The 20 best horror movies of 2022
The horror genre has long been mocked by cinephiles for being ‘trashy’ and ‘repetitive’, with endless violent flicks released at the turn of the new millennium doing little for its reputation. This attitude is beginning to change, with such filmmakers as Jennifer Kent, Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, Jordan Peele and Ti West helping to forge a new identity for the genre, with many naming this new trend ‘elevated horror’.
Whilst we’ve already discussed in some detail just how much the term ‘elevated horror’ disregards generations of horror storytelling and makes for a snobby reading of the ancient genre, there is certainly truth to the fact that tales of blood, guts and gore have seen great success in the past half-decade or so. More than any other genre, the spoils are shared among a diverse range of filmmakers, with horror becoming a thriving space for marginalised voices to be heard loud and clear.
With previous years offering such successes as Rose Glass’ Saint Maud, Remi Weekes’ His House and Julia Ducournau’s Raw, 2022 had big shoes to fill. Cackling in the face of such a challenge, however, 2022 has provided a bevvy of impressive movies from across the world, including films from such seasoned directors as Ti West, Jordan Peele and Alex Garland, as well as newcomers Jane Schoenbrun, Halina Reijn and Mimi Cave.
Take a look at our list of the 20 best horror movies of 2022 below and frolic in the vibrant horror genre flourishing before our very eyes.
The 20 best horror movies of 2022:
20. Hellraiser (David Bruckner)
This retelling of Clive Baker’s iconic classic follows a recovering addict called Riley, who forms a relationship with someone she recently met at her support group. Her partner suggests the two raid a shipping container and steal its treasure. However, they find a sadistic and bloodthirsty puzzle that will test their limits of pain and pleasure.
The original Hellraiser film broke storytelling boundaries through its implication of pleasure that strays beyond society’s norms, as accentuated by its visual imagery of leather and chains, resulting in a punk rock look. The remake captures elements of this in an updated presentation. The Cenobites are still terrifying and unnerving in appearance, with their sadistic nature expressed through their dialogue, only adding to the fear. This remake presents an original story, narratively deviating from the original Clive Baker film. However, the new one is just as interesting and creepy, with a neverending string of mysteries tying the visual gore together.
19. The House (Emma De Swaef, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Paloma Baeza, Marc James Roels)
This stop-motion dark comedy reads as a trilogy of stories focusing on madness, obsession and the quest for ultimate happiness. Each story takes place in a peculiar house that refuses to comply with the norms and the conditions necessary for comfort.
The House can be read as the childlike version of many classic setting-orientated horrors, such as The Shining. Despite this lighter presentation, the film still hits hard when it comes to a creepy atmosphere and layered storytelling. The style signals earlier spooky stop-motion projects such as 9 and Coraline, attracting animation and horror fans and creating a new love for animated horror. Each story in the film has an isolated tone and colour palette, giving The House a layered feel that explores aspects from personal disillusionment to societal collapse. Anthology films are underrated in the horror community; however, The House exhibits how filmmakers can tell effective and enjoyable genre stories in a swift and intense runtime.
18. Orphan: First Kill (William Brent Bell)
One of the biggest surprises in a flourishing year for horror was the unlikely follow-up to the 2009 movie Orphan, with Orphan: First Kill expanding the lore of the peculiar genre villain. A prequel to the original film, William Brent Bell’s sequel follows the titular killer orphan named Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) as she travels to America and impersonates the missing daughter of a wealthy family.
A pleasant joyride that sticks to the genre’s beats with a few creative flourishes, Orphan: First Kill doesn’t reinvent the wheel but makes for riveting, borderline b-movie joy.
17. Smile (Parker Finn)
Speaking of films that are far better than they seem from the outside, Parker Finn’s jump-scare horror thriller Smile proved to be a surprising critical and commercial success. Making upwards of $200 million at the box office from just a $17 million budget, Smile was a mighty success for Paramount, with the popcorn-tossing story following a strange virus that forces people to kill themselves after witnessing a blood-curdling grin from a stranger.
