Gory Horror Films

Below is a selection of 10 Gory horror films which are in no particular order. For films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween I have only included the remakes rather than the original movies as I feel modern audiences may appreciate the newer versions more than the older films. However I encourage fans to also watch the original films as they are considered Horror classics. The same can be noted for the 2019 remake of Child's Play which has been updated for modern audiences although the original 1988 film is a classic and takes on a more supernatural story. In order to watch these films by clicking on the film image to the right of each title please ensure you have the relevant Netflix or Amazon Prime subscription. Please be aware that some of these films on Amazon will incur a charge to rent or buy the film.Please feel free to leave a comment or a request for any additional films to be added in the comments section at the end of my page.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2009)

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 2010 remake of the original 1984 film by Wes Craven. It was directed by Samuel Bayer and stars Jackie Earle Haley as Freddie Kruger replacing Robert Englund who portrayed Freddie originally. The film follows a group of teens who were abused by Freddie when they were young children and are now been terrorised and killed in their nightmares about Freddie, who now appears horribly burnt, and their efforts to defeat him. It follows a more serious tone than the original 1984 film and the child abuse theme is uncomfortable however it is great film to settle down and watch and portrays Freddie as more of a monster rather than a jokey figure that eventually became the hallmark of Englund’s portrayal. It is more mature in tone and has a decent amount of scares but can not be considered too scary! This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

Friday the 13th (2009)

A remake of the 1980 film released in 2009 Friday the 13th was directed by Marcus Nispel. Described as a reboot of the original film this one features Derek Mears as Jason Vorhees, a machete wielding masked killer who murders unfortunate teens that happen to camp on Crystal Lake. As per the original film Jason terrorises a group of 20 somethings who make the unfortunate decision of camping in his stomping grounds and are picked off one by one. Dark in atmosphere and bloody in places, Jason as portrayed here seems to be more sadistic than his previous portrayal and doesn’t have the same motivation as the original in which he had issues with his maternal relationship. Friday the 13th is worth watching if you want to see how this character and it’s franchise has been updated for the noughties. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

Child's Play (2019)

A remake of the 1988 film of the same name Child's Play is reboot of the Child's Play franchise. Mark Hamil, of Luke Skywalker fame, takes over from Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky. In this film Chucky is a high tech doll that can integrate with the modern smart home. As expected Chucky becomes psychotic and goes on a murderous rampage. Whereas Chucky in the 1988 original is a serial killer possessing the body of a doll in this version of Chucky is more a sympathetic character. He has had his inhibitions removed and only wants to be part of Andy’s (Gabriel Bateman) life and wants to be his friend and is willing to do anything to make him happy. This remake is a commentary on todays smart tech enabled life style and could be seen as a possible warning as we become more obsessed with smart tech. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

Child's Play 2 (1990)

A sequel to the original 1988 film Child’s Play this move was directed by John Lafia and stars Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky. After been seemingly destroyed in the 1988 film Chucky returns after his manufacturers rebuild him accidently revive him. Once again Chucky begins to pursue Andy Barclay to transfer his soul into Andy’s body to continue his murderous ways. As a sequel this film ups the body count as Chucky tries to isolate and possess Andy. This was probably the last Child’s Play of the original series that was enjoyable to watch as Child’s Play 3 (1991) was linked, although I cannot see why, to the murder of James Bulger and the British Media tried to get it banned. After Child’s Play 3 the series became a dark comedy with the release of Bride of Chucky (1998)and the series remained as such until the release of Curse of Chucky in 2013 which returned the series to it’s darker origins. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

Halloween (2018)

Halloween is a 2018 horror film starring Jamie Lee Curtis who portrayed Laurie Strode in the 1978 original. This film softly reboots the franchise and ignores the previous film to begins with Michael Myers, portrayed by Nick Castle also from the original, escaping from his 40 year incarceration at the Asylum to once again attempt to murder Laurie whilst picking off anybody who crosses his path. Curtis portrays Laurie as a strong woman who has prepared herself for her eventual meeting with Michael and awaits his return. The film received positive reviews from critics who praised Curtis’ performance and welcomed it as a great return for the franchise. Two sequels, Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends, are scheduled for release in 2021 and 2022 respectively. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

Predator (1987)

