15 Horror movies not enough people talk about

Horror movies often live in two camps: the classics everyone knows and the overhyped franchises. But there's another group that doesn't get enough love—the underrated gems. These are the movies that slip through the cracks, often overshadowed by bigger names or dismissed for their low budgets. They aren’t blockbusters, but they deliver scares in ways that stick with you. They take risks, push boundaries, and create unsettling atmospheres that mainstream horror rarely touches. The beauty of underrated horror is the surprise. You go in with no expectations and leave genuinely shaken. If you’re tired of predictable plots and overdone tropes, these hidden treasures might be exactly what you’re looking for.

**Disclaimer: This article is entirely based on the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.**

**Disclaimer: This article contains several spoilers of the movies mentioned in the list.**

1) Lake Mungo (2008)

Lake Mungo is a fictional documentary about a family dealing with their daughter Alice’s sudden drowning. The best part is how real it feels—interviews, home videos, and found footage make it look like an actual investigation. As the family unearths secrets, they discover Alice had a hidden life, including an affair with their neighbors. The ending reveals Alice foresaw her own death and recorded eerie footage at Lake Mungo, where her ghost appears. It’s unsettling because it’s quiet and believable, not over-the-top. It didn’t get much attention since it lacks big scares, but its slow-burn approach leaves a lasting impact.

2) The Night House (2020)

The Night House follows Beth, a grieving widow who begins to feel her husband’s presence after his suicide. The best part is its atmosphere—her isolated lake house feels like a character itself, filled with shadows and whispers. Beth uncovers his disturbing secret: he built a reverse version of their house to confuse a dark entity that wanted her soul. The ending shows Beth confronting this entity, barely escaping with her life. It didn’t get much recognition because it avoids cheap jump scares, focusing instead on emotional horror and psychological tension. It’s more haunting than scary, which might not appeal to everyone.

3) The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

This movie is about a father and son performing an autopsy on a mysterious woman’s body found at a crime scene. The best part is how the horror builds inside the morgue, starting with small, strange discoveries like internal burns and unexplainable injuries. As they dig deeper, they realize Jane Doe is alive in a supernatural way, a victim of witchcraft and torture. The ending leaves them trapped as the curse claims their lives, with Jane Doe remaining untouched. It didn’t get much recognition because it’s a slow, single-location movie, but the tension and mystery make it genuinely disturbing.

4) Session 9 (2001)

Session 9 is set in an abandoned asylum where a crew is hired to remove asbestos. The scariest part is how the building itself feels alive, creating dread before anything even happens. As the workers unravel, one of them—Gordon—succumbs to madness, killing his team. The ending reveals he was possessed by an evil spirit tied to old therapy tapes, which led him to murder his family before the job even started. It didn’t get much recognition because it skips traditional horror setups and uses psychological fear instead. Its slow pace and low budget might have pushed it under the radar.

5) Terrified (Aterrados) (2017)

This Argentinian horror starts with strange deaths and disappearances in a neighborhood. The best part is how fast it gets creepy—a woman’s husband is killed by unseen forces, and a boy returns from the dead, sitting silently at his kitchen table. Investigators and paranormal experts arrive, but the entity keeps attacking. The ending leaves everyone dead or missing, with no answers about the supernatural force. It didn’t get much attention because it’s in Spanish and never got a big U.S. release, but the scares are relentless, and it doesn’t stop to explain itself, which only makes it scarier.

6) Coherence (2013)

Coherence starts with a group of friends gathering for dinner on the night a comet passes overhead. The best part is when they realize their reality has splintered—multiple versions of themselves exist in nearby houses. The group spirals into paranoia, switching between houses and interacting with alternate versions of themselves. The ending reveals Em, one of the women, kills her double and takes her place, only to find out she’s still trapped in a fractured reality. It didn’t get much attention because it’s dialogue-heavy, low-budget, and skips traditional horror elements, but its unsettling story keeps you thinking long after it ends.

7) Pontypool (2008)

Pontypool is set in a small-town radio station where DJ Grant Mazzy broadcasts during a sudden outbreak. The best part is its concept—words, not bites, spread the virus, turning people into violent, mindless attackers. The characters scramble to figure out how to “cure” infected people by confusing language. In the end, Grant and his producer try to create nonsense phrases to neutralize the virus, but their fate is left unclear as the screen cuts to black. It didn’t get much recognition because it relies more on dialogue than visuals, but its idea of weaponized language is unsettling and sticks with you.

