35 of the Most Violent Movies Ever Made

Often pitched as an indictment of fascism, this previously banned Italian film leans more toward an exercise in sadism. It takes place during WWII and centers around the horrifying torture of teens by corrupt libertines. Some call it the most graphic movie ever made.

Regarded as one of the earliest found-footage films, this exploitation classic follows a documentary crew into the Amazonian forest. The shockingly realistic cannibal violence led to director Ruggero Deodato facing murder charges, though he was later acquitted.

This gruesome horror dramedy from Hong Kong draws loose inspiration from a real-life murder case. It follows two policemen as they pursue a homicidal restaurant cook, whose famous pork buns are made of minced human flesh.

Based on a true crime story, this harrowing drama set in the 1950s exposes the dark underbelly of small-town America, and has disturbing scenes of graphic torture.

This relentlessly violent horror film focuses on a pregnant trauma victim is tormented by a deranged stranger intent on claiming her unborn child for herself.

From the New French Extremity movement, this film is every bit as graphic as its reputation suggests. It follows two abuse survivors on a path of brutal revenge, which unfolds through a series of surprise revelations and ultra-violent events.

In this Australian horror film, a teen boy faces not only the guilt of causing his own father’s death in a car crash but also confronts a vengeful prom date. “It’s a terrifying masterpiece that turns high school drama into a literal dead zone,” wrote critic Eric Kohn for IndieWire.

Director Mel Gibson’s biopic, centered on a real-life conscientious objector (played by Andrew Garfield), features intense and excessive violence. Beginning with vivid WWII battle scenes, the film revisits the brutal warfare in the harrowing third act.

While not strictly fitting into the torture porn category, this French-language Canadian thriller delivers its share of disturbing body horror. After his daughter is raped and murdered, a surgeon seeks his own form of justice to punish the perpetrator.

This Serbian exploitation horror film by director Srdjan Spasojevic is extremely violent. It features a former adult movie star lured back for one last job, which soon becomes the stuff of pure nightmares. New York Times critic A.O. Scott wrote that the movie “revels in its sheer inventive awfulness and dares the viewer to find a more serious layer of meaning.”

Director S. Craig Zahler blends gritty grindhouse style with drama across all three of his films to date. In this film, Vince Vaughn playing against type as a former boxer imprisoned and faced with an impossible mission. Driven by his need to protect his family, Vaughn’s character takes brutal actions to ensure their safety.

Oliver Stone’s darkly satirical take on America’s fixations takes those very same obsessions to exaggerated extremes. The film centers on serial killers Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis), whose crime spree becomes a media sensation. An extended director’s cut includes four additional minutes of graphic footage.

Before its recent, equally graphic sequel, this independent slasher introduced us to the sadistic killer Art the Clown wreaking havoc on Halloween night. In one particularly intense scene, Art splits an upside-down naked woman in half with a chainsaw.

This dystopian thriller takes place in a futuristic prison with vertically stacked cells. The film delves into socio-economic issues by alloting each prisoner amounts of food based on the position of their respective platform in the vertical chain.

Sylvester Stallone’s return to the “Rambo” series after a 20-year break features shocking amounts of graphic violence. It sends the icoic character into the war-torn jungles of Burma, on a brutal rescue mission.

The zombie subgenre is synonymous with extreme violence, but this recent Taiwanese film manages to distinguish itself from the herd. As a virus mutates, it tranforms its victim into frenzied sadists with extremely graphic impulses.

Presented in a documentary-like style, this controversial film blended staged death scenes with real-life footage. It was a box office hit that led to a series of direct-to-video sequels, all of which featured more footage of actual death.

This British horror thriller is one of many films that can trace a direct line back to 1972’s “Deliverance.” A couple’s romantic countryside getaway takes a terrifying turn when they encounter a group of hostile teens.

