Horror movies often find themselves judged by how well they can maintain suspense, deliver jump scares, and really make the audience’s skin crawl. While some classics like Psycho and The Exorcist achieve this and become box office hits, many horror films that are equally flawless from start to finish often slip under the radar. These underrated gems offer everything a horror fan could want — strong performances, creepy and well-crafted lore, and terrifying scares — but for one reason or another, they haven’t garnered the widespread recognition they deserve.
These films might have been overshadowed by more mainstream releases, suffered from limited marketing, or were simply ahead of their time. Each one delivers a masterclass in horror filmmaking, maintaining tension and engagement without a single misstep.
10 The Autopsy of Jane Doe Creeped Viewers Out in the Basement of a Funeral Parlor
3:10

Related
10 Best Modern Standalone Horror Movies, Ranked
Horror movies are hubs to kickstart beloved franchises like Halloween, and while these are great, there are others that remain iconic on their own.
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
December 21, 2016 |
6.8/10 |
86% |
For most, the concept of death in a real, medical sense is unnerving, to say the least. In The Autopsy of Jane Doe, a coroner and his son conduct an autopsy on a beautiful ‘Jane Doe’ murder victim and find increasingly bizarre clues. The clues go beyond the physical and dip into the supernatural, making for an absolutely petrifying experience as the two of them uncover the mysterious woman’s dark secrets.
This film is simple, set only in the basement of the funeral parlor, so the actors and characters get to shine. Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch drive this movie home with their expert acting. This film went predominantly unknown to audiences because of its limited theatrical release and lack of major studio backing. Despite this, fans loved it and believed it should have gotten more recognition.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe
A father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the cause of death of a young woman, who was apparently harboring dark secrets.
- Director
- André Øvredal
- Release Date
- September 9, 2016
- Cast
- Emile Hirsch , Brian Cox , Ophelia Lovibond
- Runtime
- 1 hour 26 minutes
9 Lakes Are Dark, Scary Places and Lake Mungo Made Sure No One Wanted To Go Swimming Ever Again
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
June 18, 2008 |
6.3/10 |
95% |
Alice drowns while swimming and her family begins experiencing inexplicable events in their home in Lake Mungo. The family hires a parapsychologist whose investigation unveils Alice’s secret double life and leads them all to Lake Mungo. This spooky lake film is presented in the mockumentary format with elements of found footage, so for fans of The Blair Witch Project, this film is sure to be a winner.
Not all mockumentary films are created equal, and sometimes horror movies that use the found footage format can just feel like a badly made Blair Witch knockoff. This is not the case with Lake Mungo, and the mockumentary format only adds to the creepiness of the film. The scares in this film are subtle and well executed, and the narrative is so scary many fans found it haunted them long after they turned the movie off. This film is often overlooked due to its indie origins and low-budget production, but just because it started small doesn’t mean it should be passed up for horror movies with more fame.

Lake Mungo
Strange things start happening after a girl is found drowned in a lake.
- Director
- Joel Anderson
- Release Date
- June 18, 2008
- Cast
- Rosie Traynor , David Pledger , Martin Sharpe
- Runtime
- 1 hour 27 minutes
8 Session 9 Is an Expertly Crafted Psychological Horror Only For the Brave
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
August 10, 2001 |
6.4/10 |
67% |
No one wants to get caught in a haunting while doing an incredibly mundane job, but that’s what happens to a group of asbestos removal workers in Session 9. They take a job in an abandoned insane asylum, and things take a very dark turn as the hospital’s horrific past seems to come back to life with them inside the building.
The setting — the abandoned Danvers State Hospital — is used incredibly well in this film, with every dark corner utilized for maximum scariness. The character development helps this movie stand out from other “insane asylum” films, and every character feels more like a real person than a character on the screen. They develop throughout the film and the tension among the group leads to a punchy and chilling climax. What killed this movie was its competition with bigger horror films at the time, mainly Jeepers Creepers, and its quiet release.
7 Cave Exploration Becomes a Whole New Level of Terrifying in The Descent

Related
Why The Descent Is One of the Best Horror Films of the 21st Century
Neil Marshall’s The Descent is one of the best horror films of the last 20 years — and was a precursor to modern approaches to the genre.
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
August 04, 2006 |
7.2/10 |
87% |
Real-life cave exploration is already terrifying enough. Accidents in caves happen all the time, which is perhaps what makes The Descent so terrifying. A year after severe emotional trauma, Sarah goes to North Carolina to spend some time exploring caves with her friends. After descending underground, the women find strange cave paintings and evidence of an earlier expedition, then learn they’re not alone. Underground predators inhabit the caves, and they have a taste for human flesh.
As if the claustrophobia induced by the caves themselves wasn’t bad enough, a whole new level of fear is introduced with the supernatural elements in this film. The isolated environment lets the pacing and character-driven moments push the terror over the top. The lighting and small spaces in The Descent enhance the fear. Despite its critical acclaim, it was overshadowed by other mainstream horror films from the mid-2000s.
6 Never Trust Anyone Again After Watching They Look Like People
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
January 25, 2015 |
5.9/10 |
92% |
Suspecting that people around him are turning into evil creatures, a troubled man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war, or from himself. They Look LIke People is a tense, slow-burn psychological horror with a focus on paranoia and mental illness.
This minimalist story doesn’t need much to be scary. It relies entirely on character dynamics and atmosphere to pump up the tension. While audiences consider it just an okay film, critics loved it. As an indie film, it didn’t get the attention it deserved and only went to theaters as a limited release. That, on top of minimal marketing, makes it an underground film worth a watch.