8) The Invitation (2015)

The Invitation follows Will, who attends a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new partner. The best part is its slow buildup—nothing seems wrong at first, but small details pile up until the tension is unbearable. Will grows suspicious and eventually discovers the hosts are part of a cult planning a mass suicide. He stops them, but the ending reveals red lanterns outside, signaling that similar rituals are happening across the city. It didn’t get much attention because it’s more psychological than outright scary, but its unsettling tone and shocking conclusion make it worth watching.

9) Creep (2014)

Creep follows Aaron, a videographer hired by Josef, a seemingly awkward man with a terminal illness who wants to record messages for his unborn child. The best part is how Josef’s behavior slowly shifts from odd to menacing. Aaron tries to leave but stays out of pity, only to realize Josef is lying about everything. The ending shows Josef killing Aaron with an axe while filming it, adding the tape to his collection of victims. It didn’t get much recognition because it’s a slow burn with no big set pieces, but its realism and unsettling performances make it genuinely disturbing.

10) They Look Like People (2015)

This movie is about Wyatt, a man who believes people around him are turning into monsters, and Christian, his old friend who tries to help him. The best part is how it blurs the line between paranoia and reality. Wyatt prepares for an attack he thinks is coming, but the ending leaves it open—there’s no invasion, and he may just be mentally ill. It didn’t get much recognition because it avoids gore and action, focusing instead on mental health and human connections. It’s less about monsters and more about fear, which makes it feel personal but harder to market as horror.

11) Possum (2018)

Possum is about Philip, a puppeteer who returns to his childhood home after being disgraced. The best part is how unsettling his puppet—a spider-like creature with a human face—feels every time it’s on screen. Philip carries it around, trying to destroy it, but it keeps coming back, symbolizing his trauma. As the story unfolds, we learn he suffered abuse from his stepfather, Maurice, who still lives in the house. The ending reveals Maurice is the true monster, and Philip confronts him, finally freeing himself. It didn’t get much recognition because it’s slow and abstract, but it’s deeply disturbing in a way that sticks with you.

12) The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)

This movie follows a documentary crew filming Deborah, an elderly woman with Alzheimer’s. The best part is how her behavior shifts from sad to terrifying—she starts speaking in different voices and performing violent acts. As the crew investigates, they find out she’s possessed by the spirit of a serial killer who used to prey on young girls. The ending shows Deborah abducting a child to complete a ritual, but she’s stopped just in time. It didn’t get much recognition because possession movies are common, but its mix of mental illness and horror makes it feel more believable than most.

13) Noroi: The Curse (2005)

Noroi is a Japanese found-footage film about a paranormal investigator looking into a cursed ritual. The best part is how the story builds slowly, layering strange interviews and footage until everything connects in the end. The investigation leads to a woman who practices a forbidden ceremony, and the curse starts spreading to anyone involved. The ending reveals the curse has already taken over, and the investigator is never seen again. It didn’t get much attention because it’s long and demands patience, but it’s one of the scariest examples of found footage, using realism and folklore to make it feel real.

14) The Borderlands (2013)

This movie follows a group of investigators sent to a remote church to examine claims of miracles. The best part is its buildup—creepy sounds, strange movements, and things that don’t add up keep the tension high. As the team digs deeper, they find tunnels under the church leading to something ancient and evil. The ending is horrifying as the investigators get trapped underground and are slowly absorbed into the walls. It didn’t get much recognition because it’s a small, low-budget film, but its claustrophobic setting and disturbing finish make it hard to forget.

15) We Are What We Are (2013)

This film is about a reclusive family trying to keep their cannibalistic traditions alive after the mother dies. The best part is how normal they seem at first—they’re quiet and religious, not the monsters you expect. As the story unfolds, it’s clear they’ve been killing and eating people for generations, justified by twisted beliefs. The ending shows the daughters turning on their father and eating him, finally breaking free of the cycle. It didn’t get much attention because it’s more of a slow drama than outright horror, but the tension and shocking reveals make it worth watching.