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The latest: In celebration of Black History Month, we’re revisiting our list of essential Black horror films, bringing it to 55 films by adding such landmark cinematic achievements as Sinners, Nope, and The Blackening.
In our guide to some of the best, most resonant Black horror movies, we begin in 1960 with Night of the Living Dead. The movie was groundbreaking for setting the zombie template, but also through its casting of Duane Jones as its hero, an everyman of color. He leads survivors through Night, up until its provocative ending, when director George A. Romero inextricably binds the horror genre to America’s dark living history.
Jones’ other starring movie was 1973’s Ganja & Hess, for which writer/director Bill Gunn uses vampires to press into societal breakdowns. This kind of elevated horror has given definition to many Black horror films, including, obviously, Jordan Peele’s Best Picture-nominated Get Out, but also the Chicago-set Candyman and Oprah Winfrey-starring Beloved.
Of course, horror is there for lights-out entertainment, like ’90s classics Def by Temptation and Tales from the Hood, and with crossovers into the gothic (Eve’s Bayou), sci-fi (Attack the Block), thrillers (Ma), war (Overlord), and superheroes (Blade).
Explore all 55 fun, frightening, and groundbreaking films in our guide to the essential Black horror movies.
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#1
Critics Consensus: Featuring genuine scares through every corridor, His House is a terrifying look at the specters of the refugee experience and a stunning feature debut for Remi Weekes.
#2
Critics Consensus: Funny, scary, and thought-provoking, Get Out seamlessly weaves its trenchant social critiques into a brilliantly effective and entertaining horror/comedy thrill ride.
#3
Critics Consensus: A rip-roaring fusion of masterful visual storytelling and toe-tapping music, writer-director Ryan Coogler’s first original blockbuster reveals the full scope of his singular imagination.
#4
Critics Consensus: A tense, terrifying, and all-around outstanding feature debut for its co-directing duo, The Boy Behind the Door should thrill discerning horror fans.
#5
Critics Consensus: George A. Romero’s debut set the template for the zombie film, and features tight editing, realistic gore, and a sly political undercurrent.
#6
Critics Consensus: Carried by Kiersey Clemons’ performance, Sweetheart balances smart subtext and social commentary against effective genre thrills.
#7
#8
Critics Consensus: Effortlessly mixing scares, laughs, and social commentary, Attack the Block is a thrilling, briskly-paced sci-fi yarn with a distinctly British flavor.
#9
Critics Consensus: In the sharp, socially conscious battle of Vampires vs. the Bronx, comedy and horror blend brilliantly — and the audience is the winner.
#10
Critics Consensus: While it could stand to be a little funnier and quite a bit scarier, The Blackening is a thoughtful satire that skewers horror tropes and racial stereotypes.
#11
Critics Consensus: The Girl with All the Gifts grapples with thought-provoking questions without skimping on the scares — and finds a few fresh wrinkles in the well-worn zombie horror genre along the way.
#12
Critics Consensus: Candyman takes an incisive, visually thrilling approach to deepening the franchise’s mythology — and terrifying audiences along the way.
#13
Critics Consensus: Injecting a classic story with fresh innovation and social relevance, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is a thrillingly assured feature debut for writer-director Bomani J. Story.
#14
Critics Consensus: Admirable for its originality and ambition even when its reach exceeds its grasp, Nope adds Spielbergian spectacle to Jordan Peele’s growing arsenal.
#15
Critics Consensus: Eve’s Bayou marks a striking feature debut for director Kasi Lemmons, layering terrific performances and Southern mysticism into a measured meditation on disillusionment and forgiveness.
#16
Critics Consensus: Part revisionist war drama, part zombie thriller, and part all-out genre gorefest, Overlord offers A-level fun for B-movie fans of multiple persuasions.
#17
Critics Consensus: Led by typically outstanding work from Lupita Nyong’o, Little Monsters is a horror/rom-com hybrid that proves the zombie genre still has fresh brains to savor.
