Most Disturbing Horror Movies

Updated May 1, 2024

Ever watched these Most Disturbing Horror Movies? We know for sure you'll find some new movies. We gathered 25 of our favorites.

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. The film tells the story of a man who is kidnapped and held captive for 15 years in solitary confinement. After his release, he embarks on a journey to seek revenge against his captors. Along the way, he discovers the shocking truth behind his imprisonment and learns the meaning of redemption. The film won multiple awards including the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time.

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. It tells the story of four characters whose lives are intertwined by their addictions, and their struggles to overcome them. The film follows the lives of Harry Goldfarb (Leto) and his mother, Sara Goldfarb (Burstyn), as they each battle their own drug addictions. Harry and his girlfriend Marion (Connelly) are desperate to find money to fund their own heroin habit. Meanwhile, Sara struggles with an addiction to diet pills, as her dream of appearing on a television game show slowly slips away. As each of the characters descend deeper into their addictions, the film culminates with a powerful and haunting climax. Requiem for a Dream ultimately explores the devastating effects of addiction and its impact on the lives of its characters.

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 is a 1971 science fiction/drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The story follows the life of protagonist Alex, a charismatic and highly intelligent but deeply disturbed 15-year-old who lives in a dystopian society. After Alex and his gang commit a series of increasingly violent crimes, he is captured and subjected to a controversial form of psychological treatment. The film follows Alex's journey as he struggles with the morality of his actions and the consequences of a society that seeks to control him. It's thought-provoking and disturbing exploration of free will, morality, and the dark side of human nature make it a classic of cinema.

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 tells the story of a young girl, Regan, who becomes possessed by a powerful and mysterious force. The film follows Father Damien Karras, a troubled Catholic priest, and Father Lankester Merrin, an experienced exorcist, as they attempt to exorcise the demon from Regan's body. Over the course of the film, the fathers face numerous psychological and physical challenges as they fight against the forces of evil. As the story progresses, their faith and courage is tested as they attempt to save Regan and her family. In the end, the exorcism is successful and the demon is driven from Regan's body.

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 2010 South Korean psychological thriller directed by Jee-woon Kim. It follows the story of a National Intelligence Service agent, Kim Soo-hyeon (Lee Byung-hun), who is on a quest for revenge when his fiancée is brutally murdered by a psychopathic serial killer, Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik). Determined to find the killer, Kim sets out on an obsessive pursuit to track him down and punish him for his heinous crime. The film follows the cat-and-mouse game between the two as Kim slowly starts losing his grip on reality and descends into a violent and vengeful darkness. Along with its action and suspense, the film also tackles themes of revenge, justice and morality.

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 1998 black comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz. The film follows the lives of three sisters; Joy, Trish, and Helen, who are in different stages of life and have different levels of success in terms of family and career. Joy, the eldest, is a successful author and has a happy marriage and family. Trish, the middle sister, is a housewife with a troubled marriage, and Helen, the youngest, is a promiscuous single woman. The film explores themes of depression, suicide, pedophilia, and social alienation, as it chronicles the lives of the three sisters and their individual journeys of self-discovery.

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 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Gregg Araki, and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brady Corbet, and Michelle Trachtenberg. The film tells the story of two pre-adolescent boys who are sexually abused by their baseball coach. Eight years later, one of the boys, Neil, has become a hustler, while the other, Brian, has blocked out the abuse and turned to alien abduction stories as a source of comfort. As they confront the past and try to heal, their paths begin to intertwine in ways they never expected.

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 2011 Spanish psychological thriller film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. It stars Antonio Banderas as a brilliant plastic surgeon who creates a type of synthetic skin that is able to withstand extreme temperatures and other harsh conditions. He uses this new skin on a mysterious, captive woman in his home. The story follows the doctor's dark obsession with the woman as it slowly unravels the mystery of her identity and past. The film also explores themes of identity, revenge, and morality. Ultimately, the doctor's efforts to create a perfect human being are revealed to be a macabre attempt at avenging his daughter's rape.

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 follows a family of three – Georg, Anna, and their son Georgie – on vacation at their vacation home. They are soon visited by two young men, Peter and Paul, who play sadistic "games" with them. The two men terrorize the family, taunting them by manipulating their emotions and playing psychological mind games. As the family struggles to survive the night, they are forced to confront their own mortality and the fragility of life. Through the course of the film, the family's suffering serves as a commentary on the audience's own levels of complicity and apathy towards violence in the media. Ultimately, the film serves as a warning to the audience to reflect on their own actions and the consequences that can arise from a passive stance towards violence.