This past year was another rock-solid year for film filled with many surprises and films audiences will be thinking about for years to come. Audiences saw long awaited sequels like Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water that helped bring audiences in masses back to movie theatres and gave the box office a much needed boost following the dire times of last two years. There were a lot of genres that truly excelled but perhaps the one that stood out the most was the horror genre. It seemed like audiences were consistently treated to several great films any given month. This might be a bold statement but looking back at 2022, it may very well be one of the best years for horror in recent memory. The year was so stacked with great content that getting this list down to 10 (and some honorable mentions) was a tough task but anyways, here’s our rundown of the best horror movies of 2022. Enjoy!
Honorable Mentions:
Prey
The first two films in our honorable mentions aren’t horror films in the traditional sense but they still deserve a shoutout because of their horror elements which definitely did not hurt. Prey is just an all-around great movie. It takes the Predator franchise in a new direction while remaining true to what the franchise is known for. Meanwhile, Amber Midthunder is a star and a complete badass. Did anyone not like this one?
The Menu
Just to make it perfectly clear, if The Menu had more horror elements, it would absolutely have cracked our top 10. However, those who have seen The Menu know it’s much more of a darkly comedic thriller than a straight up horror film although it does feature some pretty shocking and unsettling content. Like the previous film, it is just a rock-solid movie all around full of surprises and great performances from Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, and Nicholas Hoult. It is truly a film that benefits from going in as blind as possible. For whoever happened to miss this one in theatres, it will be available on HBO Max and Disney Plus on January 3rd, so be sure to check it out then.
Smile
Smile might not be the best horror film of 2022, but it is arguably the most surprising and the scariest. Over the months leading up to its release, it was widely mocked online but with a clever advertising campaign close to the films release, strong early reviews, and a great utilization of its premise, it ended up becoming the highest grossing horror film of the year while earning plenty of acclaim with audiences. It might not have the most original premise, but director Parker Finn maintains a constant sense of dread throughout and effectively utilizes jump scares while Sosie Bacon delivers a knockout lead performance. Its surprising Paramount hasn’t greenlit a sequel yet but that news is sure to come fairly soon.
The Black Phone
The Black Phone was hard to leave out of the top 10 but some tough choices had to be made. Scott Derrickson’s first collaboration with Ethan Hawke since 2012’s Sinister, a supernatural horror and a kidnapping thriller that blends the two genres together seamlessly. Ethan Hawke is terrifying as The Grabber as Derrickson manages to get some of the best child performances in recent years out of Mason Thames and Madeline McGraw. Very happy this was both a big critical and commercial success. It’s easily one of the more accessible and entertaining films of 2022. But now, it’s time for the top 10.
Top 10
Halloween Ends
Coming in at #10 isn’t only the most divisive horror film of the year but one of the most divisive movies of the year overall. The diehard fans of the Halloween franchise are most likely already sharpening their pitchforks for the inclusion of Halloween Ends on this list, let alone in the top 10. The film feels more like a Stephen King adaptation or The Lost Boys than it ever does a Halloween film or even a slasher. It takes some bold swings especially for the final chapter in one of the most beloved horror franchises of all time and one’s enjoyment all depends on if they can get behind them or how they feel about the character of Corey Cunningham. There’s no denying this film makes some missteps with a very messy final act but it’s hard not to appreciate that David Gordon Green and co. decided to take the finale of the trilogy in a completely new direction instead of giving audiences the exact same thing again. It’s just a shame the filmmakers didn’t have a better plan or introduce these storylines and characters in previous movies. In the end, most will either love Halloween Ends or hate it, there’s very little middle ground and based on its placement on this list, it is clear to see where it landed for us.
Terrifier 2
#9 was the little horror movie that could. Faced with a troubled production due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Terrifier 2 went on to set box office records and made over $12 million on a $250,000 budget. The first Terrifier is a fine if completely unmemorable slasher, but this sequel is bigger and better in every way. Director Damien Leone listened to fan complaints and fixed pretty well every single one of the issues audiences had with the first. The characters, acting and story are all given a huge upgrade and the kills have to be seen to be believed due to their extreme and graphic nature. It’s amazing how big this film feels in scope in spite of such a small budget and its lengthy runtime mostly flies by. David Howard Thornton is one step closer to becoming a new horror icon as Art the Clown and Lauren LaVera is arguably one of the greatest final girls ever as Sienna Shaw as she undoubtedly has a very bright future ahead. Bring on Terrifier 3.
Scream
It feels weird putting Scream this low on the list because it’s arguably the most well paced, rewatchable and entertaining horror films of 2022. This is the first entry in the franchise without Wes Craven’s involvement and the second without Kevin Williamson in the writer’s seat. All the odds were stacked against it but thankfully Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett honor Craven’s legacy by delivering a satisfying sequel that ranks up there with the franchise’s best. The film introduces a likeable set of new characters and handles the legacy characters with respect. The killer reveal might be obvious but the brutal kills, sense of humor and meta commentary help this feel like a proper Scream sequel. It might not take a ton of risks, but it gives everything fans could ask for and leaves them hungry for more. Here’s hoping Scream 6 is just as good, if not even better.
