In this fourth special edition KBZ article, we’re going to review the best horror films by decade for your Halloween movie night. We’ll select the best and scariest films from the 1970’s up to the most recent horror films from 2023.
These articles will act as more detailed companion articles to our previous Halloween articles which covered some lesser-known horror films to watch on Halloween. Our article on the Top Scariest Halloween Films for Adults You Haven’t Seen covered a mix of obscure and bone chilling horror while also breaking down some recommended horror films by popular horror subgenres. And we also have a list of the Top Scariest Halloween Films For Kids You Haven’t Seen if you’re looking for some tamer scares for various age groups.
This fourth article will cover the Best 2000’s Horror Films for Halloween and you can view articles as we release them from the list below:
- The Best 1970’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 1980’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 1990’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 2000’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 2010’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2020 for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2021 for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2022 for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2023 for Halloween
For our rankings we’re going to use some criteria to help define and refine our list. First, we’re going to rank each film by how scary it is (and is known for). Though how ‘scary’ a film might be is subjective and older films might not be deemed scary by today’s standards, there are quite a few films that even decades later, will have you cringing in fear.
Second, we aren’t going to cover every sequel of every horror franchise out there. Horror is known for milking a franchise as much as possible with often increasingly subpar films. Unless a sequel or reboot is worth noting, we’ll be focusing on the initial iterations of these horror classics.
Third, we’ll try to make sure at least one film from every year per decade is included. Decades such as the 1980’s were top heavy with the amount of horror films released in the first half of the decade compared to the latter half.
And fourth, we had to follow our rule for all of KBZ’s film listings where we only list films that have a 4.0/10 or higher rating. We’re also only considering films released after 1970.
Our complete list of Horror Films for Halloween features over 167+ films from 1931 – 2023 and this is a good staring point if you’re looking for some of the best and classic Halloween Horror recommendations. And if you’ve seen most of the films on this list, we also have various articles reviewing the best obscure films by subgenre including the Best Body Horror films, the Best Space Horror Films, the Best Films about Ghosts and Hauntings, the Top Dark Fantasy Films and so on. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release future articles on these special edition Halloween lists or future articles on recommended horror films by subgenre.
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The Best 2000’s Horror Films for Halloween
Honorable Mentions: Pitch Black (2000), American Psycho (2000), Ginger Snaps (2000), The Cell (2000), Hannibal (2000), The Devil’s Backbone (2001), Jeepers Creepers (2001), The Others (2001), Session 9 (2001), 28 Days Later (2002), The Mothman Prophecies (2002), Resident Evil (2002), Blade II (2002), Dog Soldiers (2002), Dahmer (2002), Red Dragon (2002), Wrong Turn (2003), High Tension (2003), A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), Cabin Fever (2003), Dead End (2003), Premonition (2004), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Shutter (2004), Reeker (2005), The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Hostel (2006), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Slither (2006), Hatchet (2006), Silent Hill (2006), Mulberry Street (2006), The Host (2006), Cold Prey (2007), Halloween (2007), The Orphanage (2007), Inside (2007), 1408 (2007), Funny Games (2007), Cloverfield (2008), Let the Right One In (2008), The Ruins (2008), The Midnight Meat Train (2008), Eden Lake (2008), Quarantine (2008), Drag Me to Hell (2009), Orphan (2009), Carriers (2009), Zombieland (2009), Blood Creek (2009), Triangle (2009) and The House of the Devil (2009).
Rank 20-1:
#20 Wolf Creek (2005) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#19 Pulse (2001) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#18 The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2009) Where to Stream / Buy: Tubi
#17 Paranormal Activity (2007) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#16 The Collector (2009) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#15 30 Days of Night (2007) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#14 Dark Water (2002) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#13 Pandorum (2009) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#12 Saw (2004) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#11 Final Destination (2000) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Volunteer home-care worker Rika is assigned to visit a family, she is cursed and chased by two revengeful fiends: Kayako, a woman brutally murdered by her husband and her son Toshio. Each person that lives in or visits the haunted house is murdered or disappears.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About The Paranormal, Hauntings & Ghosts, Films About Urban Legends, Horror Films from Japan, World Cinema Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: Ju-On had a subpar U.S. remake in The Grudge (2004) even though it was also directed by Takashi Shimizu (director of the original). The original film doesn’t have the high production values or level of acting as the remake, but it makes up for it with its unique combination of unsettling sense of dread, creepiness and shock scares. It’s one of a handful of films that we recommend to others when they’re looking for one of the scariest films of all time and a perfect film to watch on Halloween (even if you’re averse to subtitles).
Additional Lists: Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen – 2000 – 2004 #1
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: After returning from a wedding reception, a couple staying in an isolated vacation house receive a knock on the door in the mid-hours of the night. What ensues is a violent invasion by three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, in which they go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive.
