Some film scenes are impossible to look away from, no matter how disturbing they are. Serial killer movies tap into our curiosity about evil, pulling viewers into stories filled with mystery, tension, and suspense. As the plot unfolds, each new moment delivers an unsettling mix of fear and fascination.
These films do more than shock. They explore complex characters on both sides of the chase, offering insight into the killers themselves as well as the investigators trying to stop them. By examining motivation, morality, and obsession, serial killer movies often operate in the grey areas of human nature where right and wrong collide.
Whether it’s the calculated cruelty of films like Se7en or the blunt brutality of classic slashers, these stories captivate through atmosphere, storytelling, and cinematic craft. Based on true crimes or pure fiction, they linger long after the credits roll, leaving viewers reflecting on the darker corners of the human psyche.
Methodology:
To determine the best serial killer movies, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of May 2024, weighting all ratings equally. Only movies with at least 1,000 reviews on IMDb were considered, and documentaries were not excluded. Director information is from IMDb.
50. The Last House on the Left (2009)
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (89,041 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 52% (1,003,751 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 43% (167 reviews)
- Directed by: Dennis Iliadis
49. Halloween II (1981)
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (79,397 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (77,151 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 32% (41 reviews)
- Directed by: Rick Rosenthal
48. Kiss the Girls (1997)
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (70,062 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (60,767 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (33 reviews)
- Directed by: Gary Fleder
47. Saw III (2006)
- IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (185,688 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (560,988 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 29% (93 reviews)
- Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
46. Saw II (2005)
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (241,980 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 59% (32,524,689 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (122 reviews)
- Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
45. Malevolence (2004)
- IMDb user rating: 5.1/10 (3,317 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (2,623 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (18 reviews)
- Directed by: Stevan Mena
44. Maniac (1980)
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (16,029 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (6,812 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 40% (20 reviews)
- Directed by: William Lustig
43. Laid to Rest (2009)
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (8,091 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (2,072 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (5 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Hall
42. The Last House on the Left (1972)
- IMDb user rating: 6.0/10 (35,694 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 50% (4,848 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 62% (39 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Craven
41. Hannibal (2001)
- IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (263,542 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (403,230 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 40% (171 reviews)
- Directed by: Ridley Scott
40. Funny Games (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (93,851 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 54% (30,987 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 52% (145 reviews)
- Directed by: Michael Haneke
39. Alone in the Dark (1982)
- IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (5,226 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 40% (8,549 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (11 reviews)
- Directed by: Jack Sholder
38. High Tension (2005)
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (75,331 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67% (48,597 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 40% (131 reviews)
- Directed by: Alexandre Aja
37. The Prowler (1981)
- IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (10,513 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 49% (3,318 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (6 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph Zito
36. Scream 4 (2011)
- IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (132,900 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 56% (76,995 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (187 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Craven
35. The Exorcist III (1990)
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (29,282 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 56% (34,111 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 59% (41 reviews)
- Directed by: William Peter Blatty
34. Psycho II (1983)
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (25,822 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 55% (20,142 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (35 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Franklin
33. Friday the 13th (1980)
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (128,039 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (229,312 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: Sean S. Cunningham
32. The People Under the Stairs (1991)
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (32,989 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (44,515 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (30 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Craven
31. Kalifornia (1993)
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (52,595 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (46,909 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 59% (32 reviews)
- Directed by: Dominic Sena
30. From Hell (2001)
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (157,785 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 66% (203,256 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 57% (153 reviews)
- Directed by: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
29. Scream 2 (1997)
- IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (164,227 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (412,768 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (79 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Craven
28. Child’s Play (1988)
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (93,329 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (267,702 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (48 reviews)
- Directed by: Tom Holland
27. The Devil’s Rejects (2005)
- IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (96,185 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (112,428 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 55% (139 reviews)
- Directed by: Rob Zombie
26. The Burning (1981)
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (17,416 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (6,590 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (10 reviews)
- Directed by: Tony Maylam
25. Lady in White (1988)
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (6,564 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (5,757 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (16 reviews)
- Directed by: Frank LaLoggia
24. Death Proof (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (279,011 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72% (289,741 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 65% (43 reviews)
- Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
23. Copycat (1995)
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (57,126 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (41,148 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (38 reviews)
- Directed by: Jon Amiel
22. Identity (2003)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (235,237 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (190,894 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 62% (173 reviews)
- Directed by: James Mangold
21. Saw (2004)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (396,891 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (853,003 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (188 reviews)
- Directed by: James Wan
20. Red Dragon (2002)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (262,088 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (275,635 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (189 reviews)
- Directed by: Brett Ratner
19. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (22,887 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (15,231 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Scott Glosserman
18. Cape Fear (1991)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (183,201 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (68,903 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (52 reviews)
- Directed by: Martin Scorsese
17. Frailty (2001)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (80,635 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (53,331 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (152 reviews)
- Directed by: Bill Paxton
16. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (34,078 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (11,655 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (63 reviews)
- Directed by: John McNaughton
15. The Boston Strangler (1968)
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (9,730 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (447 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (14 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Fleischer
14. American Psycho (2000)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (525,565 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (304,898 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (150 reviews)
- Directed by: Mary Harron
13. Scream (1996)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (301,022 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (478,893 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (75 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Craven
12. Martin (1977)
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (10,610 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (7,256 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (30 reviews)
- Directed by: George A. Romero
11. Manhunter (1986)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (69,912 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (53,362 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Michael Mann
10. Zodiac (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (547,567 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (494,558 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (259 reviews)
- Directed by: David Fincher
9. Grindhouse (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (181,333 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (330,360 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (196 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Edgar Wright, Rob Zombie
8. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (145,895 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (202,791 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (63 reviews)
- Directed by: Tobe Hooper
7. Cape Fear (1962)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (27,788 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (17,757 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: J. Lee Thompson
6. No Country for Old Men (2007)
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (900,943 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (399,547 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (288 reviews)
- Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
5. Halloween (1978)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (244,066 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (303,558 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (73 reviews)
- Directed by: John Carpenter
4. Se7en (1995)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,517,067 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (468,879 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (82 reviews)
- Directed by: David Fincher
3. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (85,564 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,773 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (77 reviews)
- Directed by: Charles Laughton
2. Psycho (1960)
- IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (630,728 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (240,418 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (104 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,332,128 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (847,443 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (104 reviews)
- Directed by: Jonathan Demme
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