Best Horror Movies of 2019 Ranked by Tomatometer
2019 closes out an uncommonly strong decade for horror movies with some potential future classics of its own, and we took all of the Fresh and Certified Fresh hits with critics to give you the full list of the 32 Best Horror Movies of 2019.
Happy Death Day 2U was the first 2019 horror movie to connect with critics, even if its Tomatometer score didn’t approach the original’s high mark. In fact, virtually all of this year’s sequels all fell around in the same area: You’ll see Annabelle Comes Home, It Chapter Two, and Zombieland Double Tap all clumped together in this guide. An exception: Doctor Sleep, the three-decades later sequel that actually falls only slightly behind The Shining‘s Tomatometer score.
Original scary stories was the way to go this year, the most obvious example being Us, Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out. Midsommar stranded us in the Swedish sunlight. Ready or Not turned a hide-and-seek game into a literal bloodbath. And even unabashed genre offering Crawl clawed its way into critics’ hearts and jugulars. And, of course, The Lighthouse, a black-and-white hybrid headtrip that reminds us to always compliment the chef. And there’s Tigers Are Not Afraid from Mexico, which gives new perspective into the dark.
To qualify for this list, the horror movie simply had to be Fresh or Certified Fresh after at least 20 reviews – whether it was a theatrical or streaming release was not a factor. Ready for some stories to watch in the dark? Then enter The 32 Best Horror Movies of 2019 Ranked! —Alex Vo
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Best Movies of 2019 | Best Horror Movies of 2019
Best Comedies of 2019 | Best Sci-Fi Movies of 2019
Best Action Movies of 2019
#32
Adjusted Score: 66563%
Critics Consensus: It isn't terribly devilish or particularly pulse-quickening, but Satanic Panic remains an entertaining midnight movie that forgiving genre enthusiasts will enjoy.
Synopsis: A minimum-wage delivery girl is forced into a night-long battle with the affluent leaders of a suburban community after discovering...
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#31
Adjusted Score: 63405%
Critics Consensus: St. Agatha makes admittedly uneven use of its story's well-worn religious tropes, but the overall effect may still be just chilling enough for horror fans.
Synopsis: Pregnant and on the run, young Mary seeks refuge in an isolated convent in small-town Georgia in the 1950s. When...
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#30
Adjusted Score: 73579%
Critics Consensus: Child's Play updates an '80s horror icon for the Internet of Things era, with predictably gruesome -- and generally entertaining -- results.
Synopsis: After moving to a new city, young Andy Barclay receives a special present from his mother -- a seemingly innocent...
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#29
Adjusted Score: 82265%
Critics Consensus: It: Chapter Two proves bigger doesn't always mean scarier for horror sequels, but a fine cast and faithful approach to the source material keep this follow-up afloat.
Synopsis: Defeated by members of the Losers' Club, the evil clown Pennywise returns 27 years later to terrorize the town of...
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#28
Adjusted Score: 74746%
Critics Consensus: Fun for fans even if it isn't as frightening as some of its predecessors, Annabelle Comes Home suggests there's still some life left in the Conjuring franchise.
Synopsis: Determined to keep Annabelle from wreaking more havoc, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren lock the possessed doll in the...
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#27
Adjusted Score: 81474%
Critics Consensus: Zombieland: Double Tap makes up for a lack of fresh brains with an enjoyable reunion that recaptures the spirit of the original and adds a few fun twists.
Synopsis: Zombie slayers Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock leave the confines of the White House to travel to Graceland in...
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#26
Adjusted Score: 81857%
Critics Consensus: A funnier follow-up with a sci-fi bent, Happy Death Day 2U isn't as fiendishly fresh as its predecessor, but fans of the original may still find this a sequel worth celebrating.
Synopsis: Collegian Tree Gelbman wakes up in horror to learn that she's stuck in a parallel universe. Her boyfriend Carter is...
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#25
Adjusted Score: 71783%
Critics Consensus: Haunt is spooked by the spirits of its obvious influences, but still packs enough thrills and chills to satisfy horror fans up for a haunted house excursion.
Synopsis: On Halloween, several friends enter an extreme haunted house and quickly discover some of their nightmares are real....
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#24
Adjusted Score: 74806%
Critics Consensus: Gwen's relentlessly grim outlook may wear on some viewers, but it remains a reasonably gripping, solidly assembled descent into atmospheric period horror.
#23
Adjusted Score: 76797%
Critics Consensus: Stylish with a sadistic streak, Piercing pairs gripping lead performances with a smartly macabre story that delivers unpredictable thrills.
Synopsis: After kissing his wife and baby goodbye for a seemingly normal business trip, Reed checks himself into a hotel room...
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#22
Adjusted Score: 74060%
Critics Consensus: A slow-burning horror story that takes spine-tingling advantage of its setting and cast, I Trapped the Devil marks an auspicious debut for writer-director Josh Lobo.
Synopsis: Hoping for a joyful family reunion, Matt and his wife pay a surprise visit to the home of his estranged...
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#21
Adjusted Score: 77815%
Critics Consensus: Pledge leaves a certain amount of potential untapped in its extreme take on collegiate hazing, but the end result is still well-executed enough to be worth a watch.
Synopsis: Freshmen misfits Ethan, David and Justin desperately try to improve their terminally uncool reputations by pledging prestigious Greek houses on...
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#20
Adjusted Score: 96927%
Critics Consensus: Doctor Sleep forsakes the elemental terror of its predecessor for a more contemplative sequel that balances poignant themes against spine-tingling chills.
