The finest horror films of 2021 are listed below, in no particular order. Despite a few highly anticipated titles finally hitting theaters, 2021 has not been a fantastic year for the horror genre—though there have been some solid entrants worthy of consideration. Given the frightening conditions surrounding the pandemic, it’s only natural for most people to seek solace in imaginative escapism, however ardent horror aficionados would argue that the portrayal of the disturbing and macabre provides comfort.
What makes a horror film “great” is, of course, subjective, since many criteria must be considered, including the balance of atmosphere and cheap shocks, the handling of the subject matter, and whether or not the characters are worth rooting for. The year 2021 saw a promising slate of horror films, some of which, like James Wan’s Malignant and David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills, evoked mixed reactions at best rather than exceeding expectations. While these films had some excellent graphics and narrative segments, they were ultimately deficient in terms of storytelling and the overall atmosphere they created.
Smaller horror releases in 2021, such as The Empty Man, Willy’s Wonderland, and My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To, may not merit inclusion among the best of the best horror films, but they should be considered nonetheless. From an Icelandic folk horror that lends a touch of the macabre to the concept of motherhood to a twisted tale about an artist tortured by the spirit of a vengeful bogeyman, there’s still much to celebrate. The finest horror films of the year 2021 are listed here.
Candyman
Nia DaCosta’s Candyman is a spiritual sequel to the 1992 horror film of the same name, delving deep into the mind of disturbed artist Anthony, who is lulled by the mystery and legend surrounding Candyman. Candyman’s social satire is astute, and the lead figure’s dread is revealed in visually spectacular ways, with each successive picture raising the stakes. Most of the hectic episodes, such as the death sequences inside the art exhibition venue and the film’s ending, are framed by dark comedy, infusing the narrative with an unspoken sense of the macabre. Established horror tropes are frequently rejected and frequently repeated, resulting in a dense film that manages to tell a profound story punctuated with gut-wrenching horrors.
Lamb
Lamb, an Icelandic drama directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson, is a really disturbing picture that is equal parts charming and horrifying. Lamb, distributed by A24, which has handled genre classics like Robert Eggers’ The Witch and Ari Aster’s Hereditary, manages to maintain a constant air of unease. Lamb fully subverts standard mom and family expectations by transferring the audience to a desolate, rural setting fraught with terrors hiding in the shadows. Lamb is not only a masterful storyteller, but it also unfolds in a tense, slow-burning style that manages to haunt even the most unthreatening views of inanimate items.
Last Night in Soho by Edgar Wright is a multi-era psychological thriller with dissonant coming-of-age and horror elements. Last Night in Soho is a cautionary tale about the trappings of nostalgia and the complicated nature of memory, as well as what the past may mean to different people. The story unfolds like a mystery whodunit, with Wright expertly switching between two points in time through the figure of Ellie, who helps keep the story grounded in reality. Last Night in Soho is elevated beyond its peers by its use of brilliant Suspiria-like reds, impeccable sound design, and dizzying camerawork, while some may perceive the film’s third act to be lackluster and half-baked in compared to the rest of the strong length.
PG: Psycho Goreman
PG: Psycho Goreman is a remarkable case of self-aware B-horror that is both hilarious and serious at heart, in the manner of The Mask of Fu Manchu and Think Fast, Mr. Moto. Psycho Goreman, directed by Steven Kostanski, revels in its absurdist features, such as the sequence in which a youngster is converted into a pink blob with emotional eyes, who struggles to reintegrate into society due to his tentacled arms. Mimi and Luke, the key protagonists, have fantastic chemistry, and their interaction with the Archduke of Nightmares is a lot of fun. The practical effects of Psycho Goreman are put to good use, particularly in the design of the monster outfits, which are brought to life with colorful brightness. Psycho Goreman is a solid comedy horror, the best the year has to offer, despite its campy tone.
Sator
Sator, directed by Jordan Graham, is sure to cast an old spell on fans of the folk horror genre, as it reveals a world made up of low-resolution film and stark, vivid bursts of fright. Sator’s soundtrack is one of the film’s true accomplishments, as it is used to produce a horrific piece of art without relying too heavily on gore. From the start, the title Sator haunts the story, an awful presence of an entity that appears to be a part of a ritualistic evocation. The tale is both supernatural and founded in the complicated intestines of familial turmoil, culminating in a refreshing and disturbing occult drama that deserves wider exposure among diehard fans, since it is one of the best horror movies of 2021.
The Amusement Park
The Amusement Park, a lost daylight horror film by George A. Romero, has been rediscovered and restored in 4K after 45 years. The Amusement Park is a terrifying metaphor about the horrors of ageism that manages to provoke dread despite the absence of spooky midnight shots and jumpscares. Actor Lincoln Maazel leads the audience on this harrowing journey, assisting in the stitching together of the narrative’s purposely dissonant episodes, which are meant to be confusing. The Amusement Park is certainly an almost-lost, daylight horror masterpiece, with mindless brutality and terrible cruelty presented in an infinite sequence of events, laced with just the proper amount of surrealism.
The Fear Street Trilogy
The Fear Street Trilogy, directed by Leigh Janiak and based on R.L.Stine’s namesake book series, succeeded in melding several horror sub-genres into a cohesive whole, while creating a tale rich with horrors, thrills, and heart. The famous horror trope of a group of characters all dying is twisted here, as Simon and Kate’s deaths are preceded by significant character development, allowing fans to care profoundly about the characters in question. Fear Street not only succeeds in showcasing fantastic monster figures who have terrorized the village of Shadyside for decades, but it also reveals what true evil is. The series’ deaths are skillfully performed from a purely slasher standpoint, and the trilogy’s grounding presence of its primary characters sets it apart from its typical equivalents.
The Boy Behind The Door
The very idea of two adolescent boys being kidnapped and carried to a dark, decaying house in broad daylight is enough to make viewers nervous. The Boy Behind the Door, directed by David Charbonier and Justin Powell, injects this premise with controlled expertise and intelligent execution, resulting in a genuinely disturbing tale. While The Boy Behind the Door, like We Need To Do Something, is a single-location picture, the former makes excellent use of its restricted space and budget, creating genuine tension with lurking shots and a sense of foreboding. The Boy Behind the Door is a solid horror movie with great acting and genuine chills, even though the final act may feel anticlimactic to some.
