Look…I’m a seasoned horror fan, but sometimes, there’s such a thing as too much horror. From some of the best horror movies ever to international feats of torture, there are some scary movies that even a seasoned veteran like me in the genre can get freaked out by. Let’s get into it.
Hereditary (2018)
Hereditary is one of Ari Aster’s films – his directorial debut, if you can believe it. And while the movie itself is known for plenty of disturbing moments that resemble cultish behaviour and demonic possession, there are plenty of scenes that stick with you well after the credits roll, like Charlie’s head. Yes, I just put you through that.
Martyrs (2008)
This film, which premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, was a movie that sparked plenty of outrage. The film follows two young women who want revenge against those who harmed them as children, only for them to wind up in a horrible situation. The movie essentially uses torture in such an aggressive way that you have no choice but to watch it, as it’s literally the plot.
The Fly (1986)
While The Fly in itself isn’t necessarily scary (at least to me), it’s one of the best sci-fi horror films, and it’s the kind of movie that made me literally gag at the end of the transformation. I don’t know – there’s just something about watching the flesh literally melt off of someone’s bones that gets to you.
In A Violent Nature (2024)
In a Violent Nature is an exciting movie. It might not be scary to some, but there are certainly some extremely gory moments that are disgusting to watch. However, what really makes this movie stand out is that it’s told entirely from the viewpoint of the killer, so you’re forced into his head to really understand where he’s coming from with killing. That’s what makes it so disturbing.
The Substance (2024)
Oh, you knew The Substance would be on here somehow. The film was so good that it was nominated for the 2025 Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie itself has plenty of great themes, and honestly, anyone should watch it. However, the big moment that might be too much for horror fans is the very end, where Sue becomes a distorted, monstrous combination of herself and Elisabeth, and it’s just a giant hodgepodge of limbs and disgustingness.
Dread (2009)
Dread isn’t about the gore but rather the psychological impact that personal trauma has on you. It follows a college student who is trying to test the causes and limits of fears, and he takes his experiments way too far. At specific points, it just feels like you’re watching people go through absolute torment. You’ll likely feel the need to seek therapy after watching this film.
Midsommar (2019)
Ari Aster is just a master of his craft, and there’s no other film I could point to than Midsommar, where you really get the chance to feel absolutely disturbed. While Midsommar is almost like a comfort movie to me (because I’ve seen it a decent amount), there’s a lot of wicked imagery in there that makes it twenty times more grotesque and fills you with a sense of dread that you can’t deny.
Tusk (2014)
Okay, so Tusk has basically become almost like a horror comedy at this point because of how ridiculous its premise is, but you can’t deny that there are moments in this movie that sit with you. I mean, the very end, just watching someone who was once a human who is essentially turned into a walrus thanks to a crazy person – that’s legit hard to watch and disgusting.
The Descent (2005)
God, okay, so I’m a horror veteran, as I said in my intro, and The Descent is one of those films that I have only watched maybe twice in my life and will stay out of my way never to watch it. The film follows a group on a cave expedition who are attacked by monsters, but what makes this movie twenty times worse is the claustrophobic atmosphere. You feel like you’re stuck in this cave with them, and it’s horrible. It’s like the air is sucked from your lungs.
The Wailing (2016)
There are many great South Korean horror movies, and I highly recommend The Wailing to anyone who enjoys the genre. There’s an illness that is going around in a village that is turning people into deranged, violent killers, and they must figure out how to stop it. But there is some haunting imagery in this movie that sits with you.
Possessor (2020)
Brandon Cronenberg is the son of David Cronenberg, who is known for body horror. So, like father, like son, because he directed the film Possessor. The film itself is an interesting concept about an agent who uses brain implant tech to take the identity of people in order to kill targets. Still, there’s so much body horror in this that I had to look away several times when I first watched it.
Terrifier (2016) (And It’s Sequels)
Do I even need to get into this that heavily? It’s the Terrifier movie. They’re considered the grossest ones of the last decade. Just trust me on this one. Don’t watch with a full stomach.
The House That Jack Built (2018)
The House that Jack Built is a grotesque horror film that follows the life of a serial killer who mainly targets women and uses their bodies in order to form some overarching masterpiece, believing that it’s a gift he has to create such beauty. Yes, it’s just as gross as it sounds.
The Entire Saw Franchise (2004–)
Of course, I have to put the Saw movies here. I’m the kind of person who is okay with slashers, but the Saw films have taken every movie to a new level with the games, the torture, the body-play, and so much more. It’s gotten to a point where I avoid it until it’s streaming so I can pause and take a second to breathe.
Speak No Evil (2022)
I’m not referring to the 2024 remake. Speak No Evil is actually the original from 2022, and it follows a Danish family who accepts the invitation of a Dutch family they met on vacation, only for it to turn menacing very quickly. The film itself isn’t gory all the way through, but when it gets there? Ooh, boy, you better look away.
