The following table shows the 100 highest rated thriller and horror movies with no more than 25,000 ratings on IMDb. By excluding movies with more than 25,000 votes we hope to provide a diverse list of lesser-known horror and thriller movies that we believe haven’t received the exposure they deserve.
Our overall ratings for each movie are calculated as an average of each movies’ Metacritic score, Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience rating, IMDb rating, and Letterboxd rating. Due to a lack of Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes scores for many older movies, only films released from the year 1999 onwards are included.
Foreign language movies are listed in italics.
| Movie | Year | Genre | Metacritic | RT Critic | RT Audience | IMDb | Letterboxd | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under the Shadow | 2016 | Horror | 84 | 81 | 74 | 69 | 72 | 76.0 |
| Marshland | 2014 | Crime/Thriller | N/A | 78 | 76 | 73 | 72 | 74.8 |
| Why Don't You Play in Hell? | 2013 | Thriller/Comedy | 68 | 71 | 76 | 72 | 76 | 72.6 |
| Ink | 2009 | Thriller/Fantasy | N/A | 76 | 78 | 70 | 66 | 72.5 |
| Taxidermia | 2006 | Horror/Comedy | 83 | 67 | 74 | 70 | 68 | 72.4 |
| The Love Witch | 2016 | Horror/Comedy | 82 | 76 | 68 | 62 | 70 | 71.6 |
| The Square | 2008 | Thriller | 75 | 73 | 70 | 68 | 68 | 70.8 |
| Creep 2 | 2017 | Horror | 75 | 70 | 74 | 64 | 70 | 70.6 |
| Resolution | 2012 | Thriller/Mystery | 78 | 76 | 70 | 62 | 66 | 70.4 |
| Hounds of Love | 2016 | Horror/Thriller | 73 | 72 | 72 | 65 | 69 | 70.2 |
| Red White & Blue | 2010 | Horror/Thriller | 81 | 68 | 70 | 64 | 68 | 70.2 |
| Spring | 2014 | Horror/Romance | 69 | 74 | 72 | 67 | 68 | 70.0 |
| Faults | 2014 | Thriller/Mystery | 70 | 71 | 70 | 67 | 70 | 69.6 |
| Demon | 2015 | Horror/Comedy | 80 | 75 | 66 | 61 | 66 | 69.6 |
| The Devil's Candy | 2015 | Horror | 72 | 73 | 70 | 65 | 68 | 69.6 |
| Lunacy | 2005 | Horror/Drama | 63 | 63 | 78 | 73 | 70 | 69.4 |
| The Lure | 2015 | Horror/Comedy | 72 | 69 | 74 | 63 | 69 | 69.4 |
| Three... Extremes | 2004 | Horror | 66 | 68 | 74 | 71 | 68 | 69.4 |
| Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale | 2010 | Horror/Fantasy | 71 | 70 | 72 | 67 | 66 | 69.2 |
| Sightseers | 2012 | Horror/Comedy | 69 | 74 | 68 | 65 | 68 | 68.8 |
| Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon | 2006 | Horror/Comedy | 66 | 69 | 72 | 68 | 68 | 68.6 |
| Berberian Sound Studio | 2012 | Horror | 80 | 71 | 64 | 62 | 66 | 68.6 |
