Looking for some serious nightmare fuel? Spooky season is here, and there are plenty of excellent horror movies on Prime Video just waiting to scare you senseless. So what better time to comb through the archives and round up the top horror movies one of the best streaming services has to offer?
Selecting the best films of any genre is no small task, and naturally, a lot hinges on subjective opinions. But we've done our best to sift through the library of options and bring you the scariest movies on Prime Video (and none of the duds). That's right, we've picked the top movies to help you tap into all your fears, from psychological thrillers to modern takes on classic horror movie fodder like zombies and vampires.
So without further ado, here are our picks for the best horror movies on Prime Video you can watch right now.
Nope (2022)
Starting off with a must-see for horror fans, Nope is the most recent terrifying tale from Get Out and Us director Jordan Peele. Even if you've already seen it before, this is one of those movies that's packed with tons of tiny details (most of them horrifying) you'll only spot the second time around once you know what it's all leading up to.
Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer serve up some impeccable sibling energy as OJ and Emerald Haywood, a brother and sister duo struggling to keep their family's horse ranch afloat. At the start of the movie, OJ witnesses his father's death after he's struck by bits of metal inexplicably jettisoned out of the sky at such a velocity it lodges a coin in his brain. Things only get weirder from there, as the two discover something sinister lurking in the skies. Meanwhile, a nearby theme park owner and former child star (Steven Yuen) seeks to profit from this mysterious phenomenon to revive his star-crossed Hollywood dreams. By the time he realizes he's bitten off more than he can chew, it's too late.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Smile (2022)
I was pleasantly surprised by Smile when I saw it in theaters. While creepy short films turned full-length movies don't have the best track record, director Parker Finn manages to build on the unsettling tension from his 2020 short film Laura Hasn't Slept with haunting twists that will have you questioning what's real until the credits roll. In a way that reminded me of some of the best horror Twilight Zone episodes.
When Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) witnesses a grisly patient suicide, the people around her start displaying a deeply unsetting rictus grin — and it's always an omen of death. As the lines between what's real and what's all in her head blur, Rose must confront the traumas of her past if she has any hope of escaping her horrifying new reality.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Train to Busan (2016)
Train to Busan was a breath of fresh air amid a seemingly endless stream of mediocre zombie movies that flooded theatres throughout the 2010s. Its contained setting is partly to thank for that: The bulk of the film takes place aboard a speeding train from Seoul to Busan as a sudden zombie outbreak engulfs the country. While the passengers fight to stave off the hordes of undead swarming each station as well as those inside who have already turned, the confined space of the train creates an intense, claustrophobic environment that feels truly inspired.
With Korean movies moving more into the spotlight thanks to Bong Joon-ho's Parasite, it's the perfect time to check out this standout Korean horror film. The action scenes are smartly choreographed and directed by Yeon Sang-ho without relying on too much gore or jump scares. Gong Yoo stars as Seok-woo, a father trying to protect his daughter amidst the chaos and still grappling with his relationship with his ex-wife, whose fate in Busan remains unclear. Train to Busan is a must-watch for zombie movie fans.
Watch it now on Prime Video
The Black Phone (2022)
One of the biggest horror movie hits in recent memory, The Black Phone stars Ethan Hawke (The Northman, Dead Poets Society) as a sociopath known as The Grabber who kidnaps and murders children in the late ‘70s. In the suburbs of Denver, children have started disappearing, and that's the last thing siblings Finney (Mason Thames) and Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) needed in their lives. Their father (Jeremy Davies) is an abusive alcoholic, their mother has gone missing and Finney's already got his hands full fending off bullies. So, when you hear students spreading rumors that someone's kidnapping local kids, and see The Grabber's mask, the dread sets in.
The tension comes to a head when Finney discovers a special ability that could turn the tides, a supernatural element that makes more sense when you remember The Black Phone is based on a book written by Stephen King's son, Joe Hill. It all coalesces in a solid, old-fashioned horror movie that will have you cheering on its protagonists the whole time.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Let the Right One In (2008)
Let the Right One In is the kind of fresh take on a vampire movie that makes you forget how overdone vampires have become in cinema. The story follows Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a sensitive and bullied 12-year-old boy living with his mother in suburban Sweden. After a mysterious neighbor who looks to be around his age, Eli (Lina Leandersson), moves in next door, the two develop a complicated friendship.
As Oskar slowly works his way into her life, he learns she's no ordinary young girl. Eventually, Eli reveals her dark, macabre secret connecting her with a recent string of bloody murders haunting the community. Let the Right One In is a chilling horror movie sold by the strength of its two lead performers, who elevate it to become one of the best modern vampire movies out there.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Saw (2004)
The original Saw that kicked off the iconic horror series isn't as gruesome as the ones that came after it. There's still body horror and gore, don't get me wrong, but absent are the elaborate torture devices Jigsaw becomes known for in later installments. So even if you're on the squeamish side (like me), I'd encourage you to give the first Saw a shot.
Photographer Adam (Leigh Whannell) wakes up alongside Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) in a dilapidated bathroom, both chained to pipes with zero clue how they got there. Enter the star of the series: the Jigsaw Killer, a serial killer who tests his abductees' will to survive with grisly (and often deadly) games. As Adam and Lawrence piece together why they may have been targeted, many twists and turns ensue.
If you're looking to binge all the Saw movies (you can find the first six on Prime Video), check out our guide on how to watch the Saw movies in order.
Watch it now on Prime Video
The Wailing (2016)
The Wailing from director Hong-jin Na can be a bit confusing to follow on first watch, especially to a Western viewer. But its pervading sense of bone-chilling tension and haunting atmosphere will leave you thoroughly unsettled nonetheless.
Set in a secluded village nestled in the mountains of South Korea, the film follows Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won), a bumbling police officer who finds himself investigating a string of inexplicable and gruesome murders that draws him into the realm of demons and spirits. Each crime is committed by a dazed perpetrator infected with a severe rash, and when he wakes up to find his daughter with the same symptom, his life rapidly spins out of control as he desperately tries to uncover the source of the scourge. As the body count rises, rumors of a mysterious stranger (Chun Woo-hee) with a malevolent aura spread like wildfire, leading some villagers to believe she could be the one behind it all.
Watch it now on Prime Video
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