Sinister (2012)
Sinister is often considered one of the best horror films of the 2010s, and for good reason. The film itself, which follows a true-crime novelist who moves into a haunted home that begins to terrorise his family, is more of a slow-burn horror. However, the disturbing imagery that emerges as the film progresses, culminating in a big finale, makes this a tough one to watch for some.
Infinity Pool (2023)
This movie is bizarre in many ways. The central premise is about a couple who wind up in an accident and have to decide either to be executed or watch them get a clone and die. The movie itself has many moments that make you think, “What the heck did I just watch?” But it comes from a Cronenberg, so that makes sense.
Barbarian (2022)
I loved this film when it was first released. Barbarian is about a young woman who goes to an Airbnb for the weekend only to discover it harbours many sinister secrets. This movie will shock you to your core. It’ll probably also make you unintentionally laugh your head off like it did for me, but then it’ll make you jump in surprise at the amount of gore you’ll witness.
The Sadness (2021)
The Sadness essentially turns the zombie trope on its head, where a pandemic is sweeping through Taiwan. Still, instead of morphing the infected into brainless husks, they become truly twisted humans who crave violence, murder, and literally any possible bad thing you can imagine. This, of course, leads to some pretty wicked (and horrifying) gory moments.
Talk To Me (2022)
Talk to Me was one of the best films of 2022, and A24 always delivers with their horror movies. This film, about a group of teenagers who can communicate with spirits through an embalmed hand, pushes gore to new levels. While it does not feature an intense amount, the moments where gore is used are memorable and terrifying, to say the least, and will likely make you pause the film.
The Exorcist (1973)
While The Exorcist isn’t incredibly gory, there are a lot of gross scenes in it that I genuinely cannot watch because it makes me feel icky. For example, watching Regan throw up and the head-turning around is one moment that still sits with me to this day. I really don’t like to think about it.
The Human Centipede (2009)
…do I even need to talk about this?
Alright, well, because I need to put words, The Human Centipede is about a crazy man stitching up people – strangers he steals – for his deranged experiments. And it’s as disgusting as you think it is. Oh no, I’m going to be sick.
I Spit On Your Grave (1978)
I Spit on Your Grave is one of those 1970s films that genuinely attempted to push the boundaries of horror but ultimately took it too far. The film, which follows the story of a woman on a revenge quest against those who sexually assaulted her, has a brutal and horrifying thirty-minute sequence that shows not only her assault but the violence that came from it. It’s a strict watch for anyone.
Men Behind The Sun (1988)
Men Behind the Sun is terrifying for a different reason. Based on a real-life tragedy, the film is based on the horror that occurred during World War II when Japan attacked China. While the movie itself isn’t as gory as some of the others on this list, it really makes you think of what prisoners of war have gone through in modern-day history.
X (2022)
There are so many gory moments in X that I doubt I even need to elaborate on why it’s on this list. It’s undoubtedly one of the best A24 horror movies, without a doubt. The fact that it follows the tale of an adult actor who must fight for her life to escape the house makes it all the more compelling. It’s gory as heck.
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
I mean, with a name like that, you know it’s going to be bad. Cannibal Holocaust is about how a film shot by a documentary crew was found, and in that film, we see a lot of deranged, twisted, and gory moments thanks to the cannibalistic tribes they ran into. This film is very dark and not for the faint of heart. That is literally all I will say.
A Serbian Film (2010)
A Serbian Film, to me, isn’t scary, but it’s the effects of what happened because of the main character’s choices that make it worse. The central premise revolves around a retired adult actor who accepts a job for a substantial amount of money, only to be drawn into a deranged filming experience that alters everything. It’s messed up, and it’s a movie I wouldn’t suggest lightly. If possible, please avoid it.
Hostel (2005)
I actually watched Hostel for the first time a few years ago, and yeah, I never want to again. Ever again. The idea of travelling to a hostel and then somehow getting kidnapped and then tortured to death and having to go through absolutely horrible things is something I never want to experience. I don’t need that anxiety in my life.
August: Underground (2001)
I won’t even get into the premise of this film because it’s really horrible. It’s essentially two serial killers filming their victims and the way they kill them. It’s very messed up, very gory, and something that you really, really need to go into without anything in your stomach.
The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter has given us great horror films, and while The Thing doesn’t have a crazy amount of gory moments, the ones they do have are iconic and stick with you for years. I can still vividly remember watching those legs emerge from the head of one of the characters – oh no, I’m going to be sick again.
Malignant (2021)
Malignant is a movie that is completely a slow-burn horror, but my god, it takes a turn really freaking fast at the end. You think it’s going to be a psychological thriller, but NOPE, it turns into a full-on gorefest featuring the back of a head. Yuck.
The Strangers (2008)
The Strangers, which is all about home invasion, is not there to gross you out. No, this film aims to make you squirm. It builds dread in your gut, makes you wait out as long as the victims do for the nail to drop, and unnerves you to the point where you just want to turn off the TV. I’m already shaking thinking about it.
These are just some of my picks for horror films that certainly take the cake for creepiness – or gore. Be careful about what you pick because there’s some twisted stuff online.