Best Horror Movies You Might Have Missed In 2022
2022 was a phenomenal year for the horror genre as it seemed like it was hit after hit. There was a vast amount of horror movies that delivered on, or surpassed, the expectations fans had. It is hard to catch every single movie that comes out, so I will be naming some great horror movies that are a must-watch.
I will not be listing any of the top five-grossing horror movies such as Nope, Smile, The Black Phone, Scream, or Halloween Ends — though I thoroughly enjoyed Nope, Smile and Scream. Hopefully, one of the movies that I mention intrigues you enough to check it out. Also, I did not see Terrifier 2, Bodies Bodies Bodies or Pearl, among some other horror films, so they will not be on this list.
Honorable Mentions
First, let me name two movies that I liked but did not make my top three.
Prey was a great film and a solid addition to the Predator franchise. It is a prequel to the other four films, taking place in 1719. The film follows a Comanche warrior who eventually has to go toe-to-toe with the Predator to protect her tribe.
This was a fun and thrilling Predator entry filled with incredible action, gruesome kills and a strong family story. It was nice seeing the Predator hunt in a different era as the Alien worked its way up the food chain to prove itself as the ultimate apex predator. Prey was also the first blockbuster to star an all-Native American cast which is amazing as that group of people has been criminally underrepresented in cinema.
The other honorable mention goes to Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022). This came out on Feb. 18 on Netflix, and it did not receive good reviews. I will admit this is not a great movie whatsoever, but I think you can still have a fun time with the film.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has had many disappointing sequels and reboots. However, this 2022 reboot had some bright spots. It does not have the best screenplay and the depiction of millennial culture can be a bit cringy at times. Still, the movie does have solid performances, terrific settings, and amazing kills. If Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) does one thing right, it is that it delivers plenty of gruesome and unique kills.
Overall, I’d say this is a solid slasher movie starring one of the top horror icons. This is a great movie to watch with friends where people can be entertained by the kills and crack jokes throughout its runtime.
X, Directed by: Ti West, Runtime: 1 hr, 45 min
This was my favorite horror movie of 2022. X is a beautifully shot film with great themes and kills. The whole cast is fantastic, but the lead women, Mia Goth, Brittany Snow, and Jenna Ortega, steal the show.
This film gives off heavy original Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibes as it is set in 1979 and the group heads off on a trip through Texas in a van. They are going to stay at a farmhouse owned by an elderly couple. However, the groups’ real intentions are to shoot a pornographic film, but not just any pornographic film, the best and most elegant pornographic film ever. This leads to interesting themes of sex, aging, body positivity, and what classifies something as art.
This movie has a wonderful setting as the farm is terrifying at night but yet still eerie in the daytime. X goes full slasher mode once the group is being hunted by an unexpected killer after they begin shooting their film. This slasher has truly top-notch kills with extreme gore which I always want to see in my horror movies. The movie also has a plethora of scary moments with a decent amount of comedy throughout the movie that never breaks the tension.
I think X is a must-watch as it is an all-around fantastic film. As a huge fan of the slasher genre and someone who gets tired of the disrespect toward that genre. X demonstrates how slashers can still be great cinematic films with deeper meanings and strong stories.
Barbarian, Directed by: Zach Cregger, Runtime: 1 hr, 42 min
Barbarian felt like it came out of nowhere, but it got a lot of people’s attention. I remember not seeing an advertisement for this movie until the week it came out in theaters. However, this movie got exceptional word of mouth from theatergoers, grossing $40 million in 2022. This is definitely a movie where the less one knows about the film the better. Barbarian is carried on the back of three actors: Bill Skarsgard, Justin Long and Georgina Campbell.
The movie starts with the main character, Tess, arriving at her Airbnb in a downtrodden Detroit neighborhood. However, she finds another man already in the house as it appears he rented out the house with another company. It is a stormy night and there are no other options, so the two strangers decide to share the house for the night. This is when chaos ensues with a movie experience that you will not believe until you watch the film.
Barbarian has important themes of trauma, abuse, toxic masculinity, and the tribulations of womanhood. It tells an amazing story with multiple twists and shocking moments that will have your jaw dropped. The creepy atmosphere and sense of helplessness make Barbarian extremely terrifying. Barbarian is a unique experience and it is best to watch with friends so you can talk about the insanity with people afterward.
The Menu, Directed by: Mark Mylod, Runtime: 1 hr, 47 min
Finally, The Menu is a stylish horror movie that was released in the backend of 2022. This is not the scariest film as it is more of a dark comedy/thriller. However, this movie has some ruthless moments and a constant cloud of tension that does not leave. Also, the film is perfect for “foodies” or people that have worked in the food industry in some capacity.
The Menu stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot and Ralph Fiennes as the menacing Chef Slowik. The rest of the cast consists of other restaurant guests with different backgrounds, but each guest adds something to the film.
The Menu starts with Margot visiting an exclusive island restaurant with her date Tyler, played by Nicholas Hoult. They meet a diverse group of customers on the island that has also paid a hefty price for this once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. Chef Slowik, who is one of the world’s most renowned chefs, has prepared a truly unique menu for the guests on this night. The night starts “normal” — if you can ever call the activities of wealthy people normal — but it soon strikes all the customers that something is not right.
There is a specific point in this film where the movie turns from a weird dining experience into a terrifying fight for survival. The Menu portrays beautiful dishes throughout all the courses and demonstrates the precise skill needed to create amazing dishes. It has fantastic themes of passion vs. obsession, consumer culture, loss of innocence, trauma and the issues of classism. This movie has a lot of humorous moments while still keeping a strong amount of tension and fear.
Overall, The Menu is a fun film experience that will have people wanting to see how this horrifying once-in-a-lifetime night plays out.
Wrap Up
These were my picks for the top three horror movies people might have missed in 2022. I think everyone should see these three movies for different reasons. However, I think all three of these movies are worth the watch and hopefully, you might find a new favorite horror film.
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