#18
Critics Consensus: Though it ultimately sacrifices some mystery in the name of gory thrills, Candyman is a nuanced, effectively chilling tale that benefits from an interesting premise and some fine performances.
#19
Critics Consensus: An intriguing debut for writer-director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Black Box compensates for a lack of surprises with strong performances and an emotionally rewarding story.
#20
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#21
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#22
Critics Consensus: A powerful, emotional and successful film adaptation of the original novel.
#23
Critics Consensus: Held aloft by gonzo black comedy and socially conscious subtext, The People Under The Stairs marks a unique — though wildly uneven — change of pace for director Wes Craven.
#24
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#25
Critics Consensus: Bad Hair‘s unwieldy ambitions are easy to respect — even if the film’s tonal jumble and uneven execution are impossible to ignore.
#26
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#27
Critics Consensus: Though some may find the plot a bit lacking, Blade‘s action is fierce, plentiful, and appropriately stylish for a comic book adaptation.
#28
Critics Consensus: Director Alexandre Aja’s latest horror offering boasts anxiety-inducing atmosphere and a committed performance from Halle Berry, although audiences will have to let go of some storytelling expectations to enjoy the ride.
#29
Critics Consensus: Though Blade II offers more of what worked in the original, its plot and character development appear to have been left on the cutting room floor.
#30
Ma
(2019)
55%
Critics Consensus: Octavia Spencer’s performance overpowers many of Ma‘s flaws, but uneven pacing and a labored story keep this thriller from fully realizing its unhinged potential.
#31
Critics Consensus: The First Purge should satisfy fans of the franchise and filmgoers in the mood for violent vicarious thrills, even if its subtextual reach exceeds its grasp.
#32
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#33
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#34
Critics Consensus: Da Sweet Blood of Jesus has no shortage of style, but it isn’t enough to make this horror-tinged Spike Lee joint one of his best — or worth recommending.
#35
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#36
Critics Consensus: The usual pulp delights of Tales From the Crypt are too few and far between in Demon Knight — a disappointingly slack and by the numbers siege flick.
#37
Critics Consensus: Thriller has an appealing cast and a fresh perspective on its genre, but those elements aren’t enough to outweigh a bland and predictable story.
#38
Critics Consensus: Lee Daniels’ foray into horror works best when it leans into his melodramatic preoccupations, but it fails to deliver the exorcism goods.
#39
Critics Consensus: Carmen Ejogo is stranded in a wasteland both figuratively and literally in this disposable thriller, which lacks the cleverness or specificity to give its thin conceit any bite.
#40
Critics Consensus: Antebellum fails to connect its images with any meaning, making for a largely unpleasant experience lacking any substantial scares.
#41
Critics Consensus: Fumbling the ball well before the red zone, HIM has style to spare but botches its promising conceit with rookie execution.
#42
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#43
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#44
Critics Consensus: Slow to start, the sleek looking Bones is more silly than scary.
#45
Critics Consensus: Louder, campier, and more incoherent than its predecessors, Blade: Trinity seems content to emphasize style over substance and rehash familiar themes.
#46
Critics Consensus: Doubling down on gore while largely abandoning the subtext and wit that made the original worthwhile, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh disappoints.
#47
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#48
Critics Consensus: Boo! A Madea Halloween won’t win Tyler Perry’s long-running franchise many new converts — but at nine films and counting, it hardly needs to.
#49
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#50
Critics Consensus: Berry’s acting talents can’t save Gothika from its preposterous plot and bad dialogue.
#51
Critics Consensus: Neither scary nor very funny, this misguided effort never lives up to its premise.
#52
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#53
Critics Consensus: A Haunted House seeks to offend every sensibility, but it’s greatest sin: not being funny!
#54
Critics Consensus: Sloppy, vulgar, and manic, A Haunted House 2 might be worth a chuckle or two, but mostly it’s a string of pop culture references and crude gags that fail to hit their intended targets.
#55
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
