Horror movies: The critics’ six best horror movies on Netflix

When it comes to horror movies, it’s not unusual for the opinions of movie critics and audiences to be on opposite sides of the spectrum. For «Split», however, they’re in agreement: The audience score of 79% and a critics’ score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes speak for themselves. «The Sixth Sense» director M. Night Shyamalan has brought us «Split», a mix of psycho-thriller, horror movie and kidnap drama that will have you on the edge of your seat, especially thanks to James McAvoy’s outstanding performance and the intense suspense built up towards the end of the movie.

Plot: A man kidnaps three girls. As if that weren’t bad enough, it turns out that the kidnapper’s 24 different personalities make him more than just a little unpredictable. Together, the three friends have to try to appeal to some of his alter egos in order to stay alive.

The Netflix production «Apostle» may seem like a typical historical drama at first glance – but Gareth Evans’s work is in fact a horror movie that is as original as it is scary, and whose blood-soaked second half is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Plot: The year is 1905. Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) has returned home to find that his sister has been kidnapped. Determined to free her from the clutches of a religious cult, he travels to an isolated island where she’s being held. Arriving on the island, he uncovers a terrible secret that surpasses the limits of his imagination.

There are plenty of horror movies that feature spine-chilling visitations, but «The Conjuring» is an absolute highlight that simply can’t be left off our list. The movie is partly based on true events surrounding the demonologist couple Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga).

We’ll probably never know for sure whether the events in «The Conjuring» actually took place as they’re shown. But even if only a fraction of what took place in the 1970s in a Connecticut farmhouse are true, it’s enough to scare the pants off you.

Plot: A family with five children moves into an old farmhouse and strange things soon start to happen. A rotten smell at night, clapping sounds or birds flying into the building facade are not uncommon. Finally, a race against time begins: Ed and Lorraine must protect the family from paranormal forces.

The Spanish horror movie «Verónica» has long been rated «the scariest movie of all time» on the Internet. As is so often the case, this movie shows why you should never touch a ouija board. Although «Verónica» sometimes has a rather predictable plot, Paco Plaza’s work nonetheless gives you goosebumps thanks to the extraordinary performances by his young actresses.

Plot: In Madrid in 1991, a teenager makes a serious mistake. After she and two classmates hold a séance with a ouija board, a malevolent, supernatural power haunts her.

Admittedly, Ruben Fleischer’s zombie movie isn’t your traditional horror movie. Instead, «Zombieland» shows audiences how varied the horror genre can be. The movie is a mix of horror and quirky comedy, and is aimed at zombie fans with a sense of humor. With a high-profile cast – made up of Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg, among others – this horror comedy will have you laughing your head off.

Plot: A mutated mad cow virus means that the US is almost entirely populated by zombies. Everyone who hasn’t been infected yet is either tough or pretty smart. A disparate and rather chaotic group in «Zombieland» tries hard not to get infected.

Among the multitude of movies about exorcisms, in which crises of faith often also play a central role, «The Old Ways» is a welcome change. That’s because Christopher Alexander’s movie focuses primarily on preserving ancient traditions and cultures. The movie, which is essentially a psycho-thriller, features supernatural horror and has monsters too.

Plot: In the depths of the Veracruz jungle, journalist Cristina Lopez (Brigitte Kali Canales) is captured by a mysterious witch who is convinced that Lopez is possessed by a demon. Her primeval fight for survival eventually turns into a fight for her soul.

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