Horror movies have a high replay value. If that idea sounds odd, it’s understandable to think that once the surprises of the film are revealed, a horror movie loses its effectiveness to scare or entertain. However, at the core of most great horror movies is a clear-cut battle between good and evil, and that’s a story we gravitate toward as audiences.
A list covering the most rewatchable horror movies could be a thousand entries long, and there would be no wrong answer, because everyone has a favorite they go back to. That said, there is a selection of horror movies that fans generally agree stand above the rest. From clever murder mysteries to gory alien invasions, these are the most rewatchable horror movies of the 21st century.
20
‘A Quiet Place’ (2018)
A new horror franchise introduced a monster with fantastic hearing in A Quiet Place. The Abbott family are survivors in a world that has been torn apart by an invasion of aliens that locate their prey by sound. After experiencing a painful loss, the Abbots risk their safety when mother Evelyn (Emily Blunt) becomes pregnant with another child.
Even though A Quiet Place’s strength lies in building tension around the family’s survival, the film retains its power on a rewatch. The strong performances from Blunt and co-writer/director John Krasinski lose none of their effectiveness and carry different emotional weight after seeing the movie’s ending. The expertly paced sci-fi thriller was definitely rewatched in theaters, making an estimated $341 million on a $17 million budget.
19
‘Evil Dead Rise’ (2023)
Evil Dead Rise was a return to gruesome form for the beloved Evil Dead series. When the Deadites are summoned to an old apartment building, the vicious demons wreak havoc on the frightened tenants trapped inside. As the Deadites possess or kill anyone in their path, Beth (Lily Davis), a woman visiting her sister, will be the last line of defense to keep her family alive.
Evil Dead Rise continues the tradition of Evil Dead films by giving audiences a movie that grabs them from the start and refuses to let go until the set is covered in blood. The claustrophobic setting ensures there’s a sense of urgency to every flesh-tearing, bone-snapping moment, never allowing the humans a second of peace. Evil Dead Rise is fun, action-packed, and delivers high-energy excitement regardless of how many times it’s been watched.
18
‘Halloween’ (2018)
While there have been many different creative interpretations of Michael Myers and his lore, the 2018 soft reboot of Halloween was a promising start. Serving as a sequel to the 1978 original, Halloween finds Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney) locked away in a psychiatric hospital. When the legendary killer escapes, he sets out for a direct collision course with the woman who alluded him, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis).
In the many reboots and reimaginings of the long-running Halloween series, the 2018 version captures what makes the original so beloved. Attempts to explain Myers’ motivations or backstory in the sequels started to water down the character, but he’s brought back to basics in Halloween. Myers is a silent, scary, brutal killer, which is terrible news for the people of Haddonfield, but perfect for audiences watching the scenes unfold.
17
‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ (2007)
Over his career, Tim Burton hasn’t made many R-rated films, but when he does, he makes them count, as was the case with Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) returns to London to seek revenge against the corrupt official Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). Assuming the name Sweeney Todd, Benjamin begins killing locals with the help of Nellie Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), a meat pie maker with a sudden overabundance of fresh ingredients.
Sometimes people need a little music to go with their blood-curdling screams, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has them covered. Even though the musical adaptation doesn’t hold back on the blood, the love story and songs make this a good choice to rewatch for an alternative horror experience. The story may be bleak, and it becomes clear quickly that not many are destined to survive, but the theatrical nature of the performances and the stylized visuals draw in viewers who typically pass on musicals.
16
‘Barbarian’ (2022)
Starting from an intriguing premise and followed by constant surprises and shocking reveals, Barbarian was an unexpected but welcome horror entry in 2022. When Tess (Georgina Campbell) shows up at a previously reserved Airbnb, she’s alarmed to find Keith (Bill Skarsgard) already staying there. They agree to share the booking, but it’s unclear if a third guest was there before either arrived.
