Movies about serial killers have often been praised for their expert execution but also criticized for a variety of their aspects. For instance, The Silence of the Lambs - which is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time - is notorious for the criticism it received from the LGBTQ+ community for its transphobic undertones.
But even as audiences acknowledge the controversial or questionable aspects of such movies, it's undeniable that there is still a lot to praise which is why so many filmgoers have been attracted to such stories for decades now. And what better way to select the best movies featuring serial killers than by looking at the IMDb Top 250 List?
Prisoners (2013) - Available On Hulu
Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners is one of the latest and quite acclaimed movies where the story revolves around the search for a serial killer. Though for the majority of the story the protagonists don't actually know that they are looking for a serial killer, the ending clearly explains who was the kidnapper (and the serial killer in the big picture) all along.
Two young girls are abducted in Pennsylvania and their families turn to police for help. But even though the local detective takes the case into his hands and even arrests a suspected abductor, the girls' fathers decide to take it upon themselves to get their daughters home.
Memories Of Murder (2003) - Available To Buy From Prime Video, Google Play, & iTunes
Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder is perhaps one of the best if not the best true crime movie of all time. Much like David Fincher's Zodiac (the two movies often get compared), the film is based on the real case of a serial killer who wasn't found at the time of the movie's release. However, the serial killer was actually found in 2019.
Taking place between 1986 and 1991, the story follows two detectives investigating a series of murders, the first time such murders have been committed in Korea.
No Country For Old Men (2007) - Available On HBO Max, Showtime, & FuboTV
The Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men is arguably one of the directors' most acclaimed and successful works to date with a villain that is often regarded to be one of the best film antagonists of the 2000s.
Set in 1980 in West Texas, it follows a Vietnam War veteran who finds a large stack of money at the site of a drug deal gone wrong, a hitman, a serial killer tasked with retrieving the money, and a sheriff investigating the case.
Shutter Island (2010) - Available On Netflix, AMC+, & Sling TV
Though Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island technically doesn't focus on serial murders, it does take place in a psychiatric facility that could easily have a serial killer staying in it. This wouldn't be surprising considering that the twist at the end reveals that some of the characters were actually murderers.
Based on the novel of the same name, it follows two marshals investigating a strange case of the psychiatric facility on the so-called Shutter Island. One of the patients has gone missing, but it appears that one of the marshals could have a connection to the case in his past.
M (1931) - Available On HBO Max, Criterion Channel, & Kanopy
Perhaps one of the earliest movies about serial killers, Fritz Lang's M was innovative at its time (for its use of long tracking shots and a musical leitmotif) and is now considered a classic.
The story follows Hans Beckert, a serial killer hunted both by the police and by the criminal underworld with criminals joining the manhunt after police seems to be ineffective.
Psycho (1960) - Available To Buy From Prime Video, Google Play, & iTunes
Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho has by far the most well-known example of a serial killer (Norman Bates). No wonder the movie has often been considered instrumental in the development of both the thriller and the slasher genres.
Marion Crane is an embezzler on the run whose disappearance is being investigated by her lover and sister who have hired a private eye for the case. After stopping at a motel, Marion has a deadly encounter with Norman Bates, the motel proprietor who is more dangerous than he first seems to be.
The Green Mile (1999) - Available On HBO Max, AMC+, & Sling TV
Frank Darabont's The Green Mile is unarguably a beloved classic, but unlike many other movies on this list, it doesn't actually center on the serial killer. Instead, the main antagonist (William "Wild Bill" Wharton) appears to be a multiple murderer or even a serial killer.
Set during the Great Depression, it follows John Coffey, a Black man convicted of raping and killing two white girls. Coffey appears to have some kind of supernatural powers and his story is later recounted by a death row corrections officer who worked at the prison where Coffey was kept before his execution.
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) - Available On Showtime, FuboTV, And DirecTV
If there is any other fictional serial killer who could compare to Norman Bates, then it can only be Dr. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs. In fact, the movie features two serial killers: Lecter and "Buffalo Bill", who is the main antagonist.
Based on the book of the same name, it follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling assigned to investigate the case of a sadistic serial killer known as "Buffalo Bill". To do this, she enlists the help of the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter who is himself a cannibalistic serial killer while also being a very intelligent psychiatrist.
Se7en (1995) - Available On HBO Max
Perhaps the best representative of the genre, David Fincher's Se7en also features a serial killer that many know about. However, the concept here overpowers the individual characters themselves and makes the movie stand out precisely because of its premise.
Young detective David Mills and retiring detective William Somerset are paired together to investigate a strange series of murders that the killer dedicates to each one of the seven deadly sins.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Available To Buy From Google Play, iTunes, & YouTube
Similarly to The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption was directed by Frank Darabont and is based on Stephen King's work. Moreover, it also doesn't really focus on the serial killer, but an antagonistic character in it (Elmo Blatch) might as well be a serial murderer.
Despite claiming to be innocent, Andy Dufresne is sentenced to life in prison after supposedly murdering his wife and her lover. While in the Shawshank State Penitentiary, he befriends a fellow prisoner and becomes involved in a money-laundering operation.