| Ripley's Game | 2003 | Thriller | N/A | 72 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 68.3 |
| Sound of My Voice | 2011 | Thriller/Mystery | 67 | 69 | 70 | 67 | 68 | 68.2 |
| Nina Forever | 2015 | Horror/Comedy | 75 | 80 | 66 | 56 | 63 | 68.0 |
| Cheap Thrills | 2013 | Thriller | 63 | 69 | 72 | 68 | 68 | 68.0 |
| Gozu | 2003 | Horror | 58 | 63 | 76 | 71 | 72 | 68.0 |
| A Field in England | 2014 | Horror/Drama | 73 | 72 | 66 | 63 | 66 | 68.0 |
| Compliance | 2012 | Thriller | 68 | 75 | 68 | 64 | 64 | 67.8 |
| Fido | 2006 | Horror/Comedy | 70 | 65 | 72 | 68 | 64 | 67.8 |
| A Dark Song | 2016 | Horror | 71 | 72 | 68 | 61 | 66 | 67.6 |
| Kairo (Pulse) | 2001 | Horror | 70 | 68 | 66 | 66 | 68 | 67.6 |
| He Never Died | 2015 | Horror/Comedy | 72 | 69 | 70 | 64 | 62 | 67.6 |
| Cold Fish | 2010 | Horror/Thriller | 66 | 59 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 67.6 |
| Tale of Tales | 2015 | Horror/Fantasy | 72 | 70 | 66 | 64 | 66 | 67.6 |
| My Friend Dahmer | 2017 | Horror/Drama | 68 | 71 | 72 | 64 | 62 | 67.4 |
| Julia's Eyes | 2010 | Thriller/Mystery | N/A | 66 | 70 | 67 | 66 | 67.3 |
| Lake Mungo | 2008 | Horror/Drama | N/A | 74 | 68 | 61 | 66 | 67.3 |
| Better Watch Out | 2016 | Horror/Comedy | 67 | 66 | 70 | 65 | 68 | 67.2 |
| Prevenge | 2016 | Horror/Comedy | 71 | 75 | 66 | 60 | 64 | 67.2 |
| Witching and Bitching | 2013 | Horror/Comedy | 73 | 66 | 68 | 64 | 64 | 67.0 |
| Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead | 2014 | Horror/Comedy | 59 | 68 | 72 | 70 | 66 | 67.0 |
| Deathgasm | 2015 | Horror/Comedy | 65 | 67 | 72 | 63 | 66 | 66.6 |
| Pontypool | 2008 | Horror | 54 | 72 | 70 | 67 | 70 | 66.6 |
| Red | 2008 | Thriller | 61 | 63 | 72 | 71 | 66 | 66.6 |
| Amer | 2009 | Horror | 72 | 68 | 64 | 63 | 66 | 66.6 |
| In My Skin | 2002 | Horror/Drama | 68 | 60 | 70 | 63 | 66 | 65.4 |
| The Conspiracy | 2012 | Horror/Thriller | N/A | 65 | 70 | 64 | 60 | 64.8 |
| The Happiness of the Katakuris | 2002 | Horror/Comedy | 60 | 62 | 58 | 72 | 72 | 64.8 |
| Berlin Syndrome | 2017 | Horror/Drama | 70 | 63 | 66 | 63 | 62 | 64.8 |
| The Transfiguration | 2016 | Horror/Romance | 65 | 66 | 68 | 60 | 65 | 64.8 |
| We Are What We Are | 2013 | Horror | 71 | 70 | 62 | 58 | 62 | 64.6 |
| Tragedy Girls | 2017 | Horror/Comedy | 58 | 69 | 72 | 60 | 64 | 64.6 |
| The Eyes of My Mother | 2016 | Horror/Drama | 63 | 65 | 66 | 61 | 67 | 64.4 |
| Some Guy Who Kills People | 2011 | Horror/Comedy | N/A | 60 | 70 | 64 | 62 | 64.0 |
| I Am Not a Serial Killer | 2016 | Horror/Thriller | 54 | 68 | 70 | 62 | 66 | 64.0 |
