Top 10 Must-See Horror Films of 2022

The latest film I watched by Alex Garland is Men, a truly nightmarish experience. It tells the story of a woman named Harper Marlowe, who goes on a retreat to a countryside manor in England after the death of her husband.

Men follows Harper, a woman who chooses to spend her vacation alone in the small village of Cotson after the death of her husband James, despite their previous decision to divorce due to James' emotional manipulation and abuse. The peaceful countryside seems inviting, but there's something unsettling about the fact that all the people she encounters are men. More specifically, from the caretaker, the priest, the bartender, the police officer, to a creepy naked stalker and an odd young boy—every one of them bears the same face. At first, it seems like she might find peace here, but things take a dark turn when men with the same face as Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear), the manor's owner, start appearing. The constant dread and the creepy sense of being followed without clear motive or explanation keeps you on edge. Men is truly haunting, offering a powerful commentary on patriarchal control when women enter a male-dominated space. It's the perfect choice for a weekend watch with friends or family.

The talented screenwriter of modern horror films, Ti West, returns to the big screen with X, which can be seen as a reimagined take on Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

X follows a group of filmmakers who venture into rural Texas to shoot an adult film. However, when an elderly reclusive couple catches them in the act, the filmmakers must fight for their survival. While the movie might feel familiar to those who've seen other horror films, X takes you on a chilling journey that will haunt you long after the credits roll. Lorraine is filming an adult movie for the booming home video market. Maxine aspires to become a star, while Bobby and Jackson begin a romantic relationship. Lorraine, unimpressed by the film’s premise, criticizes RJ’s efforts to make it a serious cinematic project. The group arrives at Howard and Pearl's farm, where they plan to shoot the film. As the production begins, Pearl invites Maxine into the couple's home for an awkward conversation. Pearl expresses her envy of Maxine's youth and becomes increasingly obsessed. As night falls, the crew relaxes on the farm, but Lorraine, trying to shed her reputation as rude, joins a scene that disturbs RJ, who eventually films a scene with her and Jackson. Just when things seem calm, a nightmare looms on the horizon, and they are unprepared for the horrors to come.

The Watcher is a chilling new horror series from Netflix, created by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) and his collaborator Ian Brennan. The show combines fictional elements with the terrifying true story of the 'Watcher House' in New Jersey.

The plot of The Watcher centers around a family who moves into their dream home in New Jersey, but their happiness quickly turns to nightmare when they start receiving ominous letters. The family begins to feel unsafe in their new house as a series of threatening notes arrive, signed by a mysterious figure known as 'The Watcher'. The watcher claims to be observing them and demands that they provide what he wants for the house. Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale star as Nora and Dean Brannock, a married couple with two children. As the letters pile up, they find not only strange figures lurking around their home, but their neighbors also start to act increasingly odd.

The trailer for The Watcher reveals a scene of a man in a heavy coat and a chilling image of four bodies on the floor. The family is haunted by various invisible fears, and eventually, the Brannocks chase someone through a dark underground tunnel.

Crimes of the Future marks the return of director David Cronenberg to the horror and science fiction genres since his 1999 film eXistenZ.

Crimes of the Future is set in a dystopian future where humanity has evolved to coexist with hybrid human creatures. The acceleration of evolution leads to the appearance of new body parts, constantly shifting the definition of what it means to be human. Many are eager to embrace this new phase of evolution, especially as the sensation of physical pain has disappeared for the evolved beings. Cronenberg is renowned for pioneering body-horror films, and this movie is filled with autopsies, bodily surgeries, and the reconfiguration of human anatomy. The characters in the film live in a future world where some have evolved beyond the experience of physical pain, freely altering their bodies. At the film’s premiere, several audience members could not endure the disturbing content, with some leaving the theater within the first five minutes. Another wave of walkouts occurred when a particularly unsettling scene showed Léa Seydoux’s character licking a bleeding wound and finding pleasure in the act. Despite some viewers finding the film overwhelming, Cronenberg received a seven-minute standing ovation from those who managed to watch the film from start to finish.

In Crimes of the Future, Kristen Stewart plays a researcher investigating a condition called Evolutionary Thrill Syndrome, which drives people to commit bizarre and deviant acts in pursuit of superior evolution. This condition is exploited by a shadowy force pushing humanity toward its next, dangerous evolutionary phase.

Orphan: First Kill is the prequel to the iconic horror villain Esther Leena Klammer. The film generates intrigue as 25-year-old Isabelle Fuhrman returns to reprise her role as Esther, who is actually a 33-year-old woman posing as a 9-year-old child.

Originally released in 2009, the first Orphan movie starred Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther, a 9-year-old Russian girl adopted by the Coleman family (Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard) after the stillbirth of their third child. Esther soon begins exhibiting violent and unnervingly adult behaviors, causing a rift with her adoptive mother. The shocking twist at the end revealed that Esther was actually a woman with a hormonal disorder who had spent her life pretending to be a child and killing the families that took her in. Although the first movie ended with Esther’s death, Orphan: First Kill takes us back to the time when Esther first began her killing spree. After escaping a psychiatric facility in Estonia, Leena assumes the identity of Esther Albright, the missing daughter of a wealthy Connecticut family. But her new life is threatened by a protective mother who will stop at nothing to defend her family. In the trailer for Orphan: First Kill, viewers can spot the new mother and her son Gunnar, who are the first to grow suspicious of Esther, while the father remains oblivious and continues to show her affection due to their shared love of art.

