The Most Underrated Horror Movies of Every Year of the 2000s
September 7, 2025 | by ltcinsuranceshopper
The horror genre thrived going into the 21st Century as the 2000s were full of remarkable achievements. It was a new century and a new decade in which horror changed, mostly for the better, thanks to innovative modern hits like Saw, Let the Right One In, and American Psycho. It was a thrilling decade for horror lovers, as there was so much to enjoy from that time, but it’s a shame that not every good horror movie from this time was so well-liked.
Horror is full of underappreciated films. A great many today just so happen to be from within the last 25 years. From beginning to end, the following are the most underrated horror movies from every year of the 2000s. They’re misunderstood gems that slipped under the radar at the time or were critically panned but are much better than they get credit for. Many of these have even gotten better appraisals, cementing their place as worthy entries into this ever-growing genre.
2000: ‘What Lies Beneath’
Starting with a tense thriller from 2000, Robert Zemeckis‘s What Lies Beneath is an unforgettably chilling, nail-biter that can blow audiences away with its shocking twists and turns. Starring Oscar nominees Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford, it follows a couple at an idyllic lakeside Vermont home, where things slowly turn into a nightmare for the wife as she suspects the home is haunted by a wandering spirit.
Though a commercial success, What Lies Beneath received a mixed reception upon release, but was praised for both Pfeiffer and Ford’s performances. It’s a shame it’s not often brought up as much when considering the most compelling thrillers of the decade, but it should be quite worthy of praise as it’s intense and gains extra points for greatly exploring the themes of gaslighting and trauma. It’s honestly also worth watching just to witness Harrison Ford shine in an extremely rare but captivating villain performance.
2001: ‘Frailty’
2001’s Frailty is a fascinating and mind-boggling thriller that can keep viewers on the edge of their seats and shocked by its finale. Directed and starring the late great Bill Paxton in a commanding lead performance, it follows an ordinary widowed father in 1970s Texas as he one day comes to his two young boys and prepares them to help him on a so-called demon-killing spree after claiming to have seen a vision from God.
Nothing is what it seems in Frailty, and that’s the magic of it. It constantly makes the viewer wonder if Paxton’s character is really seeing visions from a higher being or if he has completely snapped. It’s brilliantly told through a terrifying supporting performance by Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey as the film’s mysterious and unreliable narrator. Frailty is one of the most underrated psychological horror films of the decade, one that thrills with its shock and suspense and never lets up the tension until the very end.
2002: ‘Dog Soldiers’
From the mind behind the 2005 horror masterpiece The Descent, Neil Marshall, comes one of his earlier efforts in the horror genre and arguably one of his best. Dog Soldiers is a 2002 action horror movie centering around a small squad of British Army troops as their routine training exercise in the Scottish countryside turns deadly when they become trapped in a farmhouse by a pack of werewolves.
It’s a kick-ass, bloody-good joyride of a film that can thrill audiences from start to finish, and it’s quite impressive despite its low budget. Though it wasn’t a mainstream success upon release, Dog Soldiers has since become a sleeper hit and garnered a cult following from fans who enjoy its pulse-pounding action and intense gore. For all you werewolf enthusiasts out there, this cult classic should not be ignored.
2003: ‘Darkness Falls’
Providing decent supernatural terror in 2003, Jonathan Liebesman‘s Darkness Falls is a unique, eerie horror film that, while heavily panned and often overlooked by audiences in the beginning, is steadily getting better recognition. Starring Chaney Kley, it follows a young man who must confront his fears by returning to his old hometown to finally confront the terrifying spirit that killed his mother years ago.
Though lacking originality and a refined script, Darkness Falls is not as terrible as many would claim to be and has slowly garnered more appreciation in recent years for its eerie premise and atmosphere. Not to mention, the design for the ghost looks terrifying and truly memorable. As far as supernatural horror movies go in the 2000s, Darkness Falls may not be the biggest standout, but it’s honestly not the worst, and it can be quite a chilling experience for those who give it a chance.
2004: ‘Malevolence’
An underrated crime thriller with a slasher twist, 2004’s Malevolence thrills and terrifies with its unique concept of a bank robbery gone horribly wrong. After evading the authorities with their take, a gang of robbers takes a woman and her young daughter hostage and waits at an abandoned secluded house until the coast is clear. However, the house isn’t as deserted as previously thought, and a violent killer picks them off one at a time.