Horror Subgenre(s): Home Invasion Films
KBZ’s Take: The Strangers is one of the most brutal, yet best, films about home invasions. It’s not easy to watch and has a nihilistic thread that runs throughout most of the film. But if you’re looking for a film that will truly scare you at home, this is the film. Just make sure you’ve double checked all your windows and doors before watching…
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#8
The Ring
Plot: It sounded like just another urban legend: A videotape filled with nightmarish images, leading to a phone call foretelling the viewer’s death in exactly seven days. As a newspaper reporter, Rachel Keller was naturally skeptical of the story, until four teenagers all met with mysterious deaths exactly one week after watching just such a tape. Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the better of her, Rachel tracks down the video… and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the Ring.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About The Paranormal, Hauntings & Ghosts, Films About Urban Legends
KBZ’s Take: The Ring is one of a handful of J-Horror remakes that is considered superior to its source material. While both films have their strengths and weaknesses, we personally prefer the original Ringu (1998) for its unique and creepy atmosphere that the remake can’t quite match. But if you absolutely hate subtitles, go with The Ring for an introduction to Sadako – one of the scariest ‘ghosts’ of horror.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#7
Martyrs
Plot: A young woman’s quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tortured her as a child leads her and her best friend, also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.
Subgenre(s): Body Horror Films, Films About Cults, Home Invasion Films, Psychological Horror Films, Splatter & Gore Films
KBZ’s Take: Warning: this film is not for the faint of heart. As we mentioned in previous articles that list this film, this was probably the most extreme French horror film released in the 2000’s. It’s often in the Top 3 of any Most Disturbing Films of All Time lists and it’s often labeled as “torture porn”. The film has also spawned numerous debates about the ending if you can make it that far. If you scare easily or have a weak stomach, this film might not be for you. But for hardcore horror lovers, this is one of the most disturbing, depressing and terrifying films you can watch on Halloween.
Additional Lists: Top Body Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 2000’s #1, Top Films About Cults You Haven’t Seen 1990 – 2009 #2, Top World Cinema Horror Films You Haven’t Seen #6
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#6
[REC]
Plot: A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About Zombies, Found Footage Films, World Cinema Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: [REC] is one of the better found footage films that has come out over the years and is well-known for its shock scares and quick descent into chaos. Even if you’re not a fan of the found footage format or subtitles, it’s a film we strongly recommend you check out for Halloween. It’s that scary. You can always check out the U.S. remake Quarantine (2008), but it just doesn’t compare to the terrifying original.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#5
The Mist
Plot: After a violent storm, a dense cloud of mist envelops a small Maine town, trapping artist David Drayton and his five-year-old son in a local grocery store with other people. They soon discover that the mist conceals deadly horrors that threaten their lives, and worse, their sanity.
Horror Subgenre(s): Cosmic Horror Films, Films About Monsters, Survival Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: Easily one of the best Stephen King Film Adaptations, The Mist is a dark and brooding film – perfect for a Hallow’s Eve scarefest. We’re not sure if the cult themes or inter-dimensional monsters are the scarier aspects of this film, but we can unequivocally say it has one of the best (if not THE best) endings of the entire horror genre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A group of survivors take refuge in a shopping mall after the world is taken over by aggressive, flesh-eating zombies.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About Zombies, Splatter & Gore Films
KBZ’s Take: If you prefer the chaotic, fast-moving Zombies to the slow, lumbering Zombies of decades past, there’s no better Zombie film than Dawn of the Dead. However, there are enough differences in this film compared to the original that both would make a great Zombie-filled double feature on Halloween night.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#3
The Eye
Plot: A blind concert violinist gets a cornea transplant allowing her to see again. However, she gets more than she bargained for when she realizes her new eye can see ghosts. She sets out to find the origins of the cornea and discover the fate of its former host.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About The Paranormal, Hauntings & Ghosts, World Cinema Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: Of all the Asian Horror remakes that flooded cinema in the 2000’s, The Eye (2008) was the least effective in recreating the horrifying scares of the original. The Pang Brothers out of Hong Kong created something very special in the horror genre with The Eye. This is one of the scariest films you’ll ever see with numerous jump scares you won’t see coming. If you want a Halloween Night that will have you curled up in the fetal position on your couch, watch The Eye.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen – 2000 – 2004 #2
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: The inhabitants of the British Isles have lost their battle against the onslaught of disease, as the deadly rage virus has killed every citizen there. Six months later, a group of Americans dare to set foot on the isles, convinced the danger has come and gone. But it soon becomes all too clear that the scourge continues to live, waiting to pounce on its next victims.
Horror Subgenre(s): Survival Horror Films, Films About Zombies
KBZ’s Take: We might be in the minority, but we think 28 Weeks Later is a better (and scarier) film than 28 Days Later (2002). While the latter is a classic film in its own right, it tends to be more focused on the immediate aftermath of the Rage Virus and the beginning stages of a descent into a Post-Apocalypse world. Though it’s better to have seen the first film, 28 Weeks Later isn’t a direct sequel so you’ll have no problem getting right into the chaotic and terrifying results of the Rage Virus.
Additional Lists: Best Post-Apocalypse Films #9
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#1
The Descent
Plot: After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition. Their adventure soon goes horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground and they find themselves pursued by bloodthirsty creatures. As their friendships deteriorate, they find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive the creatures and each other.
Horror Subgenre(s): Survival Horror Films, Films About Monsters
KBZ’s Take: The Descent is always our first recommendation to other people who ask for a Halloween night horror movie they haven’t seen – and it never disappoints. It has multiple levels of scares from an extremely claustrophobic setting to some very terrifying monsters. It’s known as one of the scariest films for a reason and if you still haven’t seen this film yet, you’re doing yourself (and your horror cred) a serious disservice.
Additional Lists: Top Scariest Halloween Films for Adults You Haven’t Seen #1
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
