Looking for a pick of Amazon Prime best horror movies? Here we present our Top 10, including the best horror movie on Amazon Prime right now, to satisfy your thirst for horror.
A great horror movie to me, is one that helps me escape from the dark realities of the world around us. Sitting in a dark space absorbing yourself with a good horror story, trying not to jump from your seat or trigger some terrible nightmare, is just plain fun every now and again, in a twisted sort-of way. Fun is a rough term here, but you get the gist. Anyway, we totally recommend it. So, if you’re ready to dig into a spine-tinglingly scary movie on Amazon Prime, check out our selection of Top 10 Amazon Prime Best Horror Movies here before you go any further.
These are some of the most highly rated horror movies that you’ll find on Amazon Prime right now. You have most likely seen some already since we had to obviously include the classics, but we hope this list introduces you to some great horrors that you haven’t been acquainted with yet.
Top 10 – Amazon Prime Best Horror Movies
Alien (1979) #1 Best Horror Movie on Amazon Prime
- Genre: Sci-Fi Horror
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Cast: Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Veronica Cartwright
There can be no horror movie list without ‘Alien’ as it is quite possibly the best scary movie on Amazon Prime ever, or at least one of the best. The brief synopsis of ‘Alien’ is that, after a merchant space ship receives an unknown signal, one of its crew members is attacked by a mysterious life form. Quickly thereafter they realize that the creature’s life cycle had just begun.
‘Alien’ is still one of the most original and frightening movies ever. When comparing this version of ‘Alien’ with the latest ones, this one has an amazingly scary feel to it. It has a great atmosphere and chilling vibe when compared to even today’s horror movies.
The story is very good. The special effects were incredible at the time, and it’s no wonder that the ‘Alien’ franchise is still popular, although unfortunately, the other movies in this series are far from the quality of this or its amazing successor. For a few days after watching it, you can’t help but think of some scenes as happening in real life.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
- Genre: Sci-Fi Horror
- Director: Philip Kaufman
- Cast: Brooke Adams, Donald Sutherland, Kevin McCarthy, Don Siegel
When strange seeds floated from space to earth, mysterious pods began to grow and invaded San Francisco, California, where they transformed residents into emotionless robots one at a time.
In general, I really like the 1978 version of ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’, which surprises and delights. It gives you shivers, but in such a clever way. This is a themed movie that involves the concept of paranoia, and considering what was happening in the world at the time, this was a very popular concept. So remember, if you see any capsules nearby, just hope it isn’t an invisible alien making you the next prey. After all, I got a little paranoid after watching this movie for a few days.
The Monster Squad (1987)
- Genre: Kids Horror
- Director: Fred Dekker
- Cast: Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert, Ashley Bank, Tom Noonan
‘The Monster Squad’ is one of the most highly rated and probably the best horror movie on Amazon Prime for younger viewers. The brief story is that Dracula is still alive. He has a plan to rule the world, so he seeks the help of other legendary monsters to help him with his task. However, a group of children who are regarded as losers by their peers reveal their cunning plans and prepare to defend the world themselves.
This movie brings back memories of watching TV all day on childhood summer vacation. It is still one of my favorite horror movies. I feel really happy just looking at it. So what if the acting isn’t top-notch? It has a great story and the characters are very interesting. If you’re looking for a well-rated, mildly scary movie on Amazon Prime for kids and teens, this is a good pick. Having said that, this is a fascinating movie for all ages, and if you have never seen it, you should check it out.
30 Days of Night (2007)
- Genre: Horror Thriller
- Director: David Slade
- Cast: Melissa George, Josh Hartnett, Danny Huston, Ben Foster
Personally, what scares me the most are vampires, and the horror of having one come into your room at night. This is the story of an isolated town in Alaska. Every year, when the sun goes down on the horizon, it plunges into darkness. When the last rays are gone, the city is attacked by a group of bloodthirsty vampires determined to launch an unending wave of destruction. Only the husband and wife team of bailiffs from a small town stand between the survivors and destruction.
This is a horror movie that is really worth watching. With its many twists and turns, you have no idea know what will happen next and the atmosphere is very creepy. This movie really makes you feel the cold of Alaska. If you’re looking for Amazon Prime best horror movies in the vampire sub-genre specifically, you should put this on your watch list. Overall, it is very good and absolutely worth seeing.
Splinter (2008)
- Genre: Horror Drama
- Director: Toby Wilkins
- Cast: Jill Wagner, Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, Rachel Kerbs
A young couple and runaway convict find themselves trapped in an isolated gas station by the greedy splinter parasite, turning its still-living victims into deadly hosts. The young couple and runaway convict must find a way to survive this primitive horror by working together.
