
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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63%
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 they're part of a satanic... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Hayley Griffith, Ruby Modine, Jerry O'Connell, Rebecca Romijn
Directed By: Chelsea Stardust
63%
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 she discovers the community's dark... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sabrina Kern, Carolyn Hennesy, Courtney Halverson, Trin Miller
Directed By: Darren Bousman
64%
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 Buddi doll that becomes his... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Hamill, Gabriel Bateman, Brian Tyree Henry
Directed By: Lars Klevberg
62%
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 Derry, Maine, once again. Now... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa
Directed By: Andy Muschietti
64%
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 artifacts room in their house.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman
Directed By: Gary Dauberman
68%
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 Memphis, Tenn. Along the way,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin
Directed By: Ruben Fleischer
73%
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 now with someone else, and... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Phi Vu, Suraj Sharma
Directed By: Christopher Landon
71%
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.
Starring: Katie Stevens, Will Brittain, Lauryn Alisa McClain, Andrew Caldwell
Directed By: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
71%
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.
Starring: Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Maxine Peake, Richard Harrington, Mark Lewis Jones
Directed By: William McGregor
72%
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 to accomplish something he's always... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska, Laia Costa, Marin Ireland
Directed By: Nicolas Pesce
71%
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 brother, Steve, to celebrate Christmas.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: AJ Bowen, Jocelin Donahue, Scott Poythress, Susan Burke
Directed By: Josh Lobo
76%
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 their campus. Turned down by... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Zachery Byrd, Phillip Andre Botello, Zack Weiner, Aaron Dalla Villa
Directed By: Daniel Robbins
78%
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 a child. His hope for... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis
Directed By: Mike Flanagan
77%
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 upon their souls with his... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Richard Chamberlain, Adam Godley, Orson Chaplin
Directed By: Alejandro Brugués, Joe Dante, Mick Garris, Ryûhei Kitamura
78%
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 a mansion that young Sarah... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams
Directed By: André Øvredal
81%
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 plans.
Starring: CM Punk, Trieste Kelly Dunn, Sarah Brooks, Elissa Dowling
Directed By: Travis Stevens
82%
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 in a desolate wilderness where... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Caitlin Gerard, Julia Goldani Telles, Ashley Zukerman, Miles Anderson
Directed By: Emma Tammi
84%
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, Dave. After finding him gravely... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, Morfydd Clark, Ross Anderson
Directed By: Alexandre Aja
83%
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 Swedish midsummer festival where a seemingly pastoral paradise transforms into a sinister, dread-soaked nightmare as... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter
Directed By: Ari Aster
88%
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 of everyone who crosses her... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Luana Velis, Johannes Benecke, Jan Bluthardt, Lilli Lorenz
Directed By: Tilman Singer
83%
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, but his behavior grows increasingly... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Seána Kerslake, James Quinn Markey, James Cosmo, Kati Outinen
Directed By: Lee Cronin
86%
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 get her money, the fugitives... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Madeline Brewer, Imogen Waterhouse, Sarah Hay, Scott Cohen
Directed By: Mitzi Peirone
80%
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 safe haven.
Starring: Swantje Kohlhof, Maja Lehrer, Barbara Philipp, Yûho Yamashita
Directed By: Carolina Hellsgård
87%
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 him to life in a... View Full Synopsis
Starring: David Call, Joshua Leonard, Alex Breaux, Ana Cruz Kayne
Directed By: Larry Fessenden
89%
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 -- but the entity she conjures... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Hani Furstenberg, Ishai Golan, Brynie Furstenberg, Adi Kvetner
89%
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 catch -- she must now... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny
Directed By: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
86%
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 series of drug binges. As... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Dora Madison, Tru Collins, Rhys Wakefield, Jeremy Gardner
Directed By: Joe Begos
90%
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 1890s.
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman, Logan Hawkes
Directed By: Robert Eggers
93%
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 child. Haunted by a traumatic... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Directed By: Jordan Peele
93%
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.
Starring: Aleksandra Cwen, Celina Peter, Claudia Martini, Tanja Petrovsky
Directed By: Lukas Feigelfeld
97%
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 the ocean under suspicious circumstances.
Starring: Munro Chambers, Emily Tyra, Christopher Gray, Brett Gelman
Directed By: Rob Grant
97%
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 joins a gang of street children, leading to a tragic chain of events.
Starring: Paola Lara, Ianis Guerrero, Rodrigo Cortés, Hanssel Casillas
Directed By: Issa López