Synopsis: Struggling with alcoholism, Dan Torrance remains traumatized by the sinister events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was...
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#19
Adjusted Score: 77635%
Critics Consensus: Admirably eclectic yet more consistent than most horror anthologies, Nightmare Cinema should entertain viewers in the mood for a good old-fashioned creepshow.
Synopsis: Five strangers watch their deepest and darkest fears play out before them in an abandoned theater as the Projectionist preys...
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#18
Adjusted Score: 90138%
Critics Consensus: Like the bestselling series of books that inspired it, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark opens a creepy gateway into horror for younger genre enthusiasts.
Synopsis: The shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large in the small town of Mill Valley for generations. It's in...
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#17
Adjusted Score: 83116%
Critics Consensus: Girl on the Third Floor proves a good old-fashioned haunted house story can still be entertaining -- and put a fresh spin on established genre formula.
Synopsis: A man tries to renovate a dilapidated house for his growing family, only to learn that the house has other...
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#16
Adjusted Score: 86099%
Critics Consensus: Imperfect yet intriguing, The Wind offers horror fans an admirably ambitious story further distinguished by its fresh perspective and effective scares.
Synopsis: Lizzy is a tough, resourceful frontierswoman settling a remote stretch of land on the 19th-century American frontier. Isolated from civilization...
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#15
Adjusted Score: 94857%
Critics Consensus: An action-packed creature feature that's fast, terrifying, and benefits greatly from a completely game Kaya Scodelario, Crawl is a fun throw-back with just enough self-awareness to work.
Synopsis: When a massive hurricane hits her Florida town, young Haley ignores the evacuation orders to search for her missing father,...
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#14
Adjusted Score: 104881%
Critics Consensus: Ambitious, impressively crafted, and above all unsettling, Midsommar further proves writer-director Ari Aster is a horror auteur to be reckoned with.
Synopsis: A young American couple, their relationship foundering, travel to a fabled Swedish midsummer festival where a seemingly pastoral paradise transforms...
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#13
Adjusted Score: 89513%
Critics Consensus: Luz takes a refreshingly unique approach to horror possession tropes, elevated by a chilly mood and minimalist scares.
Synopsis: Luz is a young cab driver fleeing from the grasp of a possessed woman, whose confession could endanger the lives...
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#12
Adjusted Score: 87010%
Critics Consensus: The Hole in the Ground artfully exploits parental fears with a well-made horror outing that makes up in sheer effectiveness what it lacks in originality.
Synopsis: One night, Sarah's young son disappears into the woods behind their rural home. When he returns, he looks the same,...
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#11
Adjusted Score: 86288%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Two wanted women decide to steal from a wealthy and mentally unstable friend who lives in a fantasy world. To...
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#10
Adjusted Score: 80464%
Critics Consensus: Smart, stylish, and unpredictable, Ever After puts a refreshing spin on post-apocalyptic zombie horror.
Synopsis: Two years after a zombie outbreak leaves the country in ruins, two women flee their struggling community to find a...
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#9
Adjusted Score: 88174%
Critics Consensus: A thrillingly effective update on a classic story, Depraved jolts a familiar monster back to life with a potent blend of timely themes and old-school chills.
Synopsis: A disillusioned field surgeon who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder makes a man out of body parts and brings...
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#8
Adjusted Score: 86640%
Critics Consensus: A chillingly effective horror story rooted in rich folklore, The Golem blends centuries-old stories with timely themes to powerful effect.
Synopsis: During an outbreak of a deadly plague, a mystical woman must save her tightknit Jewish community from foreign invaders --...
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#7
Adjusted Score: 105981%
Critics Consensus: Smart, subversive, and darkly funny, Ready or Not is a crowd-pleasing horror film with giddily entertaining bite.
Synopsis: Grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. There's just one...
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#6
Adjusted Score: 88505%
Critics Consensus: Bliss may be too narratively and visually intense for less adventurous viewers, but should trigger the titular state in those with a taste for hard-hitting horror.
Synopsis: In need of creative inspiration, a professionally stagnant and hard-partying Los Angeles artist named Dezzy Donahue recklessly indulges in a...
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#5
Adjusted Score: 111044%
Critics Consensus: A gripping story brilliantly filmed and led by a pair of powerhouse performances, The Lighthouse further establishes Robert Eggers as a filmmaker of exceptional talent.
Synopsis: Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the...
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#4
Us (2019)
93%
Adjusted Score: 122878%
Critics Consensus: With Jordan Peele's second inventive, ambitious horror film, we have seen how to beat the sophomore jinx, and it is Us.
Synopsis: Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to the beachfront home where she grew up as a...
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#3
Adjusted Score: 93642%
Critics Consensus: Hagazussa: A Heathen's Curse weaves a spooky supernatural story that should satisfy horror fans with more adventurous inclinations.
Synopsis: In the 15th century, a young goatherd living alone in a mountain hut feels a dark presence in the woods....
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#2
Adjusted Score: 99396%
Critics Consensus: A B-movie with an A-level commitment to entertain, Harpoon should hit the target with horror fans in the mood for gory, darkly humorous antics on the open water.
Synopsis: Rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension emerge when three friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of...
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#1
Adjusted Score: 102803%
Critics Consensus: Tigers Are Not Afraid draws on childhood trauma for a story that deftly blends magical fantasy and hard-hitting realism - and leaves a lingering impact.
Synopsis: When a girl's mother disappears leaving her on her own, she goings a gang of street children, leading to a...
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