With no Hollywood stars to fuel the story, aside from Jessie T. Usher from Amazon’s The Boys and Sosie Bacon from 13 Reasons Why, the film manages to thrive from its core concept alone.
16. You Won’t Be Alone (Goren Stoleviski)
In 19th-century Macedonia, a young girl is kidnapped and then transformed into a witch by an ancient spirit. After the witch abandons her, the girl navigates around the world and learns about humanity, none the wiser, that the witch is secretly watching her.
You Won’t Be Alone delivers a fresh and artistic take on traditional and overused horror tropes, conveying a story that is bizarre yet poignant. Stoleviski’s film is a thorough meditation on life with tranquil cinematography and earnest emotional performances. A slow burner worth every second, You Won’t Be Alone relies on dialogue to engage with audiences and channels its characters to exhibit humanity’s strangeness. Its visuals and atmosphere capture its folk horror status, communicating the daunting and melancholic tone that elevates the horror beyond just the grotesque visuals.
The story centres on the cruelty of humans as its philosophical and thematic values, embedding the film with a sense of realism in its terror.
15. The Leech (Eric Pennycoff)
A devout priest welcomes a struggling couple into his home during the festive season. However, he soon learns his act of kindness may not have been the best idea once the sanctity of his house is tested.
The Leech takes a familiar horror premise – religion – and presents it originally and insightfully. Pennycoff employs some light avant-garde visuals in editing and composition to accentuate the subject matter of extremely devout faith. Classic horror films about religion use tension to generate scares or tension, with the expected imagery of symbols and holy texts to help, giving the story a philosophical premise. However, The Leech takes this tradition and heightens it through some hyper-surreal visuals and a heavy metal soundtrack. The performances coincide and clash when the narrative needs them to, only adding to the audience’s anticipation of what will happen next.
The outcome will shock them and defy expectations, allowing the film to experiment with film material and how concepts are communicated.
14. Hatching (Hanna Bergholm)
2022 has once again been a special year for female horror filmmakers, with the Finnish movie director Hanna Bergholm rising to prominence thanks to her creepy coming-of-age flick Hatching. Devised and directed by Bergholm, Hatching follows the story of a young gymnast who tries to heed the many demands of her mother, all whilst nesting a strange egg that holds a surprising secret.
Carefully crafted by Bergholm, Hatching is a peculiar horror but a riveting one that refuses to abide by genre conventions in its pursuit of a deeper meaning entirely.
13. Scream (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet)
This black comedy follows a young woman returning to her hometown after her younger sister is viciously attacked by another Ghostface, a copycat killer looking to recreate the countless killings that have plagued Woodsborough in the past. Fortunately, Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers arrive in no time to help.
Scream 5 was a heavily anticipated release this year, with the fourth Scream film being released over a decade ago. Unfortunately, compared to its predecessors, the film falls relatively flat, mostly because acclaimed horror filmmaker Wes Craven isn’t there to channel his creative vision. However, as a stand-alone project, Scream 5 offers some terrific slasher elements. With a sufficient amount of potential faces behind the Ghostface mask, there’s no telling who the culprit is.
The chase-and-kill sequences build all the right amount of tension and pay off, keeping the blood manageable, so it doesn’t override the story and tone. Scream 5 was definitely one of the hottest topics in horror this year.
12. Men (Alex Garland)
Bridging the gap between ancient folklore and modern drama, this domestic tragedy by screenwriter and director Alex Garland is articulated by an oppressive folk horror tale. Pronged with vivid, primitive imagery that reigns exceedingly relevant in a modern setting, Men follows the adventures of Harper (Jessie Buckley), who ventures into the British countryside for mental relief after experiencing the death of her husband.
A complicated examination of gender and the role it plays in contemporary dynamics of power, Garland’s movie makes for compelling viewing, both as an effective drama and an eerie piece of horror.
