorable scenes, unsettling mood, and trippy dread.
12. The Descent (2005)
Neil Marshall’s claustrophobic horror movie The Descent is a genre favorite. In the film, a group of pals explores an uncharted cave system only to encounter a terrifying underground danger. The spine-tingling The Descent examines terror, survival, and the unknown with its heart-pounding suspense, violent creature sequences, and female-driven cast.
13. Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, a classic psychological horror movie that revolutionized the genre, is still watched today. The mysterious Norman Bates, who runs the unsettling Bates Motel, is portrayed by Anthony Perkins.
A series of unsettling occurrences unfold when a secretary, played by Janet Leigh, checks in, exposing Bates’ disturbing secrets. The legendary and influential film Psycho is still revered for its suspense and unexpected turns.
14. Get Out (2017)
The ground-breaking social thriller Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele, combines terror with insightful social satire. A young Black man, played by Daniel Kaluuya, visits his white girlfriend’s family home and discovers a frightening and unsettling scheme.
The film Get Out examines the evils of contemporary society and addresses racial tensions through its thought-provoking narrative and dramatic storytelling.
15. The Witch (2015)
A historical horror movie set in the 1630s, The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers, is set in New England. The film follows a Puritan family as they experience a string of unsettling supernatural events that eventually bring them face to face with evil power.
The Witch delivers a terrifying examination of religious anxiety and folklore with its accurate historical setting, atmospheric tension, and unsettling images.
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