Malevolence is a tense and suspenseful horror gem that was sadly swept under the rug upon initial release. Like so many other underappreciated horror gems of the new millennium, it wasn’t properly marketed, which added to its weak box office performance and lack of mainstream recognition. While it’s not a perfect film, Malevolence is quite violent and scary and features a fascinating concept. Overall, it’s worth a watch, and it doesn’t fail to disappoint.
2005: ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’
Scott Derrickson‘s The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a nightmarish tale inspired by tragic real-life events. Starring Jennifer Carpenter and the late Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson, it is about the aftermath of a deadly exorcism and a trial that comes soon after it, as the priest, accused of neglectful homicide, tries to convince the court that the victim was suffering from a terrible demonic possession.
A commercial hit, The Exorcism of Emily Rose wasn’t such a success with critics and became a mixed bag, as audiences either liked it or didn’t much care for it. Nowadays, it’s earned a welcoming cult following and a status as one of the most frightening exorcism films of the 21st century. The Exorcism of Emily Rose has now earned considerable praise for Carpenter, Wilkinson, and Oscar nominee Laura Linney and truly stands out as one of the best horror films of the decade.
2006: ‘Slither’
It’s quite interesting that, before becoming a heavy hitter in both the MCU and DCEU, director James Gunn made his filmmaking start with Slither, a 2006 body horror comedy about brain-invading mutants. Starring his frequent collaborators Michael Rooker and Nathan Fillion, it’s about a small town under attack when a parasitic alien crashlands on Earth, takes over a man’s body, and creates an army of slugs that turn the locals into mindless zombies.
This balls-to-the-wall dark comedy is an absolute delight that hilariously shows the comedic strength of Gunn’s writing as well as his ability to tell an entertaining story. Unfortunately, it was a box-office bomb upon release as audiences and critics couldn’t fully get behind its disjointed tone, since it combined a frightening and disgusting premise with a dark sense of humor. It, of course, became a major cult favorite in the years that followed, and today it’s recognized as one of the best and unique hidden horror gems of the 2000s.
2007: ‘The Messengers’
For those looking for thrilling haunted house fun, maybe give 2007’s The Messengers a try. Directed by Danny Pang Phat and Oxide Pang Chun, better known as the Pang Brothers, this chilling supernatural flick from the late 2000s offers intense scares and cheesy excitement. Starring Oscar nominee Kristian Stewart, it follows a Chicago family as they move to a small North Dakota sunflower farm to recover after a near-fatal tragedy. But as strange and violent supernatural occurrences happen all around them, the teenage daughter must protect her brother from this apparent poltergeist.
Admittedly, The Messengers isn’t the most innovative, unique, or compellingly told haunted house flick, but at least it provides audiences with a frighteningly good time. It’s got an exciting setting, a few decent characters, and most of all, many intense jump scares. It’s nothing that breaks any new ground for the horror genre, but it’s quite engaging, boasts a solid turn from Kristen Stewart, and honestly gets more fun with age.
2008: ‘The Ruins’
A criminally underrated eco-horror thriller, 2008’s The Ruins is an intensely creepy tale that can easily get under viewers’ skins. Starring Shawn Ashmore and Jena Malone, it follows a group of friends as their peaceful vacation in Mexico turns into a desperate fight for survival when go to can become trapped in an archeological dig that’s home to carnivorous vines.
The Ruins is quite a fascinating gem that mixes gruesome body horror and emotional drama, as we, the audience, follow these characters during their agonizing ordeal. Though it suffers from a few script problems and mostly unlikable characters, it is truly an unsettling and memorable film that gets better with multiple rewatchs. The film has thankfully gotten more recognition over the years and is no longer one of the forgotten misfires of the decade.
2009: ‘Friday the 13th’
Finally, the 2009 remake of the slasher classic Friday the 13th is a surprisingly solid and worthy retelling that not only honors this beloved horror franchise but also stands out with its intensity. Starring Supernatural‘s Jared Padalecki, it follows a man as he desperately searches for his sister, who went missing along with some friends at Crystal Lake, only to encounter the relentless serial killer Jason Voorhees (Derek Mears).
Yes, it’s not fully great and has some serious plot and character development issues, but so does the rest of the series. Compared to other pointless and mediocre horror movies that have come out over the years, the Friday the 13th remake at least tries to be both faithful to the original and have a distinct feel. There are a lot of great kills, intense suspense, and Derek Mears absolutely nails his performance as Jason, both physically and kind of emotionally. Overall, it truly deserves more respect and needs to be seen by fans of 2000s horror movies.
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