Ahhh, the sweet smell of incoming Fall, pumpkin spice lattes galore, and the season to indulge in every piece of horror available. As October gets closer and closer, we horror fans get more excited for what comes with the Halloween season. "31 Days of Horror" lists and just about every rewatch that will definitely feel like a worthy guilty pleasure, and everything is acceptable during October. There are no bad horror films; there are just those pending to be watched.
Update September 30, 2023: September is ending, and October is about to start kicking off the Halloween season, so this article has been updated with even more underrated horror films that are worth checking out this spooky season.
There's something for everyone, and while we know 2023 has been a solid year for horror with films like Talk to Me, The Boogeyman, and Scream VI exploding at the box office, we like to think there's more out there that was sadly shadowed by big releases. While some viewers prefer blood and gore to be in a horror movie, some like a balance of comedy so as not to be so scared while they watch. Whichever you prefer, this list will surely give some ideas for some underrated horror movies that viewers might have missed when they were released in recent years or scrolled past on streaming services.
10 Last Shift (2014)
Anthony DiBlasi belongs in a unique pantheon of filmmakers who have made their films twice, and both have had good results. Perhaps it’s a stroke of luck, but also, Last Shift is just conceptually good, as simple as it is. It tells the story of a rookie police agent who takes the last shift at a station that will soon close. The thing is that night, people will leave some evidence at the station, and that’s when her ordeal starts.
Satanic possession? Cults? Who knows. All that’s important is that Last Shift is a beautiful extravaganza of good scares, practical makeup effects, and an eerie aura that’s hard to shake off right after watching it. The best thing about it? In 2023, DiBlasi remade his film and named it Malum, and it was also pretty good.
9 We Need to Do Something (2021)
In 2021, Sean King O'Grady directed We Need to Do Something, and with it, he delivered an impeccable horror film that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. In We Need to Do Something, a (very) dysfunctional family decides to gather themselves in a bathroom of their home after a destructive storm inadvertently starts. What happens soon after is that, of course, their rotten relationship becomes unstoppable.
But the horror in We Need to Do Something doesn’t only spawn from their twisted dynamics but from what’s outside. It may all have to do with a slowly revealed teenage angst that sets the world on fire. This one has a jump scare that you will never expect, and no, it’s not a stabbing score moment. It’s more of a familiar voice coming from an entity that should not speak.
8 Contracted (2013)
Contracted is the story of Samantha, a woman who’s going through an unfortunate breakup, and when she decides to finally let go, something horrific happens to her. During a party, she gets drugged and sexually assaulted (by a man who, a few scenes before, was probably the one engaging in necrophilia with a corpse marked with a biohazard tag).
She contracts a mysterious STD that causes her body to deteriorate… slowly. This is the story of a woman who goes through guilt, anger, and finally, revenge while navigating the fact that she will never survive. She’s sure about it, and turns the film into a cautionary tale that will make you squirm a few times. The last scene is a genre reveal that’s unexpected and awesome.
7 Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015)
There have been several movies and even shows revolving around zombie apocalypses, some ridiculous and some downright scary, but this movie is a perfect balance of both. Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse was released in 2015 and centers around a trio of boy scouts: Ben (Tye Sheridan), Carter (Logan Miller), and Augie (Joey Morgan). The close-knit friend group finds themselves in the middle of a zombie takeover, fighting for their lives with the survival tactics they picked up from Scout meetings. This film features well-timed jump scares, a pretty solid soundtrack, and some much-needed comic relief moments that are just corny enough.
6 The Houses October Built (2014)
Filmed as a found-footage horror movie, The Houses October Built will surely give viewers the creeps and make them think twice about going to shady haunted houses. The plot centers around a group of friends who make it their mission to go to several haunted houses and film their experiences at each one, intending to do interviews with cast members and managers. As any horror buff knows, it's never that easy. The group discovers that several of the houses hire criminals and have mental health conditions, not doing the necessary background checks for such actors. The group is terrorized after being followed by previous actors to the next haunted house, and a bloodbath ensues.
5 Haunt (2019)
Following the haunted house plot line, Haunt is a criminally underrated horror film that'll make viewers jump and sit on the edge of their seats the entire time. This slasher film follows a group of college students who want a last minute scare for their Halloween celebration, venturing off to find a (once again) sketchy and off-the-grid haunted house. They arrive, sign a waiver, and put their phones in a lock box to ensure they don't film/take pictures of the horrors they experience inside. It's the perfect film if viewers don't mind face-ripping and copious amounts of headshots.
4 Hell House LLC (2015)
Movies about haunted houses gone wrong have made up half this list, but for a good reason. Hell House LLC follows the story of a haunted house going terribly wrong after fifteen people are pronounced dead the morning after they have their opening night. A documentary crew heads into the abandoned hotel to try and figure out what happened on that fateful night, and in contrast to the other haunted house films on this list, Hell House LLC features a paranormal element. Supernatural being combined with the found-footage element really brings this horror film to the next level as the crew becomes tormented by restless spirits and evil beings.
3 Creep (2014)
Filmmaker Mark Duplass wrote, produced, and starred in Creep, showcasing that he was the perfect antagonist in a project like this. The plot follows videographer Aaron (director and actor Patrick Brice) who agrees to film Josef, a man who appears to be dying from a tumor and wants to film himself for his unborn son that's supposedly arriving very soon. Things start to get out of hand very fast for both Aaron and Josef, both of them becoming unhinged in different ways, and viewers will be left feeling disturbed and without justice. Also, Peachfuzz will stick with you even after the movie is done.
2 The Ritual (2017)
Based on the novel of the same name written by Adam Nevill, The Ritual was released on Netflix in 2017. The plot follows four friends who head to Switzerland for a hike through the mountains after their dear friend, Rob, is shot and killed at a gas station after a night out at the pub. Luke, one of the friends, blames himself for not helping Rob stand up to the robbers since he was there and hid while Rob stood up for himself. While in the mountains, the group experiences terrible supernatural moments, all having awful dreams, and they end up at a cult who worship an ancient god-like entity that was related to Loki. The creature design is outstanding.
1 The Void (2016)
If you’re into ‘80s horror and like that particular aesthetic that John Carpenter brought on with the more obscure part of his career, then it’s time to look up The Void. Plot-wise, it’s pretty simple, as it tells the story of strangers who have to lock themselves up in a hospital when strange creatures start showing up outside. Also, there are cult-like followers wearing strange costumes, but this is all about the Lovecraftian creatures out there. Directors were also working on the production of Suicide Squad, so they made good use of the crew to also work on The Void.
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