Ten standout horror masterpieces of the 2000s, ranked

Collider has ranked the ten greatest horror movie masterpieces of the 2000s, arguing the decade did far more interesting and daring things than its reputation for remakes, the “torture porn” wave and loud jump-scare films suggests. The list highlights films that reshaped the genre: The Orphanage (2007), produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by J.A.

Bayona, uses horror to explore maternal grief and earned a 10-minute standing ovation at Cannes plus seven Goya Awards; The Others (2001) is a slow-burn haunted-house story with a legendary third-act twist and was added to the Criterion Collection in 2023; Paranormal Activity (2007) revived found-footage horror from a suburban angle and earned $193 million on a $15,000 budget, launching a franchise and a decade-long wave of similar films.

Other entries noted for influence or innovation include 28 Days Later (2002) for its fast, rage-infected infected and gritty digital look, The Mist (2007) for its nihilistic ending that Stephen King praised, Final Destination (2000) for reframing death as the antagonist, and Lake Mungo (2008) as the No.

Key Topics

Culture, The Orphanage, Paranormal Activity, Found Footage, Torture Porn, Guillermo Del Toro