For the most part, viewers were still immersed and curious about the minds of serial killers, a trend that started around the '80s. The trend continued all the way into the New Millennium, with Hollywood gifting horror fans with an abundance of serial killer films in the time between 2000 to 2009.
At the same time, the international film industry was getting in on this trend as well and became quite good at it, churning out some serial killer thrillers that are on par with the likes of slashers like Friday the 13th and haunting dramas like The Silence of the Lambs. For horror fans looking for a little nostalgia, look no further than some of the best serial killer films from the 2000s.
Red Dragon (2002) - 7.2
After The Silence of the Lambs made a huge impression, Red Dragon was the third installment to come out in 2002, after Hannibal in 2001. Red Dragon is a prequel that tells the story of retired FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton), who has a knack for catching the worst of the worst. He has a working relationship with Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), but it turns deadly once he realizes who Hannibal really is.
Graham is pulled back into the underworld as he tries to catch The Tooth Fairy; a mysterious serial killer terrorizing Baltimore, Maryland. He must stay level-headed as he once again turns to Hannibal, now behind bars, for guidance. This may not be one of Edward Norton's best roles, but he sure makes an impact.
Insomnia (2002) - 7.2
Starring Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, and the late Robin Williams Insomnia is set in Mightmute, Alaska, when a teenage girl is murdered. When this case becomes too much for the local police, two detectives from Los Angeles take over. What they aren't prepared for is the constant nighttime setting Alaska provides.
Det. Will Dormer (Pacino) has a severe case of insomnia, which leads him to hallucinate and think he's connected to the serial killer he and his partner are hunting. This pushes him further into his condition whilst carrying a secret of his own.
Mr. Brooks (2007) - 7.3
Kevin Costner has played Robin of Locksley in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, he's played a bodyguard in The Bodyguard, and in Mr. Brooks, he plays a serial killer. As a well-respected man, Earl Brooks is a savvy businessman who was named "Portland's Man of the Year." He's a man of the community, with a terrible secret; he's a killer known as the "Thumbprint Killer."
By trying to contain his alter ego, Marshall, he attends AA meetings; but he can't contain the urge to kill again and is captured on camera by another sadistic killer. Starring Kevin Costner and Demi Moore, there are two parallel stories emerging that takes viewers on a thrilling ride.
Identity (2003) - 7.3
Much more of a "whodunnit" than a horror film, Identity intermingles ten strangers who are stranded at the same remote Nevada motel during a storm. Once they become acquainted with each other, they realize a killer is among them. Trapped, they must try to find out which of them is the killer before its too late. All of these strangers have stories and somehow, they all tie in with one another.
Starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, and John Hawkes, Identity truly says it all in the name: identity the killer before someone else gets killed.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007) - 7.3
Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and the late Alan Rickman, the infamous story of Sweeney Todd got a makeover from a stage musical to a very successful Tim Burton film. The musical is about Sweeney Todd, a barber who sets up shop in London. After starting over after being accused of a crime he didn't commit, Sweeney seeks revenge against a corrupted Judge Turpin.
With the help of a widow named Mrs. Lovett, they go on a rampage against those who made Sweeney suffer. Johnny Depp has starred in a lot of films and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is among his best.
Monster (2003) - 7.3
A-list actress Charlize Theron is known for her dazzling smile and good looks, but she's also known her incredible talent. Charlize has been in some iconic movies over her career, but perhaps one of the most defining was her role as Aileen Wuornos in Monster. Theron takes a deep dive into this Aileen and doesn't let up until the film ends.
Aileen Wuornos wasn't a good person but somehow, viewers have to feel some sort of way for how her life turned out and the bad cards she was handed. Also starring Christina Ricci, Monster recounts the true story of a prostitute-turned-serial-killer claiming self-defense when the truth is more sinister than that.
Saw (2004) - 7.6
When Saw came out in 2004, it seemed like another half-baked gory film. But when viewers watched it, things changed. Saw defines karma and personal torture when a serial killer places two men in a locked room together. The two must figure out how to escape before it's too late. They have no idea how they got here and try to trace back their steps and figure out how they deserved this torture.
Fans know by now that the film was incredibly successful. So much so, that Saw is one of the longest-running franchises in horror film history. The first film was directed by modern horror master James Wan, and remains one of the best horror films in the early-2000s.
American Psycho (2000) - 7.6
At the beginning of the 2000s, American Psycho hit screens and redefined the serial killer film. This film had a fresh new look at the well-loved serial killer genre because the killer wasn't atypical. American Psycho revolves around wealthy New York City banking executive Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), who lives a double life.
During the day he plays his part as a rich, good-looking playboy and at night, he plays up his psychopathic ego as he dives deeper into his sick fantasies. To date, this is one of Christian Bale's most well-known roles and will probably remain that way until the end of his career.
Zodiac (2007) - 7.7
Loosely based on the real "Zodiac Killer" case, Zodiac is set in the '60s/'70s San Francisco and begins when a cartoonist becomes obsessed with tracking down the infamous serial killer. The killer is an unknown man that has been terrorizing Northern California for quite some time and he must be stopped. Taunting the police station with cryptic messages, viewers go along for a ride with the investigators and reporters as they search for this terrible human being.
Directing one of the best plot twists of his career, David Fincher delivers here. Also, scoring talented actors such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. doesn't hurt either.
Memories Of Murder (2003) - 8.1
Finally, the most well-reviewed movie of the early-2000s is Memories of Murder. Directed by Bong Joon-Ho of Parasite fame, this film is placed in a small Korean province in 1986 and revolves around two detectives that are struggling with a grizzly case that involves the murders of multiple young women. The victims are left in horrible ways and the killer is virtually unknown.
The tactics the detectives use are harsh and against the book and do absolutely nothing to support their cause. Overall, the movie is a rollercoaster, being disturbing and thrilling at the same time.