5 Oculus Adds a Touch of Mystery to This Spooky Horror Premise
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
April 11, 2014 |
6.5/10 |
75% |
Haunted by the violent demise of their parents ten years earlier, siblings Kaylie and Tim are now struggling to rebuild their relationship. Kaylie suspects that their antique mirror is behind the tragedy. The seemingly harmless reflections contain a malevolent, supernatural force that infects the mind of anyone who gazes into it.
Many people spent their childhood playing the Bloody Mary game in bathroom mirrors and this film takes that idea to a whole new level. A twisting, non-linear narrative that intertwines past and present makes this film terrifyingly feel like a funhouse mirror. The scares in this film are more psychological than anything else, and each horrific moment is rooted in character trauma and the fact that our minds are often unreliable. Other films that came out at the time, like Alien Abduction, The Sacrament, and The Quiet Ones overshadowed its release, despite Oculus’ strong critical reception.

Oculus
Eleven years after her brother Tim is accused of murdering their parents, Kaylie Russel attempts to research document the supernatural powers of an antique mirror, which drove him to commit the crimes. Meanwhile, flashbacks tell the story of the mirror’s haunting during the siblings’ childhood, and the true story of the deaths of their parents.
4 Even Dinner Parties Are Terrifying in The Invitation
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
March 13, 2015 |
6.6/10 |
90% |
While attending a dinner party at a house he used to own, a man starts to believe that his ex-wife and her new husband have sinister plans for their guests. The true horror in this film is the family trauma it unearths. Simple, effective, and masterfully tense, The Invitation hits hard with slow-burn suspense. The dinner party setting is a unique one for horror, which shows the innovation and thoughtful storytelling that went into this piece.
The pacing of this film can only be described as flawless, and the final act delivers a shocking and memorable payoff that stunned fans. As a limited release, this film didn’t get nearly the attention it deserved. With better marketing, more would have known about it, gaining it recognition worthy of such an artful film.

3 The Witch Transports Viewers Back to 1630 During the Height of Witchcraft Panic

Related
10 Best Movies Like The Witch
The Witch is a movie defined by its spooky atmosphere and brutal imagery. Many amazing horror movies offer the same creeping sense of dread.
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
Awards Nominated |
Awards Won |
October 18, 2015 |
7/10 |
84% |
72 |
43 |
In 1630s New England, panic envelops a farmer, his wife, and their children when their youngest son Samuel vanishes. The family blames Thomasin, the eldest daughter who had been watching the boy at the time of his disappearance. As paranoia grows, Thomasin is suspected of witchcraft, testing the clan’s faith, loyalty, and love for one another. The Witch brings a realistic approach to the panic around witchcraft at the time, and while not inspired by a true story, it feels terrifyingly and hauntingly real.
This movie won a whopping forty-three awards and for good reason. The period detail in this film shows that everyone involved in making it took great care in researching the historical elements of the story. The atmosphere creates a great sense of dread that stays throughout the entire film. As a psychological and folklore horror, there aren’t many moments in this film where the audience has time to breathe, and strong performances only suck fans further in. While critically acclaimed, its slow pace and unique storytelling style led it to be underrated among general audiences. For fans who love a slow, tense climax, this is a must-see film.

The Witch
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.
- Director
- Robert Eggers
- Release Date
- February 19, 2016
- Cast
- Anya Taylor-Joy
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
- Distributor(s)
- A24
2 Triangle Is a Mystery for Lovers of Horror, Suspense, and Boats
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
October 16, 2009 |
6.9/10 |
79% |
In Triangle, yacht passengers encounter mysterious weather conditions that force them to jump onto another ship, only to have the odd havoc increase. Jess feels like she’s been on this new ship before, even though it’s deserted. But, they are not alone. Someone wants to hunt them down, one by one.
Horror films with well-executed time loops are rare, but Triangle nails it. Psychologically terrifying, this film has loads of suspense and plot twists that keep the audience engaged. This film can come across as a little complex, which is a turn-off for some fans and part of what caused it to be overlooked. For horror watchers who enjoy mind-bending puzzles, Triangle is the perfect watch for a late night.

Triangle
- Director
- Christopher Smith
- Release Date
- October 16, 2009
- Cast
- Melissa George , Michael Dorman , Rachael Carpani , Henry Nixon , Emma Lung , Liam Hemsworth , Joshua McIvor , Bryan Probets
- Writers
- Christopher Smith
- Runtime
- 99 Minutes
1 The Others Has a Lot Going on but It’s Worth the Watch

Related
This Nicole Kidman Movie Refreshed the Supernatural Horror Genre
Supernatural horror has had a resurgence of late in movies and television, but that wouldn’t have been possible without a classic Nicole Kidman movie.
Release Date |
IMDB Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
August 02, 2001 |
7.6/10 |
74% |
Starring Nicole Kidman, The Others is quite the ride. Grace, the devoutly religious mother of Anne and Nicholas, moves her family to the coast of England during World War II. Anne claims she sees ghosts, and while Grace initially thinks the new servants are playing tricks, chilling events and visions make her believe something supernatural has occurred.
A flawless blend of gothic horror and suspense, this film’s haunting atmosphere will send chills up any horror fan’s spine. Nicole Kidman is the perfect actor to play the lead in this creepy movie, and if you enjoy horror films with a twist, watch this one all the way through. Although it was successful at its release, it’s often overshadowed by more mainstream horror films from the early 2000s.