Horror movies truly became a cinema staple in the 1980s, with iconic movies like The Shining, Child’s Play, Fright Night, and Poltergeist taking theaters by storm. With horrifying characters like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees first introduced, many wondered if the gruesome movie magic could be replicated.
The 2000s answered the call with a lucrative era full of frightening films and franchises, preying on the audience’s anxieties, fears, and phobias. The decade was full of fresh and freaky genres; slasher films were on their way out and survival horror became the bread and butter of Hollywood horror.
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Let’s take a closer look at the 10 scariest horror movies of the 2000s.
Final Destination (2000)
New Line Cinema
The Final Destination horror franchise kicked off its terrifying tenure in 2000 with its first installment, following a group of teens who manage to cheat death. After Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) has a premonition that the flight he’s on will explode in mid-air, killing him and his classmates, he warns his friends and the group evades death.
Shortly after, the survivors are slowly picked off one by one in shocking and grotesque accidents by an unseen force. What makes Final Destination so scary is that the antagonist is not a tangible being; its death manifested and an entity no one can see. Death will come knocking and if ignored, will strike with a bloody vengeance. A 6th installment is currently in the works that will reportedly feature first responders.
The Others (2001)
Alejandro Amenábar made his English language debut with this gothic haunted house masterpiece, featuring a powerhouse performance by Nicole Kidman. Set in 1945 during the aftermath of World War 2, Kidman stars as Grace Stewart, a strict mother raising two photosensitive children. Grace soon suspects that her home is being threatened by paranormal forces.
What unfolds is a film full of pulse-pounding moments that continuously build-up, leading to a terrifying twist. The Others is a spooky horror movie that doesn’t rely on special effects and shocks to scare; its pacing and anxiety-inducing scenes are chilling enough. A remake of the hit is currently in the works by Sentient Entertainment.
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
A horror movie with not one but two frightening foes? Jeepers Creepers follows siblings Trish and Darry Jenner (Gina Phillips & Justin Long) as they are hunted by both a demonic creature named the Creeper and a terrorizing serial killer. The ancient being awakens every 23 springs for twenty-three days, wreaking havoc and horror on those unfortunate to cross its path. The creature is especially horrifying as not only does it smell fear, it also feasts on human body parts in order to form its own body. The success of the film led to two sequels being released in 2003 and 2017, with a reboot, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn scheduled for release in 2022.
28 Days Later (2002)
British post-apocalyptic horror film 28 Days Later is often credited with reinvigorating the zombie genre and sparking a resurgence of zombie content. The Danny Boyle flick follows a group of survivors in a pandemic ravaged world, as they try to evade those infected with the virus caused by a horrific scientific experiment.
The film was met with critical and commercial success, eventually spawning a sequel released in 2007. 28 Days Later perfectly captures the doomsday and zombie tropes, with the latter being fast-running, blood-thirsty savages. The movie is downright terrifying and leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.
The Ring (2002)
Paramount Pictures
Arguably one of the most iconic and well-known horror films of the 2000s, The Ring features one of the most unassuming antagonists to ever grace the screen: a videotape. A remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring, the American version stars Naomi Watts as a journalist who investigates a videotape that allegedly kills the viewers 7 days after watching it.
The Ring is a movie that makes audiences sleep with the lights on, and includes creepy visuals and a haunting atmosphere. The vengeful spirit Samara is truly hair-raising, with her sinister appearance a thing of nightmares.
Resident Evil (2002)
Constantin Film, New Legacy Film
Loosely based on the video games series of the same name, 2002’s Resident Evil follows amnesiac Alice (Milla Jovovich) as she and Umbrella Corporation commandos fight to contain the zombie-making T-virus. The film is violent and gory and provides one heart-pounding scene after another. Resident Evil, much like 28 Days Later, helped breathe life into the zombie genre. Not only does the movie have the spine-chilling undead, but it also features the characters trapped in an underground research facility that plays on the fear of claustrophobia.
Saw (2004)
Known for its stomach-churning violence and torture, Saw features victims Adam and Lawrence (Leigh Whannell & Cary Elwes), who awaken in a rundown room with one simple instruction: one must kill the other in order to protect his family. The shocking horror flick introduced the world to the menacing Jigsaw, a deranged serial killer who enjoys testing his victims morally.
Upon its release in 2004, the film grossed over $100 million on a million-dollar budget, becoming one of the most profitable horror movies since 1996’s Scream. Despite being labeled torture porn, the film became the first installment of the Saw franchise, spawning 9 in total.
The Descent (2005)
Pathé Distribution
People squeamish of tight spaces and disturbing creatures are in for quite the ride with The Descent, a horror movie following six women who struggle for survival inside a cave system. Combating not only claustrophobia but also deranged humanoids, the group must battle to make it out alive.
The nerve-wracking premise of being stuck in a dark, tight space while also fighting to escape grotesque creatures is anxiety-inducing, and audiences everywhere were left in a cold sweat. Viewers never know who will make it out alive of those dark, damp caves.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Paranormal Activity features mockumentary-style filming and low-budget effects that captured horror audiences everywhere. The story centers on a couple who are being haunted by supernatural forces. They decide to set up cameras to catch what is terrorizing them, leading to terrifying realizations. The film was shot for $15,000 over 7 days and went on to gross over $190 million.
Paranormal Activity was so scary for moviegoers that during a test screening, many people walked out due to being so frightened. The film has since produced 6 sequels.
The Strangers (2008)
Cult-favorite The Strangers is a psychological horror film that focuses on couple Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) as they combat three masked criminals who invade their home. Drawing inspiration from the Manson family Tate-LaBianca murders, The Strangers is an exploration of stranger-on-stranger violence and the concept of safety.
Though not gory or full of jump scares, the film is eerie and downright chilling, with the suspense and fear growing with each scene. The premise of a home invasion is frightening, and the added element of masked intruders with no real explanation or motivation is goosebump-worthy.