There's a moment of jealousy that cuts in, but filmmakers have revealed that there will be a major twist halfway through the story, setting this prequel apart from its predecessor.

The Black Phone is set in 1978 in a quiet suburban neighborhood in North Denver, Colorado. The story follows young Finney (Mason Thames), who lives with his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) and their troubled father (Jeremy Davies). The family struggles with various issues.

Finney is bullied by his classmates, Gwen experiences strange dreams, and their father, a drunkard, is haunted by the recent death of his wife. He often lashes out at Gwen, even resorting to corporal punishment whenever she mentions her psychic abilities, which she inherited from her mother. He believes that these dreams drove her mother to suicide. The tension escalates when several of Finney's friends go missing, and Gwen begins to dream of black balloons at the scene of the abductions. The kidnapper, known as 'The Grabber' (played by Ethan Hawke), is revealed to be a sinister figure who abducts and kills young boys, imprisoning them in a dark, filthy basement where the only light comes from a small window. When Finney is captured, he discovers that he can use the black phone in the basement to communicate with the five previous victims. These boys guide Finney with clues that may help him escape and avoid The Grabber's torment. The Black Phone unfolds along two parallel storylines: Finney's efforts to decode the psychic messages to escape the basement, while Gwen uses her visions to search for her missing brother. These two narratives intersect, ensuring a cohesive storyline that keeps the audience engaged.

The Black Phone does not rely on excessive gore or cheap jump scares. Director Scott Derrickson expertly uses color and sound to amplify the horror elements. The warm, nostalgic brown and yellow tones of the 1970s blend with the vivid red of blood and the eerie glow of neon police lights, creating a contrasting effect that signals danger lurking beneath the peaceful surface. The upbeat music slowly fades, replaced by a deep, pounding bass, echoing from the dark depths of The Grabber's basement.

Nope is a horror film revolving around siblings OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer), who inherit their father’s horse ranch. The story kicks off with a tragic incident where their father dies after being struck by a mysterious object (presumably from an aircraft). Following this, a series of strange occurrences begin to unfold.

OJ notices a stationary cloud in the sky, while a UFO-like object repeatedly circles their home. Every time this entity appears, the horses instinctively grow agitated and flee. While Nope touches on science fiction elements akin to Steven Spielberg’s works, its story is far more grounded and relatable. Much like Jordan Peele’s previous horror films, the film is not just a thrilling ride full of scares; it also conveys deep societal messages. Get Out left viewers shaken with its critique on racial issues, while Us offered profound reflections on a divided America. In contrast to Us, which perfectly balanced its thematic content and horror, Nope strives for a more expansive narrative, one that is more about storytelling than pure thrills. This, however, becomes a double-edged sword, as the plot may not immediately capture the audience’s attention.

By focusing on a narrative-driven approach from the start, Nope may struggle to keep viewers hooked throughout the film. Yet, as the story progresses, Peele fine-tunes the pacing with clearer connections and thrilling jump scares, gradually drawing the audience back into the story.

Fresh is a chilling yet darkly comedic rom-com from Hulu that quickly grabbed attention for its unsettling blend of modern dating with a literal and gruesome obsession with the flesh. The film features Daisy Edgar-Jones, beloved for her role in Normal People, and Sebastian Stan, the captivating Winter Soldier.

The movie takes its time in the opening, with the title and credits rolling in the first 35 minutes. During this stretch, viewers are led to believe they’re watching a typical romantic comedy, starting with a disastrous date Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) experiences. She feels isolated from the world around her, with no close family ties and an aversion to socializing. In search of love, she struggles to connect with anyone and, like many, turns to modern dating apps. Her encounters are mostly disappointing until she meets Steve (Sebastian Stan) at the supermarket—an attractive, charming man with an intriguing personality. The two hit it off on their first date, with an easy conversation and an undeniable connection. Noa agrees to a weekend getaway with Steve, only to wake up drugged and realize he’s not just a plastic surgeon, but a serial killer who traffics the body parts of young women.

While Fresh offers engaging performances and a clever premise, the latter half of the movie feels rushed compared to other films in the same genre. However, if you're looking for a film to relax with on the weekend, Fresh is definitely a fun pick.

The Cursed offers a fresh and chilling take on the werewolf legend. Set in an eerie 1880s English village, the film revolves around a series of deadly supernatural events, including a monstrous creature lurking in the surrounding fields and forests.

The story unfolds in a 19th-century French village, where a mysterious and supernatural threat terrorizes the community. John McBride, a pathologist, arrives to investigate the danger, confronting his own personal demons in the process. In the late 1800s, Baron Seamus Laurent massacres a Roma family, cursing both his own family and the village. In the days that follow, the village is thrown into chaos, with Seamus' son Edward vanishing, and a boy’s brutal murder sparking fear. Locals suspect a wild animal is responsible, but McBride warns of an even darker presence hiding in the woods.

The terrifying acts committed by the creature haunt the villagers, but the monster’s origin proves to be far more sinister. The Cursed beautifully captures the misty, gothic atmosphere of France, with stunning 35mm cinematography that adds to the eerie charm of the film.