2024 Edition of Underrated Horror Movies You Need to Watch

Introduction

This list is for all of you horror fans out there looking to explore the hidden gems in the genre; it serves as a compilation of underrated horror movies. From chilling atmospheres to terrifying plots to mind-bending twists, these hidden horror gems are must-watch for any fan of the genre who may have overlooked them among some of the bigger hits like The Conjuring and It. For me, it remains ‘the most underrated of all the Unders.’ But needless to say, this is one horror film that I am sure many women will be willing to watch.

1. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

• Director: André Øvredal;

• Why it’s underrated : The film is intensely atmospheric, genuinely frightening, and yet few people actually know about it. A cursed horror take on a mysterious morgue, this is pure horror;

• Plot summary: A father-and-son coroners duo work on a woman corpse found in a crime scene. The team soon discovers that nothing natural kills this person and that her entire life was a parade of true horrors;

• Why you should watch: This is probably one of the most unappreciated horror films of recent years. In combination with the excellent setting and restriction of the film, it turns out to be eerie and makes blood run cold. If you love slow-burning horrors with paranormal elements, you will love this terror.

2. The Invitation (2015)

• Director: Karyn Kusama

• WHY IT’S UNDERRATED: The Invitation flew under the radar for many casual horror fans but is a hands-down psychological masterpiece. Leading to a surprising spectrum with an almost unbearable tension.

• Plot: Will is invited to a dinner party by his ex-wife, then realizes there might be something more sinister at play.

• Reason to Watch: The film is a masterful thriller that will keep you re-evaluating your ideas of what trust can do in the mind’s eye. A psychological horror gem that you should find on your way out.

3. Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017)

• Director: Issa López

• Why It’s Underrated: Mexican cinema posits a bit of a challenge, but within its subgenre — supernatural horror as it intersects the narcocorrido narrative — We Are The Flesh is raw and horrifying. While critically acclaimed by many, the film remains largely unknown in regards to international horror.

• Synopsis: Trying to make sense of the sudden deaths carried out by cartel violence, a gang of orphaned children flee malevolent spirits who are chasing them. In the desperate struggle for life that persists, the front line separating reality from fiction is blurred.

• Why You Should Stream It: Tigers Are Not Afraid is at times heartbreaking and terrifying, bridging both genres in a way that virtually no filmmaker has ever tried before. If you like Guillermo del Toro movies, you will enjoy this one.

4. The Eyes of My Mother (2016)

• Director: Nicolas Pesce

• Why It’s Underrated: Unsettling arthouse horror that never went for gore and keep its audience out pain but in a minimal ennui drenched meter made this character study/tax shelter obscurity quickly overlooked by mainstream patrons.

• Plot Synopsis:- A lonely, mentally damaged woman becomes obsessed with a horrifying event in her childhood that is connected to brutal consequences which she serves out in her isolated life.

• Why You Should Watch: This movie has some deliciously twisted and unsettling visuals and narrative elements for those who enjoy some edge with their psychological horror, courtesy of the men behind The Shining.

5. The Ritual (2017)

• Director: David Bruckner

• Why It’s Underrated: Despite receiving praise for its atmosphere, creature design and more, The Ritual didn’t seem to capture the attention of your average horror fan.

• Synopsis: A group of friends sets off on a holiday to the modernistic-designed villa in the Swedish woodlands but becomes an ominous dreadful presence that has been growing there unlike some new remodel.

• Why We Recommend This: A haunting folk horror/documentary thriller in the vein of The Witch that fights tooth and claw against the bleakness, featuring a whole lot of white people doing very bad things to caterpillars.

6. The Endless (2017)

• Cast: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead

• Why It’s Underrated: An indie gem of horror and sci-fi disambiguated, but its earthy slid plot prevented it from reaching a larger audience.

• Synopsis: Two brothers are able to escape from the destructive cult they had grown up in and referred to as their “family” for their entire lives. When they catch word that an old acquaintance has tracked them down only further amplifies the man’s delusions of grandeur, his crazed rantings and blood lust.

• Why You Should Watch: So you get this blend of the great unknown, and something with a deeper emotional story. This is a top film if you like films to make you think.

7. The Orphanage (2007)

• Director: J.A. Bayona

• Why It’s Underrated: The Orphanage has been critically acclaimed but it fails to get the attention from the general horror fan base. Which, coupled with its supernatural scares and emotional core, really sets it apart as one of the best foreign horror films out there.

• Synopsis: A woman moves back to the orphanage that raised her in order to open a new facility for disabled kids, but begins to be troubled by disturbing and supernatural occurrences after the son of her best childhood friend Cory goes missing.

• Why You Need To See It: Blending pathos with supernatural horror, The Orphanage offers icy chills as well as the sort of conclusion that sticks in your head for weeks.

8. Session 9 (2001)

• Director: Brad Anderson

• Why It’s Underrated: Yet another atmospheric horror tale set in a rotten former mental asylum, Grave Encounters has actually acquired a cult following, but it never broke through to the masses.

• Plot: A botched exorcism leads to a bloody massacre and the janitorial crew of a rundown building has to deal with some deadly leftovers when evil is finally cleared in The Asylum.

This slice of psychological horror with is the perfect eerie and creepy watch for you if you like to stray down a gothic path.

Conclusion

Yes, the major horror blockbusters always get the attention but these are underrated horror movies that will give you your thrills and chills in ways deserving of true recognition. Whether looking for supernatural scares, psychological horror or just the best modern indie in the genre there is something here that will keep any self-respecting horror fan from getting a good night sleep. These hidden gems should be in your watchlist and be ready to get scared in an unconventional way.