First-class acting skills. All the characters, especially that played by Shea Whigham, are very well portrayed. The plot keeps you firmly in your seat, and you can’t wait to see what happens next or how they are going to get out of trouble. If you can overlook its minimal flaws and holes, then you can enjoy this. The central theme of the plot and the performance is enough to overcome its flaws.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
- Genre: Horror Comedy, Horror Drama
- Director: Jim Jarmusch
- Cast: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, John Hurt, Mia Wasikowska
Here is another vampire movie on Amazon Prime from a fantastic director, that is worth looking at. In ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ a frustrated musician reunites with his lover. Although their relationship has lasted for centuries, it is interrupted by the arrival of his uncontrollable sister.
This movie is enjoyable for movie lovers and pop culture lovers alike. ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ is a vampire movie that makes an interesting use of time; in every corner, you can find cultural references dating back hundreds of years. Jarmusch studied eternity, exploring the quiet boredom of modern and intellectual ancient times, while also exploring everyday life.
The Wailing (2016)
- Genre: Korean Horror (subtitles)
- Director: Na Hong-jin
- Cast: Chun Woo‑Hee, Kwak Do‑won, Hwang Jung‑min, Jun Kunimura
Shortly after a stranger arrived in a small town, a mysterious illness begins to spread. A police officer is involved in the incident and forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter. The cinematography is impressive. All the actors are fantastic, and in particular Kunimura’s innocence is amazing. I just don’t think it’s necessary to classify this movie as anything other than itself; a great horror. This is an excellent foreign scary movie on Amazon Prime that is worth your time checking out, with some really creepy elements.
You can read Horror Movie Web’s full review of ‘The Wailing’ here.
Train to Busan (2016)
- Genre: Korean Horror (subtitles)
- Director: Yeon Sang-ho
- Cast: Gong Yoo, Yeon Sang‑ho, Don Lee, Choi Woo‑shik
Suan’s workaholic time-poor father, Seok-woo, decides to accompany his daughter to Busan for her birthday and they board the KTX express train from Seoul to Busan. But during their journey, the end of the world begins and most of the population get turned into carnivorous zombies. While the KTX travels towards Busan, the passengers fight for their families, battle zombies and battle each other. You’ll definitely want to watch this movie. The whole film is in Korean. I usually don’t like reading subtitles while watching my movies, but you will soon forget that you are reading the subtitles because the story fascinates you.
You can read Horror Movie Web’s full review of ‘Train to Busan’ here.
Overlord (2018)
- Genre: Action Horror
- Director: Julius Avery
- Cast: Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbæk, Jovan Adepo
It is worth stating up-front that this is a war-themed horror movie, which will appeal to some and not others. ‘Overlord’ is based on zombie apocalypse, but the zombie action only really begins around halfway through the film. Up until this point ‘Overlord’ runs like a war drama. The plot revolves around a small group of US soldiers who find unspeakable horror behind the enemy line on the night before doomsday. The soundtrack is huge and the CGI special effects are impressive, with a nice opening sequence. Overall, this movie has an average script, but regardless, I think ‘Overlord’ has potential to be one of the great zombie films in recent years.
Black Box (2020)
- Genre: Sci-Fi Horror
- Director: Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour
- Cast: Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashad, Amanda Christine, Tosin Morohunfola
This movie only marginally classifies as ‘horror’, as it is more of a sci-fi film, but it has enough horror elements to justify its inclusion in this Amazon Prime best horror movies list. ‘Black Box’ tells the story of a man trying to recover his memory after he survives a serious car accident. While trying to raise his daughter, he desperately wants to be himself again and so he receives an experimental treatment to help him gain insight into his dark past. It is fairly well written, with a good director and good actors. Great concept, great performance, and some very creepy scenes. Admittedly ‘Black Box’ is not a truly original movie and can be a bit predictable in parts, but it is still an excellent movie and worth watching.
Wrap Up: Top 10 Amazon Prime Best Horror Movies
Here are the Top 10 Best Horror Movies on Amazon Prime ranked in order, based on IMDB ratings at the time of writing:
- Alien (1979) (Rating: 8.4)
- Train to Busan (2016) (Rating: 7.6)
- The Wailing (2016) (Rating: 7.5)
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) (Rating: 7.4)
- Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)(Rating: 7.3)
- The Monster Squad (1987) (Rating: 7)
- 30 Days of Night (2007) (Rating: 6.6)
- Overlord (2018) (Rating: 6.6)
- Black Box (2020) (Rating 6.2)
- Splinter (2008) (Rating: 6.1)
Your suggestions for Amazon Prime best horror movies?
We hope you enjoyed this list of the Top 10 Amazon Prime Best Horror Movies and found some new horror movie to check out. If you have any other suggestions for great horror movies that are on Amazon Prime right now, please share them in the comments below.
Image Credit: Featured Photo by Oskar Smethurst from Pexels