Barbarian hits the audience with a combination of tense and humorous moments, keeping them off balance for when the next disturbing plot twist pushes the story in a new direction. Many horror movies are guilty of following similar paths, and Barbarian’s shifting perspectives and time jumps feel fresh and exciting. The same can be said for The Mother (Matthew Patrick Davis), a tragic but grotesque creature that is sure to leave a strong impression on anyone watching.
15
‘Scream’ (2022)
The lucrative Scream franchise had remained dormant for over a decade before the 2022 Scream reignited the audience’s love of all things Ghostface. Someone with a love for the Stab movies has opted to make an unofficial reboot by killing unsuspecting teenagers. Sam (Melissa Barrera) may have insight into the new killings, but she’ll need help from Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and some of her old friends to stop the body count from rising.
Even the worst Scream movie is easy to rewatch, and the 2022 film is one of the highlights of the series. The legacy characters such as Dewey (David Arquette) are used well alongside new characters, and the humor the movies are known for is on display in Scream with all of its meta appeal. The movie is aware of what audiences expect from Scream movies, and the fifth installment brilliantly subverts expectations with new surprises and misdirects.
14
‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004)
Zombies were a hot property in the early 2000s, and one of the reasons for that was the fun and fast-paced remake of Dawn of the Dead. When a zombie outbreak creates anarchy in the streets, a few survivors seek safety in the nearby shopping mall. The fortified building initially offers safety, but the strangers seeking shelter will need to make long-term decisions about their futures.
There are so many different types of zombie movies at this point, and Dawn of the Dead threads the needle between various approaches to give audiences a balanced experience. The opening scene is one of the best in all of zombie movies, showing Sarah Polley’s Ana frantically fighting for her life while still confused about her predicament. On the other side of that, Dawn of the Dead can be funny and loose, giving any zombie lover enough reasons to press play on this version of the apocalypse.
13
‘Happy Death Day’ (2017)
If Happy Death Day is any accurate indication, reliving the day of your death is a good deal of fun. Tree (Jessica Rothe) has made a few enemies during her time at college, and one feels strong enough to kill her on her birthday. To her horror and relief, Tree wakes up to find out she’s reliving the day of her murder on a loop, which should hopefully give her time to figure out who’s doing it.
The light-hearted presentation of the story makes Happy Death Day a slasher that offers accessibility to non-horror fans. The escapist fantasy of reliving a day without consequences works really well when paired with a horror story. Rothe’s performance is a huge selling point for the film, convincingly transforming from an unlikable character to a sympathetic hero while hitting comedic beats in a horror movie. It tasks Rothe with juggling many things, and she makes it look effortless.
12
‘Slither’ (2006)
Space slugs ravage a town before attempting to take over the world in the body horror comedy Slither. After a meteor crashes on the outskirts of a small town, an alien parasite begins to overtake the small community that lives there. The town Police Chief, Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion) leads a small resistance of the non-infected to kill the creatures and their loved ones who are now lost.
If done without care, an overabundance of comedy in a horror movie will diminish the stakes of the story, but for Slither, the humor establishes the film’s identity. Slither is a B-movie on steroids, creating its own rifftrack within the film while the characters look around wide-eyed at the bizarre situation they find themselves in. Slither wants the audience to have fun and embrace the chaos, and in that goal, it succeeds gloriously.
11
‘Sinister’ (2012)
Ethan Hawke finds a box of movies he’ll wish he hadn’t touched in the cult favorite Sinister. Ellison Oswald (Hawke) is a true crime writer looking to reclaim his glory by moving his family into a murder house. While unpacking, Ellison discovers “home movies” in his attic depicting grisly murders on reels of film. Ellison knows they couldn’t have been left by accident, but rather than tell the police, he uses them for his own private investigation.
Conventional wisdom would say a movie that guides the viewer along a mystery would not be rewatchable, but Sinister is the exception to the rule. The eerie presentation of the home movies is one of the most unnerving things in modern horror, and they don’t lose their creepiness on a rewatch. The visuals drip with atmospheric dread, the score digs into your brain, and Sinister still manages to scare you even if you know what’s going to happen.
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