From The Babadook to Paranormal Activity, these are the best horror movies available to stream on Amazon Prime, curated for those who aren’t ever ready to give up on the spooky season.
Halloween may be months away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start watching scary movies. Nights are still dark, it’s still cold outside – meaning it’s the perfect time to peruse Amazon Prime’s creepy selection of horror films.
Browsing your streaming platform’s roster of movies can be a daunting task – we’ve all fallen victim to endless scrolling through endless rows – so we’ve put together a good selection of the best scary horror movies on Amazon Prime to keep you sufficiently spooked.
Be sure to also check out our lists of the best horror movies on Netflix, the scariest films on Hulu, the best ’80s horror movies, and the scariest horror movies of 2023.
The Babadook (2014)
The Babadook is one of the most creative and original horror films you’ll ever see on Amazon Prime, with the plot involving a mother discovering that her son has brought home a children’s book called Mister Babadook.
The titular character is a creature that stalks and torments its victims. In time, The Babadook becomes more than just a story as the events from the book begin to bleed into real life and Mister Babadook makes his presence felt.
X (2022)
X is the first in a three-part trilogy from Ti West. While its prequel, Pearl, is a twisted ode to the technicolor cinema of the Golden Age, this is altogether more grimy, unsettling, and rather sad.
It follows a young filmmaking crew who rent a guest house at a Texas farm to make an adult movie, only to find themselves at odds with the elderly residents. If you love The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this one’s for you.
31 (2016)
This slash fest from director Rob Zombie borrows from horror films like Saw and Zombie’s own The Devil’s Rejects to tell a grisly new tale of murder and madness.
Here, a traveling group of carnies are abducted by killer clowns and stalked around an abandoned factory in a game called ‘31’. While the game takes place, rich people make bets on their odds of survival. It’s classic Rob Zombie and will be loved by those who enjoy his work.
Let Me In (2010)
Let Me In is a remake of the Scandinavian classic Let The Right One In. While some people prefer the original, others prefer this western remake – and this scary horror movie is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime.
Both tell the same story and are gripping from start to finish. The plot involves a child befriending one of their neighbors, only to gradually learn that the new kid on the block is actually a vampire and her ‘dad’ is just a human thrall. The protagonist then gets drawn into her web more and more.
The Black Phone (2021)
This is the most recent horror film on this list, and it’s quite an underrated gem. The Black Phone – which we’ve covered quite a bit here on Dexerto — is based on a short story and features a young boy attempting to escape the basement of a serial killer, and he does this by communicating with the ghosts of his previous victims.
If this sounds quite Stephen King-esque to you, that’s because the book was actually written by his son!
Dawn of the Dead: Argento Cut (1978)
Never mind Zack Snyder’s remake, this is the original, and arguably best, zombie movie ever made. Remastered and packaged with extra footage, the Argento Cut is George A Romero’s classic at its best.
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The plot involves a group of survivors hiding in a shopping mall during a zombie apocalypse. The film riffs on consumerism in ways that its remake failed to do but above all, tells an incredible story of survival amongst an army of flesh-eaters.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
A new Paranormal Activity film hitting theatres every other October may make audiences groan these days. Franchise fatigue crept in several films ago.
But the original remains a found footage classic, is incredibly frightening, and is a perfect choice for a horror movie that’s available to watch on Amazon Prime. While the concept wasn’t fully original, due to films like the Blair Witch Project, it was the first to bring the horror home in such a grounded and spooky way. The actors involved really are scared at times which just adds to the film’s authenticity.
Cold Skin (2017)
Cold Skin is a real treat for horror fans and features a soldier taking on a job as a meteorologist on an abandoned island in the Antarctic. He does so to escape the First World War and get some solitude, but his peace is soon disturbed.
The island is also home to an unhinged lighthouse keeper who’s locked in nightly combat with creatures that come out of the sea and attack his home. However, there’s much more to this story.
Friday the 13th (1980)
While Friday the 13th was initially made to be a rip off of Halloween, there’s no denying how culturally impactful this film was. It launched an entire franchise and made it so that kids and teens alike were terrified to go to camp, or have sex, or swim in a lake ever again.
It’s an 80’s classic, and 80’s horror often hits different, so if you haven’t already seen this one, make sure to add it to you list.
Rec (2007)
Rec’s official plot is as thus: “Late-night TV host Angela and her cinematographer are following the fire service on a call to an apartment building, but the Spanish police seal off the building after an old woman is infected by a virus which gives her inhuman strength.”
Rec is arguably the most terrifying zombie-esque films out there, as well as one of the best found footage pieces. The film really brings out as much tension you can imagine from such a simple scenario. Also, it’s one of the few non-English speaking films on this list, so it’s a great way to expand your cinematic horizons.
All of these films can be viewed on Amazon Prime Video. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.
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