Predator is a 1987 Action horror film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura and Sonny Landham and Kevin Peter Hall as the Predator. The film is about a group of mercenaries who are contracted to rescue some American Diplomats from the South American jungle only to find themselves been pursued by an invisible hunter who is literally not of this world. The film was released in 1987 to negative reviews although it is now considered a classic. It’s a nice sit down with some sweets, popcorn or beer action film with some gory scenes and features a great cast who are perfectly suited to this type of film. Fun fact – Jean Claude Van Damme was originally cast to portray the Predator however he was dropped as he was too short when compared to the rest of the cast who he would be hunting during the events of the film. He was subsequently dropped and Kevin Peter Hall was cast to replace him. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

The Babysitter (2017)

>The Babysitter is a 2017 horror comedy directed by McG and stars Samara Weaving. It was released exclusively on Netflix in October 2017 and tells the story of a Cole (Judah Lewis) and his Babysitter Bee. Cole discovers that Bee and her friends plan to use his blood as part of a Demonic ritual to ensure that they have success in their lives as part of their pact with an unnamed demon. The film features both gore and comedy and is actually very good and a nice rift on the genre. Andrew Bachelor as John and Robbie Amell as Max are notable in this film and are very funny during their time on screen whereas Bee is cold but teasing as well as been conflicted as she obviously has sisterly feelings for Cole. The Babysitter is certainly worth watching as part of your Netflix sub and I would also recommend it’s sequel which is almost as hilarious. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

The Cabin in the Woods is a 2011 horror comedy that was directed by Drew Goddard and produced by Joss Whedon. Both Goddard and Whedon wrote the screenplay and decided that they wish to “revitalise” the slasher genre whilst also satirising the “torture porn” genre. The stars Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford as well as a guest appearance by Sigourney Weaver. It’s based on the long accepted tropes of a group of teenagers who stay at the above mentioned Cabin and encounter supernatural creatures who are out to kill them one by one. Alongside this narrative a secret group of scientist monitor and direct the happenings for the hapless teens in a ritual to appease giant demons who remain dormant below their facility. This film is satire of the Friday the 13th and torture porn genre and manages to be both scary and very funny at the same time – most recognisably because of Joss Whedon’s work on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel – both hugely popular supernatural TV series. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a 2016 horror film directed by Andre Ovredal and stars Emile Hirsch and Brian Cox as father and coroners who are requested to autopsy the body of a young woman, Olwen Kelly, in probably the easiest role of her careers as she literally just has to lie there pretending to be a corpse! The film tells the story of increasingly strange circumstances that occur within the mortuary as the protagonists perform their autopsy and discover the horrific truth behind her death and past. This film is a slow burning horror movie that could also be entered into the supernatural category and only features some gore. It also highlights an error in human history and their unjustified treatment of women in the name of religion and fanaticism. Brian Cox, who was the original Hannibal Lecter in the film manhunter, delivers a typically excellent performance as the father and head mortician. Worth watching as it is something different from the usual horror movies genre. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

The Predator (2018)

The Predator is a 2018 film starring Boyd Holbrook and Olivia Munn and featuring Jake Busey. It is a direct sequel to Predator 2 and features Jake Busey playing the son of the character his father played in Predator 2. The film follows Quinn Mckenna (Holbrook) as he encounters the (or a) Predator and battles with it to protect his son whilst receiving help from a group traumatised army soldiers referred to as the “The Loonies”. To further complicate his mission a new and bigger, stronger and nastier Predator is currently hunting the original Predator and McKenna’s son Rory (Jacob Tremblay). This upgrade will stop at nothing to destroy the first predator and take McKenna’s son home to be studied. The film is an enjoyable action romp and uses tongue in cheek humour during the story. Holbrook provides the correct level of dry cynicism portraying a decorated sniper and, along with the Loonies, has many of the best lines in the film. This is something worth watching especially if you are a fan of the original. This movie is available to stream via the link contained in the image to the right.

Richard 31/12/2020 9.45pm

Stuck at home on New year with nothing to do. Thank you for this list! Going to give Child's Play a whirl!!!!

Sharon 02/01/2021

My Husband just saw your site and got me to watch The Predator. Loved it! Great film and love the humour!

1 Comment:

Byron 04/01/2021

Seriously you included the Child's Play remake over the original? Philistine much?