Most Disturbing Movies

Updated May 1, 2024

Ever seen these Most Disturbing Movies? We guarantee you'll find some new picks. Here are 25 of the best ones.

Oldboy (2003)

★★★★

3.4 out of 4 stars

From Park Chan-wook, starring Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Rated R

Oldboy is a 2003 South Korean psychological thriller film directed by Park Chan-wook. It tells the story of a man named Oh Dae-su, who is mysteriously kidnapped and imprisoned in a strange and isolated hotel room for 15 years without explanation. After his release, he embarks on a quest to discover why he was imprisoned, and sets out to exact revenge on those responsible. Along the way, he is aided by a young woman named Mi-do, who sympathizes with his plight. The film is filled with suspense, violence, and plot twists, and is noted for its complex visual style and its dark, philosophical themes.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

★★★★

3.3 out of 4 stars

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans
Rated R

Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 American psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans. The film follows the lives of four characters - an elderly woman, her son, her best friend, and her boyfriend - as they each struggle to make their dreams come true. The story is set in Brooklyn and follows their journeys as they become increasingly dependent on drugs and find themselves on a journey of self-destruction. As their dreams become increasingly distant, they all realize that they have been living a lie and must face the harsh realities of the world. The film is a powerful depiction of the devastating consequences of drug addiction and the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most dire circumstances.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

★★★★

3.3 out of 4 stars

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke
Rated R

A Clockwork Orange tells the story of Alex, a charismatic and highly intelligent but sociopathic youth living in an oppressive and dystopian near-future Britain. After committing a series of violent crimes, Alex is caught and sentenced to 14 years in prison. During his incarceration, he volunteers for an experimental behavior modification program which seeks to condition him to become a model citizen. Through a series of disturbing and intense scenes, Alex's humanity is slowly stripped away as he is conditioned to become docile and obedient. The film follows Alex's journey from violent punk to brainwashed drone, and his subsequent struggle for identity and freedom. It is a powerful exploration of free will, morality, and the effects of violence, set against the backdrop of a frighteningly realistic dystopian future.

The Exorcist (1973)

★★★★

3.2 out of 4 stars

From William Friedkin, starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb
Rated R

The Exorcist is a 1973 supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin, based on the novel by William Peter Blatty. The film follows the story of a young girl, Regan, who begins to exhibit strange and disturbing behavior after a seemingly innocent game of Ouija Board. As her behavior continues to worsen and her mother becomes increasingly desperate, a local priest performs an exorcism on the girl with the help of an experienced exorcist. The film follows the obstacles and struggles of the priests as they battle against a powerful and mysterious force to save the girl’s life. It also explores the themes of faith, family, and the power of belief.

I Saw the Devil (2010)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Jee-woon Kim, starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Ho-jin Chun
Rated Not Rated

I Saw the Devil is a South Korean psychological thriller from 2010 directed by Jee-woon Kim. The film follows the story of Kim Soo-hyeon (Byung-hun Lee), a secret agent seeking revenge for the death of his fiancée at the hands of a psychopathic serial killer (Min-sik Choi). After tracking down the murderer, he begins a relentless pursuit of the killer, viciously torturing and tormenting him in an escalating cycle of violence that threatens to consume them both. With a blend of intense action, suspense and shocking gore, I Saw the Devil is a gripping revenge thriller that examines the depths of human depravity and madness.

Happiness (1998)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Todd Solondz, starring Jane Adams, Jon Lovitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Dylan Baker
Rated NC-17

Happiness is a black comedy-drama written and directed by Todd Solondz. The film follows three sisters, Joy, Trish, and Helen, depicting their struggles in life and in their relationships with each other. Joy, played by Jane Adams, is a lonely, unmarried woman who is desperate for love, but her attempts to find it are constantly thwarted. Trish, played by Cynthia Stevenson, is a suburban wife and mother who is living a seemingly idyllic life, but is secretly unfulfilled. Helen, played by Lara Flynn Boyle, is a successful, yet highly promiscuous writer who is struggling with her own inner demons. Through each of their stories, the film explores themes such as loneliness, depression, and the search for meaning in life.

Mysterious Skin (2004)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Gregg Araki, starring Brady Corbet, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elisabeth Shue, Chase Ellison
Rated Unrated

Mysterious Skin is a 2004 coming-of-age drama film directed by Gregg Araki and based on Scott Heim's 1995 novel of the same name. The film follows two pre-adolescent boys, Neil and Brian, as they grapple with the aftermath of a mysterious event from their childhood. Neil, now a teenage hustler and self-proclaimed alien abductee, is convinced that he was taken by aliens at age 8, and struggles to reconcile his memories with his present life. Brian, a shy, introverted outcast, is haunted by a repressed memory that he can't explain. When he finally discovers the truth about what happened to them both, the two boys must face the implications of their shared experience. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brady Corbet, and Michelle Trachtenberg, and features a score by Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie.

The Skin I Live In (2011)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet, Marisa Paredes
Rated R

The Skin I Live In is a Spanish psychological thriller directed by Pedro Almodóvar. The film follows the story of Dr. Robert Ledgard, a renowned plastic surgeon who has become obsessed with creating an artificial skin that will be resistant to all types of damage. Ledgard abducts the son of a criminal who had been previously convicted of killing his wife and uses him as a guinea pig in his experiments. His plan is to create a perfect skin that his captive, whom he names “Vincente,” will be forced to wear as a punishment for his father’s crime. As the experiments progress, Ledgard’s dark past comes to haunt him and it slowly becomes clear that his obsession with creating a perfect skin is really about his own personal revenge and redemption. In the end, Ledgard must confront the consequences of his actions when his captive makes a daring escape.

Funny Games (1997)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Michael Haneke, starring Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
Rated Not Rated

Funny Games is a psychological horror film written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke. The film follows a family of three—Anne, George and their son, Georgie—on vacation at their summer home. One day, two young men, Peter and Paul, come to their door, claiming to be neighbors and friends of their son's and asking for eggs. After being invited in for lunch, the two men suddenly turn on the family and take them captive. As the two men begin to taunt and torture them, it becomes clear that their intention is to play a series of cruel and sadistic "games" with the family, with no chance of escape. As the family struggles to survive, the film poses questions about violence, morality, and the roles of predators and prey.