Creature features have always been a popular horror sub-genre. Also known as monster movies, the majority of these films developed cult followings and fell under the "so bad it's good" umbrella. However, some movies, like the original King Kong and his Japanese cousin Godzilla, were wildly popular and spawned franchises that are still pumping out films today.
These days the various streaming services provide fans with a plethora of convenient options when it comes to getting their monster movie fix. Here are the 10 best creature features on Netflix right now.
CHERNOBYL DIARIES
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster was scary enough as is. The eerie abandoned ruins of the plant remains a popular but dangerous destination for horror enthusiasts to this day.
The disaster site is used as the backdrop for this 2012 horror film written by Oren Peli, the creator of the Paranormal Activity franchise. The storyline is pretty generic - a group of friends decides to travel to the abandoned site and quickly realize they are not alone - but there are some pretty good jump scares and a decent twist at the end.
SIREN
This well-reviewed 2016 film recently found its way to Netflix in January. It's a story about a bachelor party gone wrong. The main character Jonah is treated to a night on the town by his friends a week before his wedding. They end up in a bizarre strip club in the middle of the woods where the main attraction is a bizarre singing nude girl who takes a liking to Jonah.
This girl is not what she seems and it's not long before she takes a liking to Jonah and will do whatever it takes to keep him safe and keep him all to herself. Siren is gory and contains some explicit sexual situations. If you're okay with all that it packs one heck of an ending.
BACKCOUNTRY
What makes Backcountry terrifying is the realistic subject matter. The film is a Hollywood version of actual events that took place in the backwoods of a Canadian provincial park in 2005 when a young couple finds themselves face to face with a man-eating bear.
The young couple in the film makes all the classic horror movie survival mistakes such as straying too far from civilization, not heeding the advice of experienced locals and refusing to follow a map. Backcountry is proof that an encounter with an actual wild animal can be just as horrific as standard creature feature subjects like werewolves and other supernatural monsters.
STEPHANIE
Stephanie is a young girl alone in a big house in the middle of the woods. She goes about her daily routine of fixing her meals and having playtime with her stuffed animals. Her parents are gone and we aren't sure why. Her sibling might be in the house with her but that's not entirely clear at first. One thing is certain - she is terrified of something in the woods that makes frequent visits to the home. We don't see it at first but it growls and shakes the walls.
Stephanie starts slow. Tension builds and we are given little bits of information as the film progresses. Eventually, we find out what happened to her parents and her sibling. We also discover what the thing in the woods is. The answer to some of these questions might have been obvious but there are at least a few things about this 2017 horror film that will surprise you.
DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
Another film where a lonely young girl is menaced by strange creatures. A family moves into a 19th-century mansion and before too long young Sally encounters little monsters who appear to live beneath the house.
This 2010 horror film is a remake of a made-for-TV movie from the 1970s. Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro served as a producer and co-writer and is one of the names you can trust when it comes to creature features. Katie Holmes plays one of the lead roles while del Toro himself provides creature voices.
THE RITUAL
Like most films on this list, the majority of The Ritual takes place in the woods. A group of friends embarks on a hiking trip in the vast forests of Sweden to honor their buddy who passed away six months earlier. Before too long the crew realizes they are being hunted by a mysterious beast who begins to pick them off one by one.
Netflix acquired the rights to the film shortly after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017. It received mostly positive reviews with critics praising the Scandinavian setting and the acting performances by the unknown cast.
THE MONSTER
The Monster is like Cujo on steroids - only this time, instead of a rabid dog, a mother and her child are terrorized by a monstrous creature with only their car for shelter.
An alcoholic mother and her 10-year-old daughter find themselves stranded on a remote country road. The daughter, Lizzy, is tired of dealing with her mother's drinking and abusive behavior and wants to live with her father permanently. As night falls the pair realize that family problems are the least of their concerns.
SWEETHEART
After thrilling horror fans following its debut at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, this Blumhouse Production debuted on Netflix on Christmas Day. With an extremely small cast and island setting, director JD Dillard has crafted a near-perfect creature feature.
Sweetheart is anchored by Jenn, who washes up on shore after the boat she'd been sailing with friends sinks. It's not long before Jenn realizes she's not alone on the island. Each night a strange creature emerges from the water looking to feed. The beast is truly terrifying, especially its chilling debut when the audience, along with Jenn, get a look at the fish-like monster.
CLOVERFIELD
One of the better "found footage" horror movies, Cloverfield arrived in theaters in January of 2008 following months of brilliant promotion which included thrilling trailers and a viral marketing campaign the studio used to create buzz. Based on an idea from producer J.J. Abrams, the movie was written by Drew Goddard and directed by Matt Reeves.
The film takes place over the course of one night. A group of friends must find safety after a giant monster emerges from the Atlantic Ocean and wreaks havoc on New York City. J.J. Abrams has stated the creature is inspired by Godzilla and likened the Cloverfield beast to an American version of the iconic Japanese monster.
TREMORS
This underrated film was initially overlooked by audiences but found success on the home video market and cable TV. It has since spawned several sequels and a television series. Several of the films are available on Netflix and are worth a look but nothing compares to the original 1990 film starring Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward.
Val (Bacon) and Earl (Ward) play a couple of down on their luck repairmen in a small desert town. They plan on leaving to start a new life but are forced to stay when a series of strange deaths and mysterious disappearances begin to plague the town. It's not long before the cause of all the trouble is revealed to be giant worm-like creatures that live underground and view the townspeople as food.