| Killers | 2014 | Horror | 51 | 72 | 68 | 65 | 64 | 64.0 |
| R-Point | 2005 | Horror | N/A | 62 | 68 | 64 | 62 | 64.0 |
| Dead End | 2003 | Thriller/Mystery | N/A | 61 | 66 | 67 | 62 | 64.0 |
| The Eclipse | 2009 | Horror/Romance | 67 | 67 | 60 | 62 | 62 | 63.6 |
| The Limehouse Golem | 2016 | Horror/Crime | 63 | 64 | 66 | 63 | 62 | 63.6 |
| Enduring Love | 2004 | Thriller/Drama | 61 | 62 | 66 | 64 | 64 | 63.4 |
| Stuck | 2008 | Thriller | 61 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 64 | 63.4 |
| Ils (Them) | 2007 | Horror/Thriller | 60 | 60 | 68 | 65 | 64 | 63.4 |
| We Are Still Here | 2015 | Horror | 65 | 72 | 62 | 57 | 60 | 63.2 |
| Marrowbone | 2017 | Horror/Drama | 63 | 49 | 76 | 66 | 62 | 63.2 |
| The Blackcoat's Daughter | 2015 | Horror/Mystery | 68 | 62 | 62 | 58 | 66 | 63.2 |
| Backcountry | 2014 | Horror/Thriller | 62 | 67 | 66 | 60 | 60 | 63.0 |
| Kinatay | 2009 | Horror/Crime | 57 | 59 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 62.8 |
| The Signal | 2007 | Horror/Thriller | 61 | 59 | 66 | 63 | 64 | 62.6 |
| Afflicted | 2013 | Horror/Thriller | 56 | 66 | 66 | 63 | 62 | 62.6 |
| 100 Bloody Acres | 2012 | Horror/Comedy | 63 | 65 | 62 | 60 | 62 | 62.4 |
| The Taking of Deborah Logan | 2014 | Horror | N/A | 66 | 62 | 60 | 60 | 62.0 |
| Tell Me Something | 1999 | Horror/Crime | 61 | 55 | 64 | 66 | 64 | 62.0 |
| The Woman | 2011 | Horror | 58 | 63 | 66 | 61 | 62 | 62.0 |
| The Children | 2008 | Horror | N/A | 65 | 62 | 60 | 60 | 61.8 |
| The Dark Hours | 2005 | Horror/Thriller | 63 | 58 | 64 | 61 | 62 | 61.6 |
| The Borderlands | 2013 | Horror | N/A | 68 | 60 | 57 | 61 | 61.5 |
| Southbound | 2015 | Horror | 58 | 66 | 64 | 59 | 60 | 61.4 |
| I Sell The Dead | 2008 | Horror/Comedy | 62 | 59 | 62 | 61 | 60 | 60.8 |
| The Bay | 2012 | Horror/Mystery | 65 | 66 | 60 | 56 | 56 | 60.6 |
| Willard | 2003 | Horror/Drama | 61 | 62 | 58 | 62 | 60 | 60.6 |
| In Fear | 2013 | Horror/Thriller | 66 | 68 | 58 | 55 | 56 | 60.6 |
| The Harvest | 2013 | Horror/Thriller | 68 | 56 | 62 | 60 | 56 | 60.4 |
| The Void | 2016 | Horror | 62 | 60 | 62 | 58 | 60 | 60.4 |
| Banshee Chapter | 2013 | Horror | 62 | 64 | 60 | 62 | 54 | 60.4 |
| Black Sheep | 2006 | Horror/Comedy | 62 | 63 | 62 | 58 | 56 | 60.2 |
| Honeymoon | 2014 | Horror | 65 | 57 | 60 | 56 | 62 | 60.0 |
| The Canal | 2014 | Horror/Thriller | 55 | 60 | 64 | 59 | 62 | 60.0 |
| Below | 2002 | Horror | 55 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 58 | 59.8 |
