In the 21st century, one can argue the horror genre has been one of the most prolific and diverse genres internationally. Hollywood alone has seen such a wide variety of horror films in the 21st century. Twentieth-century franchises such as Halloween and Scream have continued to thrive in the new millennium, while new franchises such as Saw and Paranormal Activity have cemented their own legacies within the horror genre.

Internationally, countless countries have excelled at producing horror films during the 21st century. In Japan, horror movies such as Pulse and Ju-On: The Grudge proved so popular they received English-language remakes. New Korean Cinema auteurs such as Bong Joon-ho and Kim Jee-woon brought their genre-bending sensibilities to horror films like The Host and A Tale of Two Sisters. New French Extremity found acclaim and controversy in the early 2000s, with its influence extending to the recent films of Julia Ducournau, Raw and Titane. As a result, it should be no surprise that the best horror films of the 21st century rank among the greatest movies of all time.

10 American Psycho Blends Horror And Comedy To Satirize Consumerism

Based on the highly controversial 1991 novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho is a satirical black comedy psychological horror film about Patrick Bateman, a New York City investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer. American Psycho spent several years in development hell, with multiple changes made to the project's director and cast. Already dismissed once, Mary Harron eventually signed on to direct American Psycho with Christian Bale as the film's lead.

Once finally released in theaters, American Psycho divided audiences and critics alike, with some believing the film to be a brilliant satire of consumerism, while others felt disturbed by the movie's violence. American Psycho developed a cult following through its home video release, which over the years has led to the film being among the best horror movies of the twenty-first century.

9 Train To Busan Is One Of The Best Zombie Films Ever Made

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Train to Busan is an action horror film about a zombie apocalypse. In the movie, martial law goes into effect after a mysterious viral outbreak forces South Korea into a state of emergency. Those on an express train to Busan must fight for their lives against hordes of ferocious, fast-moving zombies.

Train to Busan was a massive box office success, becoming the highest-grossing domestic film of the year in South Korea. Currently, Train to Busan ranks as the 12th highest-grossing Korean movie of all time, due in large part to its box office records in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In addition to its commercial accomplishments, Train to Busan received nearly 80 award nominations internationally, winning 36.

8 Pulse Is A Seminal Work Of Early 2000s Japanese Horror

Between the late 1990s and the early 2000s, Japan produced many of the era's most influential horror films. Movies such as Cure, Ringu, and Audition found both acclaim and cult followings internationally. Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse is a seminal work of Japanese horror from this time period. Pulse focuses on two groups of people who discover evidence that suggests spirits may try and invade the human world through the Internet.

Upon its debut, Pulse earned a modest critical reception, but over time, the movie developed a cult following, resulting in an overwhelmingly positive critical reevaluation. Jonathan Crow of AllMovie celebrated Pulse's first act, writing "The first 30 minutes of Kairo (Pulse) is perhaps some of the most unnerving, frightening sequences to come down the pike in a long time." Styna Chyn of Film Threat astutely summed up Kurosawa's uncanny ability to unnerve his audience by proclaiming, "What's worse than a horror film that frightens you sleepless is one that disturbs you to depression." On their list of the greatest horror films of all time, Time Out voted Pulse 65th.

7 A Tale Of Two Sisters Is A Defining Horror Film Of New Korean Cinema (2003)

Inspired by the Joseon-era Korean folktale "Janghwa Hongryeon jeon," Kim Jee-woon's A Tale of Two Sisters is one of the most important films of the New Korean Cinema movement. A Tale of Two Sisters centers on a young girl who reunites with her sister and returns home after a stay at a mental hospital. However, disturbing events begin to take place between their stepmother and the ghosts haunting the house, all of which connect to the dark past in the family's history.

A Tale of Two Sisters was one of the first Korean films to receive a theatrical release in the United States and, in South Korea, the film was a tremendous box office triumph. Critically, A Tale of Two Sisters won 23 awards out of 33 nominations. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times described A Tale of Two Sisters as "a triumph of stylish, darkly absurdist horror that even manages to strike a chord of Shakespearean tragedy – and evokes a sense of wonder anew at all the terrible things people do to themselves and each other." Slant Magazine and Rolling Stone both ranked A Tale of Two Sisters as one of the best horror films of the twenty-first century.

6 I Saw The Devil Is One Of South Korea's Most Controversial Films (2010)

Another masterwork from Kim Jee-woon, I Saw the Devil is a South Korean horror-thriller that stars Choi Min-sik and Lee Byung-hun. The film's plot revolves around a secret agent who exacts revenge on a serial killer who murdered his wife. The Korea Media Rating Board twice denied I Saw the Devil from theatrical release due to the film's graphic violence.

While some criticized I Saw the Devil for its excessive violence, most critics gave the movie favorable reviews. Despite its violent content, I Saw the Devil still manages to be a thought-provoking examination of revenge and human nature. Altogether, I Saw the Devil won 18 awards out of its 37 nominations.

5 The Host Is A Politically-Minded South Korean Horror Monster Movie

Similar to the original Godzilla, The Host is a horror monster movie that uses genre filmmaking as a means of political criticism. While Godzilla is a commentary on nuclear anxiety, The Host used the Han River formaldehyde dumping incident as its source of inspiration. In the film, a mutated amphibious creature emerges from the river following the chemical dumping and begins wreaking havoc on the civilians of South Korea.

In an unprecedented release, The Host premiered on 620 screens, a record for a South Korean film. The Host went on to become the highest-grossing South Korean movie of all time. Critically acclaimed as well, The Host won Best Film at the Asian Film Awards, Baek Sang Art Awards, and Blue Dragon Awards. Overall, The Host won 29 awards out of 65 nominations, while Empire placed The Host 81st on their list of the 100 best films of world cinema.

4 Under The Skin Is A Haunting Science Fiction Horror Film

Despite only having directed four feature films, Jonathan Glazer is among the most prominent auteurs of the twenty-first century. Many cite Under the Skin as his greatest work, while Sexy Beast and The Zone of Interest each belong among the century's greatest films. Under the Skin is a science fiction horror film starring Scarlett Johansson as a mysterious woman who seduces and kills lonely men in Scotland.

Despite ending up as a box office bomb, Under the Skin appears on countless lists as one of the best films of the twenty-first century. Under the Skin earned glowing reviews from critics. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "This is what we talk about when we talk about film as art." The Telegraph's Robbie Collin described Under the Skin's powerful impact by claiming "If my legs hadn't been so wobbly and my mouth so dry, I would have climbed up on my seat and cheered." In total, Under the Skin received almost 125 award nominations, winning 23. Both Cahiers du cinéma and The Guardian named Under the Skin one of the top films of the 2010s, and Time Out declared Under the Skin to be the 58th-greatest movie of all time.

3 Robert Eggers Put His Name On The Map With The Witch