11. Sissy (Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes)
A famous wellness influencer conceals a lifestyle of inactivity and an outlook of external validation. After reuniting with her childhood best friend, who invites her to her engagement celebrations, Sissy is faced with a dark incident from her past that may violate her online image.
Sissy is insightful, colourful and original. Its protagonist is a fascinating study of modern society’s obsession with superficial images, meaningless impressions and online influencer culture. This thematic concept blends with the outrageous and unsuspected body count, creating a complementary harmony between psychology and visual horror. Sissy takes an idea we are all familiar with, bumping into an ex-friend in an awkward and unexpected scenario, and turns it into a tense and eventful disaster series.
Just when you think it can’t get any worse for our protagonist, it does, and in ways you were not initially expecting. Sissy’s messaging works effortlessly against its slasher elements, offering something layered but fun.
10. Bodies Bodies Bodies (Halina Reijn)
It would be easy to disregard Halina Reijn’s comedy horror murder mystery as a throwaway piece of Gen-Z satire. Many viewers did just this when the film was released earlier this year, but Bodies Bodies Bodies is about so much more. Exploring the contemporary world of fake news, paranoia and selfishness, Reijn’s movie is a complicated study that makes us laugh and leap out of our seats with a riveting story at its core.
Much of its success comes down to its central cast, with Amandla Stenberg, Rachel Sennott, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold and Chase Sui Wonders each proving that they’re future stars in the making.
9. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (Jane Schoenbrun)
Jane Schoenbrun’s peculiar digital-focused horror We’re All Going to the World’s Fair is the greatest indie genre flick of the year that few people had the pleasure of seeing at all. Part horror film, part insightful drama, Schoenbrun’s magnificent enigma speaks of a dark truth to the reality of online life. It all follows Casey (Anna Cobb), a young teenager who becomes immersed in the world of a horror role-playing game that begins to take over her life.
Mixing fact and fantasy, Schoenbrun creates a horror that doesn’t just creep under the skin but also addresses the bleak reality of so many young people exposed to the confusing psychological maze of the internet across the world.
8. Dashcam (Rob Savage)
The wider world of cinema may have never heard of British filmmaker Rob Savage, but there’s no doubt that soon enough, his name will have escaped the mere niche of contemporary horror. Following success with Host in 2020, Savage returned two years later with Dashcam, an eerie found-footage genre flick that made the most of its restrictions whilst embracing the dynamism of a car’s dashcam camera.
Clocking in at just 80 minutes, it’s a joy to go along in the backseat of Savage’s film with the knowledge that you’re in the hands of a true modern horror master.
7. Terrifier 2 (Damien Leone)
This blood-soaked sequel oversees the return of Art the Clown, a sinister mute sadistic killer who returns to a small town just in time for Halloween. His spooky season celebrations call for a body count of unimaginable carnage and relentless terror.
A bloody ride that had initial audiences passing out in theatres, Terrifier 2 is strictly for the die-hard horror buffs who love gore and eccentric 1980s visuals. Art the Clown has made himself more than welcome in the horror community, proving to be more than capable of achieving the same status Freddy and Jason have. Terrifier 2 is wild, entertaining and eccentric in its gore. Once it’s clear Art is about to attack, there’s no predicting the cruel and horrific torture he will exert on his unsuspecting victim. With some now ironic commentary on dressing up as real-life serial killers for Halloween and a distinct visual design that bleeds into the thrilling atmosphere, Terrifier 2 makes for a great horror watch for enthusiasts.
6. Fresh (Mimi Cave)
A young woman who feels overwhelmed by the trials and tribulations of modern dating meets a promising potential partner at the grocery store. The two hit it off and whisk away to a romantic getaway, where the woman discovers her new man has some unusual appetites.
Fresh is Cave’s feature debut, and what a smash it was. The film is confident in its character types, tone and exposition, establishing its initial story before throwing the audience into the deep end, one that has some slick and relentless style. Fresh‘s editing borders on experimental at times, especially regarding the action sequences or the ones that communicate the film’s concepts. A fast-paced set of images will violate the screen alongside some distressing sounds, breaking the film’s traditional presentation.