| The Perfect Host | 2010 | Thriller/Comedy | 48 | 51 | 68 | 68 | 62 | 59.4 |
| What We Become | 2015 | Horror | 60 | 69 | 54 | 58 | 56 | 59.4 |
| Emelie | 2015 | Thriller | 62 | 66 | 62 | 54 | 52 | 59.2 |
| Bad Milo | 2013 | Horror/Comedy | 62 | 59 | 62 | 57 | 56 | 59.2 |
| Heartless | 2009 | Horror/Fantasy | 60 | 58 | 62 | 58 | 58 | 59.2 |
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Current Top 10
1. Under The Shadow (76.0) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes] [Where’s The Jump?]
Iranian film that appeared on many critics’ top year-end lists for 2016. Babak Anvar’s debut feature-length film follows a mother, Shideh, and daughter, Dorsa, who are struggling to cope with life in 1980s Tehran after the Iranian Revolution. One day a missile strikes their building causing a large crack to open in the ceiling and soon after, Dorsa comes to believe that a malevolent spirit has taken residence in their house. Under The Shadow was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 2016 and provides some insight into life in 1980s Iran as well as providing some genuine chills.
2. Marshland (74.8) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes]
A Spanish crime thriller with a tone and atmosphere that many have compared to the TV series True Detective. Two ideologically different detectives are sent to a small town to investigate the disappearance of two teenage sisters. Marshland cleaned up at the Goya Awards in 2015 (which honors the best Spanish films of the previous year).
3. Why Don’t You Play In Hell (72.6) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes]
From Japanese director Sion Sono (Suicide Club, Love Exposure, Cold Fish), Why Don’t You Play in Hell? is a bloody and over-the-top action film about two rival Yakuza clans.
4. Ink (72.5) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes]
Ink is a supernatural fantasy film about spirits who fight for control over people’s souls while they dream. Director Jamin Winans has been called a low-budget Christopher Nolan as he manages to translate big ideas into easy-to-follow films. Unfortunately, at times, the limited budget shows, particularly with some of the acting and special effects however Ink is still worth a watch due to the sheer inventiveness of the director.
5. Taxidermia (72.4) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes]
A Hungarian/Austrian production, Taxidermia is a truly bizarre film that is difficult to sum up in a single paragraph. It is an epic surrealist comedy/drama/horror film that spans several decades from the Second World War to the present day. Some of the bizarre elements of the movie include sex with animals, competitive speed eating, and autotaxidermy (a man performing taxidermy on himself).
6. The Love Witch (71.6) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes] [Where’s The Jump?]
The Love Witch is something of a homage to sexploitation films of the 1960s and 1970s. It is a horror/thriller about a beautiful young woman who seduces a string of men with a vast array of spells and potions before killing them when they inevitably disappoint her. Critics praised the cinematography and overall look of the film although some found the plot didn’t justify its two-hour run time.
7. The Square (70.8) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes]
One of the better neo-noir films of the 2000s, The Square is a criminally underrated Australian film about a man called Ray, who plans to run off with his lover’s husband’s drug money goes horribly awry. The Square is written by well-known actor Joel Edgerton and directed by his brother Nash.
8. Creep 2 (70.6) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes] [Where’s The Jump?]
The sequel to the 2014 found-footage style film starring Mark Duplass as a serial killer is arguably even better than the original. Creep 2 tones down the horror but makes up for it with emotional depth and some surprising humor. While Creep 2 didn’t get the buzz of other 2017 hits like Get Out, It, and Gerald’s Game, Creep 2 is definitely deserving of a spot on the shortlist for best horror films of 2017.
9. Resolution (70.4) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes] [Where’s The Jump?]
Cult film-making duo Justin Benson and Aaron Scott Moorhead’s first feature movie is a smart meta-horror style movie in the vein of Cabin in the Woods. Resolution is quite dialogue heavy but after a slow beginning, Resolution builds to a truly bonkers ending.
10. Hounds of Love (70.2) [Imdb] [Rotten Tomatoes] [Where’s The Jump?]
Hounds of Love is an Australian crime/horror movie loosely based on the serial killing couple David and Catherine Birnie who operated in Perth during the late 1980s. Hounds of Love follows Vicki, a teenager who attempts to survive her predicament by turning her captives against each other. Critics praised debut director Ben Young’s visual flair and the strong acting work of Emma Booth who plays the female abductor Evelyn.