Japanese director Takashi Miike showcases his mastery of extreme and absurdist violence in this controversial crime thriller. The film follows the escalating and outrageously graphic rivalry between a sadistic killer and a sociopathic Yakuza boss.

“A relentlessly ugly and derivative reworking of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” is how AV Club critic Scott Tobias described this French-Swiss indie horror film. After fleeing from political riots in Paris, a group of Muslim gang members enters a remote inn run by former Nazis.

Tarantino’s acclaimed revenge tale starts with a literal bang and unfolds through a series of violent confrontations. Armed with a sharp wit and even sharper sword, former assassin The Bride (Uma Thurman) hunts down the killers who betrayed her. The film’s final battle is a masterclass in over-the-top violence.

An exercise in pure tastelessness, this horror sequel tries to outdo its similarly awful predecessor in nearly every aspect. Inspired by the first film, a disturbed fan attempts to create a human centipede. Despite the gory premise and vague meta-commentary, it doesn’t save director Tom Six’s dull execution.

This expansive crime saga traces the rise of Cuban gangster Tony Montana (Al Pacino) to the top of Miami’s drug underworld. Oliver Stone wrote the screenplay and reportedly took significant risks in his research for the film. Among the film’s many violent scenes are an infamous chainsaw killing and a dramatic final shootout.

This contemporary remake of a cult classic employs a brutal approach in its depiction of rape and revenge. After a brutal assault and left for dead, a woman (Sarah Butler) exacts revenge on her attackers.

Lars von Trier’s controversial drama may not be packed with traditional violence, but its intense scenes leave a lasting impact. After a personal tragedy, a guilt-ridden couple (Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) head into the woods for some solace. What follows is raw and visceral in execution, but rich in complexity and meaning.

This French experimental thriller plays out in reverse, centuring on the violent assault of a beautiful woman played by Monica Bellucci. When it premiered at Cannes, there were reports of audience members fainting and becoming ill.

In this chilling French horror film, two women are terrorized by a sadistic killer. It’s another classic from the annals of New French Extremity, a movement that ranges in terms of tone and style but consistently delivers violent horror.

South Korean cinema is no stranger to violent films, and this acclaimed thriller from director Park Chan-wook is no exception. Part of his Vengeance Trilogy, the film revolves around a man inexplicably imprisoned for 15 years. Upon his sudden release, he goes on a blood-soaked search for justice.

This high-octain action film uses excessive stimulation as its central conceit and packs impressive amounts of violence into every frame. Jason Statham plays poisoned assassin Chev Chelios, a poisoned assassin who must maintain a high heart rate to stay alive.

Director Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi action masterpiece blends Reagan-era satire with intense violence. Set against the dystopian backdrop of future Detroit, a cyborg cop (Peter Weller) dispenses brutal justice while uncovering the secrets of his own past. The original cut of the film was even more graphic than the theatrical version, which was edited to avoid an X rating.

Also known as “Braindead,” this Peter Jackson horror-comedy indulges in excessive gore and carnage. When an overprotective mother is bitten by a rat monkey, she becomes a flesh-eating zombie with a bottomless appetite.

In this blockbuster action movie, Bruce Willis plays a copy who takes on international terrorists. Packed with loud explosions, relentless gunfire, and intense action scenes, it new standard for cinematic violence in mainstream movies.

Director Eli Roth popularized the torture porn subgenre with this chilling horror story. The film follows three backpackers to a hostel in Slovakia, where they find themselves in a chamber of graphic torment. To qualify for an R rating, over 20 minutes of NC-17 footage had to be removed from the film.

The entire “Saw” is known for its abundance of grotesque violence, and this particular installment is considered among the most brutal. As Jigsaw’s life hangs in the balance, his apprentice orchestrates a new round of deadly torture games.

Director David Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises” puts a naked man (Viggo Mortensen) in the middle of an epic knife fight in this grisly crime drama from 2007. The story kicks off with the discovery of an incriminating diary, which has grave implications for the Russian mob.