We may be several months away from spooky season, but there are still plenty of excellent horror movies that you should watch on Netflix right now. The streaming service’s best offerings range from a suspense-filled home invasion flick to a seriously disturbing movie about a veterinary student who develops a taste for human flesh — yes, really.
Determining the best horror movies on Netflix is a tough task, and naturally hinges on a lot of subjective opinions, but we’ve still given it a stab in our own roundup. But we also wanted to offer up a more objective guide to the scary features most worth watching on the world’s biggest streaming service, and that’s why we’ve turned to review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.
Of course, just because a movie has earned a high score on RT doesn’t guarantee every single viewer will enjoy it. But these nine movies can be considered broadly well-received, and are definitely a great place to start if you’re looking for a new horror movie to watch on Netflix tonight.
Just don’t blame us if you find yourself watching through your fingers or from behind the sofa.
So without further introduction, let’s jump into this list of the best Netflix horror movies with at least 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Oh, and a final note, none of these are suitable for younger viewers or the easily frightened — don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Gerald's Game (2017)
Adapted from the Stephen King novel of the same name, Gerald’s Game is a tense psychological horror that sees Carla Gugino play a wife trapped in a nightmare situation. After her husband suffers a sudden heart attack, Jessie (Gugino) is left handcuffed to a bed in a remote cabin.
She has no key to unlock the cuffs, and nobody is coming to save her. She must find a way to survive her ordeal, while also battling her traumatic past and visions of a deformed figure that may or may not be real.
If you're not already sold, Gerald’s Game is co-written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the man responsible for Netflix horror hits The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Stream it on Netflix
Cam (2018)
A criminally under-watched horror movie from 2018, Cam is part psychological trip and part biting satire on toxic online culture.
The tightly-wound 90-minute flick focuses on Alice (Madeline Brewer), an erotic webcam performer who finds her follower account dwindling after a rival named Lola comes on the scene. There’s just one slight twist, this new camgirl looks exactly like Alice, and soon the lines between reality and online start to blur in increasingly unnerving ways.
Naturally, Brewer is the star of the show in a dual role as both Alice and Lola, but the creative editing also deserves a real shoutout.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Stream it on Netflix
It Follows (2015)
One of the most acclaimed horror movies of the last decade, It Follows packs a simple premise: It centers on an entity that relentlessly pursues its targets.
But it doesn’t hide behind corners or under the bed, it persistently follows. And that makes this supernatural force all the more terrifying because no matter how far you run, it will follow.
The only way to rid yourself of this curse is to have sex with another individual to transfer the nightmare over to them, and that’s the impossible choice that protagonist Jay (Maika Monroe) faces. Compelling and impeccably directed by David Robert Mitchell, It Follows is a modern horror masterpiece that we’ll no doubt still be talking about in another decade's time.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Stream it on Netflix
Raw (2016)
This French-language horror movie has a pretty wild premise, it focuses on a vegetarian veterinary student (played by Garance Marillier) who is forced to eat meat as part of a university hazing ritual. Soon she develops a deep craving for raw flesh and doesn’t want to stop at just animal meat.
This 2016 film courted plenty of controversy upon release for its graphic content, but there’s a lot to dig into here, assuming you can handle the sight of blood. Definitely more experimental than the rest of the film’s on this list, Raw is nevertheless a bizarrely compelling movie.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Stream it on Netflix
His House (2020)
His House wowed attendees of the Sundance Film Festival in 2020, and more than three years later its sparkling reputation has only grown stronger.
The film tells the tale of a refugee couple from South Sudan (played by Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu) who flee their war-torn home for England, but as they attempt to adjust to their new life in this unfamiliar country, a sinister evil lurks within the shadows, and their young daughter could be in danger.
With remarkable direction from Remi Weekes (who also wrote the screenplay), strong performances from the whole cast (Doctor Who’s Matt Smith has a small role) and plenty of scares, His House is a horror hit.
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Stream it on Netflix
Under the Shadow (2016)
Set in Iran in the 1980s, Under the Shadow is a stunning Persian-language horror movie. It focuses on a mother and daughter who are struggling to cope with the very real terrors of living in post-revolution Tehran, and if that wasn’t difficult enough, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home.
The directorial debut of Iranian-born Babak Anvari, Under the Shadow is possibly the scariest movie on this list with some moments that will genuinely send shivers down your spine.
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Stream it on Netflix
Hush (2016)
A home invasion film with a twist, Hush is another excellent horror movie from the mind of Mike Flanagan. It follows a deaf and mute writer (Kate Siegel) who lives a solitary life in a picturesque forest, but her tranquil bliss is shattered by the arrival of a masked killer.
A slasher movie that takes the time to build real suspense, Hush is deeply engaging from start to finish. It’s also the shortest movie on this list clocking in at just a hair over 80 minutes, so if you’re looking for a horror movie to watch in a hurry on a weekday evening, this could be exactly what you’re after.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Stream it on Netflix
1922 (2017)
Another Netflix adaptation of a Stephen King novel, 1922 is a seriously dark horror drama that focuses on a rancher (Thomas Jane) who conspired to murder his wife (Molly Parker) for financial gain. He manages to enlist their teenage son (Dylan Schmid) to participate in the violent act, but their sinister scheme has unintended consequences. Offering a trio of strong performances and a somber but impactful central story, 1922 isn’t the most frightening movie on this list, but it just might be the one that stays with you the longest.
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Stream it on Netflix
Little Evil (2017)
Looking for a horror movie on Netflix that is less spooky and more silly? Then Little Evil is exactly what you’re after. This flick blends horror and comedy together into a highly enjoyable package. It stars Adam Scott as Gary and Evangeline Lilly as Samantha, a newly married couple that is blissfully happy. There’s just the slight issue of Lucas (Owen Atlas), Samantha’s son from another relationship, who may just be the antichrist. And as you might expect Gary is less than thrilled about having satan as a stepson.
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Stream it on Netflix
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