The horror genre tends to get oversaturated due to how cheap movies are to produce and how profitable they are. And a lot of terrifying films fall out of popular conversation quickly, but luckily, streaming services like Netflix are a great place for these films to be rediscovered.
Based on Stephen King’s novella of the same name, 1922 is exactly the kind of horror you’d expect from the prolific author. A slow-burning tale of murder, guilt, and rat infestations, this film works due to its mood and the central performance by Thomas Jane. Like many Netflix originals, 1922 initially enjoyed some success but was soon forgotten.
Which is a shame, because as far as King adaptations go, 1922 is one of the better examples. It was never going to win any awards, but it’s a well-directed film that really captures the time period and actually understands the source material it’s adapting. And that’s more than you can say for a lot of other King-inspired films and shows.
The found footage gimmick has been tried many times, and while it’s mostly been successful, it’s hard not to think that it’s often used to cover up weaknesses in plot or acting. Creep is definitely not an example of either of these. Focusing on a down-on-his-luck videographer named Aaron (Patrick Brice) who is hired by the supposedly dying Josef (Mark Duplass) to create a video diary for his unborn child.
Of course, Josef is not who he seems, and what follows is 77 minutes of tense psychological, cat-and-mouse horror. Duplass turns in one of the best performances of his career, and Creep eventually proved popular enough to launch a franchise. However, it’s not exactly a household staple when it comes to franchises, and considering how it elevates the usual found footage tropes, it really should be.
While compiling this list, it became really clear to me just how many Netflix original horror films are extremely underrated gems. Apostle is yet another example of this. Dan Stevens stars as Thomas, a man who has lost his faith, who finds himself entangled with a cult led by the charismatic Malcolm (Michael Sheen) as he searches for his sister.
Apostle is a haunting, gory, and strange little Gothic horror film that relies on scenery and a consistent sense of foreboding to work, and it largely succeeds. But where Apostle really surprises is in its character development, something that horror films often lack. Stevens turns in a brilliant performance, and Sheen is equal parts despicable and somehow sympathetic.
Based on the equally terrifying book of the same name, The Ritual is easily one of my favorite underrated horror films to recommend to as many people as I possibly can. Six months after the murder of one of their own, a group of friends goes hiking in Sweden to commemorate his memory. Eventually, they become lost in the woods and come upon a terrifying cult and a monster straight out of ancient folklore.
The Ritual is terrifying in a way that doesn’t rely on shock value or jump scares. The characters are rich, especially the main protagonist Luke (Rafe Spall), who deals with his guilt over doing nothing to save their murdered friend. It’s exactly the type of film just begging to find a cult audience, and I still believe it will one day.
Okay, so this one is kind of silly, and not exactly beloved, but there’s something charmingly grotesque about Clown. A demonic clown costume possesses a normal family man named Kent (Andy Powers), who then goes on a killing spree. It’s not exactly highbrow horror, but its use of practical effects almost sets it apart from other films like it.
Director Jon Watts would eventually go on to bigger and better things like Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films, but it’s easy to see his level of talent here. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but Clown is a creepy and satisfying film, and you won’t feel like you’ve wasted an hour and a half of your life by the time the credits roll.
Making the transition from musician to actor can be a tough sell for audiences, but punk legend Henry Rollins proves more than capable in He Never Died. Here, Rollins portrays Jack, an immortal cannibal vampire-like man trying to hide from the world and his urges. Of course, there wouldn’t be much of a film if he managed to succeed, and fail he does.
He Never Died indulges in the blood and violence you’d expect from a film about a vampire-cannibal man, and the results are definitely scary. But what’s astounding here is how funny the film can be. Rather than play it safe, Rollins manages a mix of terrifying presence and a dry wit that you perhaps wouldn’t expect.
There’s definitely no shortage of underrated horror gems just waiting out there to be discovered, and a fair few of them are hiding on Netflix. But if you’re in the mood for something else, there’s always some captivating, slow-burning thrillers to keep you hooked for a while instead.
