Movies on Netflix seem to be on a revolving door and subscribers may see something that is considered "mainstream" one day and it may not be there the next. Luckily, Netflix is also the platform that has enough non-mainstream movies on rotation so anything subscribers want to watch, they are likely to find. Horror is not an easy genre to write for because the same style of topics is constantly covered; supernatural, monsters, folk horror, and realistic scenarios.
Netflix has a large library of horror movies — whether they are Original Netflix films or acquired from other places — including the "so-bad-it's-good" ones. Although these movies are usually predictable, oddly funny, and have a weird villain or creature, they can still be a pleasure to watch if the mood is right.
Jason X (2002)
Jaxon X debuted in 2002 as one of the lowest-grossing Friday the 13th/Jason movies of the franchise. The tenth entry takes place in 2455 and in space. The typified characters in these films are replaced with a space crew of scientists, military personnel, and general misfits. The trouble all starts when a cryogenically frozen Jason is discovered and defrosted aboard the ship.
Fans of the franchise are dedicated to Jason's story of revenge and how he develops as a killer. Instead, Jason X shows him wantonly killing anyone with no motivation. It's senseless violence, but there's fun to be had in the deaths, fight scenes, and general absurdity.
Doom (2005)
Doom is based on the 1993 first-person shooter video game where a Marine in space has to fight off demons and the undead. The problem with movies adapted from video games is sometimes the combat and graphics all still feel like a video game rather than a film adaptation. The movie starts with the intensity of a knockoff Alien movie followed by the introduction of the ensemble cast. Thanks to Doom, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson became typecast as the action hero; that worked out for him before he started breaking out of the same kind of roles.
One of the most curious and unique aspects is The Arc travel. Most horror and space fans have seen hyperspace and Stargate portals but The Arc is new and nauseating. While the movie suffered bad reviews, it helped renew interest in the games, as well as kick-started The Rock's movie career.
The Babysitter (2017)
Like most other teen horror films, there is a lead actress that makes viewers think she could never be a part of something like a blood cult. But she is and she's also a babysitter "in league with the Devil."
This movie is bad in the same way that the Scary Movie franchise is bad. It's comedic horror, almost like a twisted version of Home Alone. And sometimes it takes very unexpected turns that aren't necessarily good or bad. It's tolerable enough to watch because even though the setup lasted a bit too long, as soon as the action started, it didn't stop.
Polaroid (2019)
There is a fine balance between a setup being too long or too short in movies. Horror films tend to have a bit of a longer set up so the audience can get to know the characters, but Polaroid doesn't hesitate to expose the plot right from the start. Two girls find an old instant camera and one of them dies from what audiences can assume is the entity in the photo that developed.
Flash to a different person with the same camera and the audience is left on the cliffhanger of what will happen if the person in the photo remains unaware of the looming threat.
Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020)
Under the "Creature Features" category on Netflix, Tremors is alive and well. Or well-enough. The Tremors saga is about the subterranean worm creatures and their instinct to hunt whatever is on the surface. Shrieker Island takes it to a new level with the Jurassic Park likeness of the worms' spawn now on foot on their very own island to terrorize those who visit.
Almost like any alien-based horror movie anyone has ever seen, Tremors: Shrieker Island is about dealing with a giant man-eating creature and the weird ways it either births more things that will eat people, or pops up in a new geographical location.
Unfriended (2014)
What starts as a few high school friends Skyping turns into something else. From beyond the grave, a spirit wants the characters' secrets exposed and all of them dead. Released in 2014, the cast is of the young generation that's tech savvy thanks to growing up with computers. The constant calling, hanging up and glitches are supposed to be a part of the suspense as the volume and intensity change, but they are, more or less, just annoying.
Aside from those elements, the movie takes the audience on a journey of this supernatural hacker causing the friends to fight. The only redeeming reason to watch this movie is the movie's cyber villain gives off a strong Jigsaw vibe.
Leprechaun (1993)
Warwick Davis does a wonderful job as the vengeful, sharp-toothed leprechaun Ludban, but the scare factor just isn't there. The leprechaun follows Dan O'Grady home after he thinks Dan stole his pot o' gold and instead, he gets trapped. Released ten years later, he's out for revenge. The 1993 movie featuring Jennifer Aniston, before Friends, is a film fans wanted to be scared of but instead got a good laugh from.
After the first movie, the following sequels were aimed to produce more of a laugh rather than a fright. Typically described as a guilty pleasure for most fans, the Leprechaun franchise remains popular today.
The Open House (2018)
The intense opening scene with Logan Wallace (Dylan Minnette) running directly at the camera will draw viewers in, but it is followed up with a relaxed familial moment between father and son. A tragic accident then causes the mother and her son to move to a mountain home. Another predictable element of horror movies is when people go to the mountains to stay in a huge, unfamiliar house.
It takes a moment to get to the meat of the movie; until then, it's tedious after an awkward encounter with someone in the convenience store sets the creepy tone. This is another slow-moving movie that introduces viewers to characters who all start to act strangely in the house they're in.
Gothika (2003)
Gothika features an award-winning cast for a not-so-award-winning movie. For something that's supposedly horror, there's nothing particularly scary about Gothika. It more so focuses on the thriller aspects like mysterious murder accusations, ghosts, the Devil, and of course, a twist. The story follows psychiatrist Miranda Grey and her meetings with clients in the psychiatric wing of a prison. She wakes up one day to find she is now another patient there.
With its similarities to classics like The Ring and The Sixth Sense, supernatural thriller fans will enjoy it for its predictable yet frightening imagery.
The Forest (2016)
When Sara Price's twin sister goes missing in Japan, she ventures into the Aokighara Forest to find her. Sara, played by Natalie Dormer, refuses to leave the woods after she finds her sister's campsite. Aiden, a reporter Sara met at her hotel is also venturing into the woods along with a park guide. This story takes horror fans on a confusing but entertaining ride.
As soon as the audience thinks they have it figured out, alongside Sara believing the same, the supernatural beings of the forest add another twist. While it did well in the box office, grossing about $37 million, it was not well-received amongst critics. Worth the watch for anyone wanting to see how it all turns out.