Pearl
Have we ever gotten two horror films in the same franchise released within only months of each other? Filmed before the filmmakers even knew their first would be a success, it’s kind of a miracle that Pearl exists and it’s as excellent as it is. X may be a little higher on this list, but Pearl is still highly effective and expertly made. Mia Goth delivers one of the best performances of 2022 and it’s a shame she’s not getting more recognition for it. Where the former was paying homage to grindhouse slashers of the 70’s and 80’s, this one feels more like a tribute to the golden age of cinema. It might take some time to get going, but it ends with one of the more memorable final acts of the year. Though the film might not be a full-on horror movie or slasher, it’s still deeply disturbing and pretty tragic with shades of both genres sprinkled in. Goth’s monologue in the last act and the final shot are haunting on their own and will be discussed for years to come.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
There was some debate on whether or not to include Bodies Bodies Bodies in this list because it feels more like a Gen Z whodunit or a satire of the slasher genre than it does a full-on horror film but because audiences don’t actually realize that until after it’s over and for the most part, plays out as a horror comedy, it’s on the list. This is a wickedly clever, wildly entertaining and most of all fun whodunit with an excellent cast. While it might not be scary, and the comedy overtakes the horror most of the time, it keeps audiences guessing throughout and also laughing at the stupidity of the characters. It’s hard to spend 90-minutes with a group of mostly unlikeable characters and it’s even harder to pull off an ending like this one had, resulting in one of the more enjoyable and surprising films of the year. It’s really nice to see A24 put out this and X in the same year due to how different they both feel to most A24 horror films.
Fresh
Why does nobody talk about Fresh anymore? Following its virtual debut at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, it’s managed to stay in contention all year long. This is yet another film that benefits going in knowing as little as possible but just be warned the subject matter is incredibly disturbing and hard to stomach (no pun intended). The film plays out as a charming romantic comedy and a commentary on the dating scene for the first act before pulling the rug out from under audiences and going in a completely different direction after an all-time title drop. After the big reveal at the end of the first act, there isn’t a lot of other surprises in store but it blends pitch black comedy with some absolutely horrific and disgusting material to perfection. Audiences have never seen Sebastian Stan like this before as he delivers one of his best performances while Daisy Edgar-Jones matches him every step of the way in a star-making performance. This isn’t for everybody and it’s pretty sick and twisted but it’s one of the stronger films of the year.
Nope
Nope is an undeniably fascinating experience. Like any Jordan Peele film, there’s so much to discuss and so many different ways to interpret it but what stands out the most is how for those who don’t want to engage with it on a deeper level, it still works as an enjoyable summer blockbuster that pays homage to some of the greats. A lot of audiences walked out of this one polarized because it was so different than what they were expecting and that’s one of the reasons why the film is so high on this list. It’s different and weird but also has all the elements of a real crowd-pleaser. This might fall more under the sci-fi/thriller genre than the horror genre but it is nonetheless still responsible for some absolutely terrifying and unnerving sequences that are more haunting than anything else this year (The Star Lasso experience still gives me chills). Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer are the glue that hold it all together and their sibling bond gives this some unexpected heart and emotion. Peele is one of the best directors working today, and we’ll all be eagerly awaiting to see his next project.
Barbarian
If there’s any movie on this list that you should go into completely blind, it’s Barbarian. Despite being out for months and already seen by countless audiences, it’s still one that one needs to tiptoe around as to not give anything away. The film starts off as a fairly standard thriller but then takes a hard left turn at the end of the first act and turns into one of the most crazy, shocking, and unpredictable movies of the past several years to put it lightly. There’s absolutely no way to predict what happens in the back half and it’s positively nuts in the best way imaginable. Without getting too much into their roles, Georgina Campbell, and Bill Skarsgård are both great, but the real MVP is Justin Long who commands the screen as soon as he’s introduced in what might be his best performance to date. Wish we could go more into this one but for those who haven’t seen, then it’s almost essential to go in knowing as little as possible. Zach Creggor is a madman for this one, but can he please release his next film ASAP?? He’s already one of the most promising and exciting directors working in horror despite this being his first venture. Can’t wait to see what he does next.
X
It actually kind of hurts to not have X in the #1 spot but #2 is still a pretty great spot for it. This is without a doubt one of the best and most well-made slashers ever. It’s such a gloriously gory, wildly entertaining, surprisingly very funny, expertly paced, and crazy fun throwback to grindhouse films of the 70’s while still forming its own identity and feeling enough like its own thing. The cast is all great especially Mia Goth in her dual role as Ti West keeps audiences unnerved and on the edge of their seats for the entire second half while maintaining a dark sense of humor throughout. This is most definitely a film of two halves and the slow burn approach to the first half will turn some people off, but they compliment each other nicely once the explosive second half hits. Taking the recognizable cast out, it feels like it could’ve been made in the 70’s and the farmhouse is an absolutely perfect slasher movie setting. There’s honestly very little wrong here and it holds up exceptionally well on repeat viewings. West is a genius for making this and Pearl in the same year with a third chapter in this trilogy already on the way.
Bones and All
Bones and All is not your typical horror film. In fact, it almost feels weird to put it in the #1 spot because limiting it to just horror feels wrong. Not only is it a horrific cannibal horror but it’s a sweet and endearing romance, a meandering road trip drama and most prominently a deeply moving coming of age story about two outcasts and yet somehow it blend all of its vastly different subgenres together to perfection and almost create an entirely new genre of its own. Somehow it features some of the grossest scenes of the year through the cannibal side of things (without ever becoming too gratuitous) but also some of the most touching and romantic ones between it’s two leads who are both brilliantly played by Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet in what might be career best performances for them both. The relationship that forms between their characters is the heart and soul of the film while Mark Rylance plays one of the creepiest characters in recent memory. It’s amazing what Luca Guadagnino, Russell and Chalamet accomplish with this one and how unique it is. Like a character in the film says, “There’s before Bones and All, and then there’s after” and that’s a perfect way to sum it up. Not only is this the best horror film of 2022 but it might even be the best film of 2022 in general. There’s nothing else like it.
Stay tuned as we run down the best films in other genres as we finish our 2022 wrap-up. What horror films are you looking forward in 2023? Check out our interactive 2023 theatrical release calendar here.
*still courtesy of Warner Bros.*
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