Fresh is fun and engaging and balances atmosphere and carnage to appease all audiences. It’s new in its unpredictable nature and creative visuals.
5. Pearl (Ti West)
In this prequel, a young farm girl dreams of stardom and Hollywood glamour to escape her boring life and overbearing mother. When the opportunity for fame lands at her feet, Pearl will stop at nothing to follow her dream of becoming a star.
Pearl has already become a horror fan favourite, with online fans expressing non-stop love for the character due to her relatable painful ending monologue and embodiment of the latest female rage trend. The film holds back on the visual thrills and carnage that its sister film X shocked the audiences with. Instead, it reads as a slow-burning character study, immersed in psychological aspects to examine Pearl. West’s direction is clear, insightful and somewhat colourful, given the bleak and helpless atmosphere Pearl is trapped in.
Pearl is an original horror film bestowed with love letters to the previous horror classics and has centred the horror female in a fresh and unapologetic spotlight.
4. Barbarian (Zach Cregger)
A young woman discovers a stranger already occupying the rental home she booked. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the night but soon discovers there’s much more to fear than an unexpected house guest.
Barbarian is a film you have to avoid hearing about before watching at all costs. Beginning as a slow progressive build-up that establishes one expectation of character types and plot, the film becomes a rollercoaster of absurdity and chaos, making for a thrilling watch to liven things up after the steady build-up. It caters to horror fans who prefer tense and atmospheric while also satisfying those who love the wildness and visual gore. The characters are effectively contrasted in their complete writing, and audiences have to give their utmost engagement as nothing initially presented is quite what it seems.
This is a film you will have to see more than once, witnessing something different yet just as thrilling the second time.
3. Nope (Jordan Peele)
Whilst many moaned that Jordan Peele’s 2022 sci-fi Nope lacked the social commentary to make it as important as Get Out, or indeed the tense horror aspects, there’s no doubt that his modern alien flick is one of the most impressive movies of the year. Telling the story of the residents in a gulch of California who witness the regular sighting of a UFO, Peele takes viewers on a cinematic odyssey that tracks the industry back to its earliest roots.
Different in tone and texture to his previous two movies, Peele shoots for the stars with Nope, re-writing the cinematic handbook in the process as he treats audiences to the kind of blockbuster frights that were celebrated in 20th-century Hollywood cinema.
2. Mad God (Phil Tippet)
Dripping in gore and mucus, Phil Tippett’s insane stop-motion horror, Mad God, contains the kind of gut-churning imagery that one would see emblazoned on a heavy-metal band T-shirt. Created over the course of 30 years, his weird drug-fueled trip of a horror movie takes audiences into the heart of a fantastical world, half hell and half a wartime fever dream of twisted metal, broken bones and devastated landscapes.
The story very much takes second place in Tippet’s personal film, with the director preferring to simply take the audience on a tour of the plagued land rather than heave on a laborious tale. It’s a nauseating yet highly rewarding viewing experience.
1. X (Ti West)
There’s no doubt that if filmmakers were handed awards for their contributions to a particular genre, Ti West would be handed a glittering trophy for his efforts in 2022. Whilst we’ve already discussed the prequel movie, Pearl, for our money, it is his first film in his 2022 double-bill, X, that takes the top prize.
Paying homage to the era whilst toying with its sheer structure and identity, West’s X instantly proved itself as one of the most unconventional horror films of the 21st century, taking a slow, methodical approach to the genre that carefully creates atmosphere whilst meddling with the history of ‘80s horror. But, almost more importantly, the film concretes West’s dedication to experimentation, constantly taking you to familiar places before pulling the rug from beneath your feet.
Terrifying, hilarious and thoroughly enjoyable, the film is made all the better thanks to the performances of its central cast, with Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi and Owen Campbell each impressing. With X and Pearl causing a genre tidal wave in 2022, we can’t wait to see what the sequel, MaXXXine, will bring next year.
