Best-Reviewed Horror Movies 2018

Horror wore many skins this year: It was an unlikely vehicle for real-life husband and wife (A Quiet Place); a bonkers comeback vehicle for Nic Cage (Mandy); and a decades-later sequel finally somewhat approaching the original in quality (Halloween). These films continued to prove the vitality and relevance of the genre, whatever its form.

The order of the rank below reflects the Adjusted Score as of December 31, 2018. Scores might change over time.

#1

A Quiet Place (2018)
96%83%

#1

Adjusted Score: 114685%

Critics Consensus: A Quiet Place artfully plays on elemental fears with a ruthlessly intelligent creature feature that's as original as it is scary -- and establishes director John Krasinski as a rising talent.

Synopsis: If they hear you, they hunt you. A family must live in silence to avoid mysterious creatures that hunt by... [More]

Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

Directed By: John Krasinski

#2

Hereditary (2018)
90%69%

#2

Adjusted Score: 108435%

Critics Consensus: Hereditary uses its classic setup as the framework for a harrowing, uncommonly unsettling horror film whose cold touch lingers long beyond the closing credits.

Synopsis: When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying... [More]

Starring: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Ann Dowd

Directed By: Ari Aster

#3

Mandy (2018)
90%67%

#3

Adjusted Score: 101735%

Critics Consensus: Mandy's gonzo violence is fueled by a gripping performance by Nicolas Cage -- and anchored with palpable emotion conveyed between his volcanic outbursts.

Synopsis: In the Pacific Northwest in 1983, outsiders Red Miller and Mandy Bloom lead a loving and peaceful existence. When their... [More]

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy

Directed By: Panos Cosmatos

#4

Halloween (2018)
79%71%

#4

Adjusted Score: 97634%

Critics Consensus: Halloween largely wipes the slate clean after decades of disappointing sequels, ignoring increasingly elaborate mythology in favor of basic - yet still effective - ingredients.

Synopsis: It's been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. Locked... [More]

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton

Directed By: David Gordon Green

#5

Overlord (2018)
82%67%

#5

Adjusted Score: 92568%

Critics Consensus: Part revisionist war drama, part zombie thriller, and part all-out genre gorefest, Overlord offers A-level fun for B-movie fans of multiple persuasions.

Synopsis: On the eve of D-Day, American paratroopers drop behind enemy lines to penetrate the walls of a fortified church and... [More]

Starring: Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Pilou Asbæk, Mathilde Ollivier

Directed By: Julius Avery