21 Mystery Horror Movies That Perfectly Blend Panic And Puzzles

A dark, twisted, and sadistic thriller from the warped mind of David Fincher, Se7en sends is all but guaranteed to send chills down the spine of any brave, or foolish, enough to watch as two detectives hunt down a serial killer whose murders are inspired by the seven deadly sins. With an all star cast headlined by Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey, the film uses disturbing and visceral upsetting imagery of gruesome death and destruction to keep audiences utterly enraptured by the story as the mystery unfolds. With one of the most unexpected and unforgettable climaxes in film history, Se7en manages to toe the line between good and evil, and is a masterpiece of the fusing genres.
 

Martin Scorsese is widely viewed as one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of cinema, and for the first 5 decades of his career, he never quite made a pure horror film, that is of course until 2010 when he released the revolutionary and jaw dropping Shutter Island. Fusing traditional horror elements with tones of a psychological thriller, the film transports audiences to an eerie and unnerving mental institution on a remote island, where a U.S. Marshal investigates the disappearance of a patient. As the investigator dives deeper into the asylum's mysteries, he begins to unravel a web of deception that ultimately threatens his own livelihood and sanity. With yet another sublime performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island is a haunting and truly terrifying tale filled with unexpected twists and turns, perfectly balancing intrigue and terror.

James Wan's sadistic, twisted, and brutal directorial debut introduces audiences to the masochistic world of Saw, a franchise synonymous with some of the most disturbing, disgusting, and horrifying death scenes in the history of cinema. Of course, while the Saw we know today is all of those things, surprisingly, the original is actually a tense, atmospheric, and engaging mystery horror film that keeps audiences on the edge of their toes while only flirting with the idea of dismemberment. Following two men trapped in a bathroom, the film brilliantly weaves storylines and elements to help audiences attempt to unravel this mystery, only to completely blindside them with one of the most intense and remarkable reveal in the modern horror era.

The chilling adaptation of Thomas Harris' beloved and iconic novel of the same name, The Silence of the Lambs sees a young FBI trainee, Clarice Starling, seeking the help of the infamous Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant but cannibalistic psychiatrist, to track down another serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. One of the most critically acclaimed horror films of all time highlighted by masterful performances by Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, the film sweeps  viewers away on a pulse pounding and spine-chilling journey through the complex minds of predator and prey. Introducing the world to Hannibal the Cannibal as we know him today, The Silence of the Lambs manages to perfectly blend just the right amount of unrelenting dread with a mind altering story.

Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece, Psycho, is a revolutionary cinematic achievement that showcases a nail-biting tale of murder, deception, lust, and love, all while surrounding itself within the infamous Bates Motel and one of the most iconic and beloved horror villains of all time, Norman Bates. While many today know the groundbreaking twist of the film, back when Psycho released in 1960, the ideas and execution of the film were something that many audience members simply couldn’t handle, with many leaving the theater in utter shock and terror. Even today, with the twist becoming so engrained in pop culture, this beloved horror mystery stands as a true testament to masterful filmmaking, and lasting impact on cinema and storytelling.

A visionary and remarkable gothic tale from the mind of Alejandro Amenábar, The Others is one of the most refreshing and masterful ghost stories ever told, that feels all the more prominent today than when it originally released. Following a young woman who lives in an isolated mansion with her two light-sensitive children, the film becomes a paranoid thriller when this small and isolated family soon becomes convinced that their home is haunted. The film excels at building tension through its masterful use of cinematography and wicked sound design, straddling the line between psychological tension and paranormal dread. While the film seems fairly straight forward, the mystery that soon unfolds leads The Others to deliver an unforgettable twist ending that will leave audiences desperate to watch the film again as soon as the credits role.

Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's chilling novel is arguably one of the biggest and best horror films of all time, and while it may be a staple that nearly every horror fan knows like the back of their hand, it still manages to stand the test of time and feel just as fresh and terrifying today as it was in 1980. Witnessing the descent of a father who took his family away to an isolated hotel for the winter, the mysteries continue to unpack even 40 years later as Kubrick’s masterful filmmaking, atmospheric cinematography, haunting score, and unforgettable performances help make the film become more and more layered with every viewing, leading The Shining creates a relentless sense of dread that lingers long after the credits roll. Its enigmatic nature leaves viewers constantly questioning what is real and what is imagined, cementing its status as a classic mystery horror film.

A spectacular directorial debut by Jordan Peele, Get Out is a heart-pounding and mind-bending tale of race and discrimination that keeps the audience on its toes from start to finish. The film follows Chris, a young black man, who ventures to meet his white girlfriend's family for the first time, only to uncover a sinister secret involving the exploitation and manipulation of black people. Fusing elements of horror, mystery, and social commentary, this gripping masterfully skillfully weaves together an intricate tale of terror, while simultaneously providing one of the freshest and most unique mysteries to ever grace the silver screen.
 

M. Night Shyamalan's groundbreaking supernatural horror thriller introduced the world to young Haley Joel Osment's unforgettable performance as a child who can see and communicate with the dead, and his partnership with child psychologist desperate to help him understand his gift. Like so many of the most beloved and classic mystery movies, the big twist of The Sixth Sense is one of the most known and talked about instances in the history of cinema, but even with the reveal known, the film partners the supernatural elements with genuinely emotion and heart, helping establish the film as not only a superb mystery, but one of the best films of all time. 

One of the most important and game changing horror films of all time, Wes Craven's genre-defining slasher, Scream, rejuvenated the horror world by cleverly combining classic stereotypical tropes of the genre with a self-aware and satirical tone that felt fresh, fun, and frightening. Following Sidney Prescott and her friends as they are terrorized by a sinister masked killer known as Ghostface, the film keeps audiences on their toes as they too are desperate to find out who is butchering the poor students of Woodsboro High School. While many find the film to be quite funny thanks to its satirical tone, don’t mistake Scream for a comedy, as this horrifying experience will undoubtedly stick with audiences for the rest of their lives, and the bombastic finale will have their jaws on the ground.

Richard Kelly's cult phenomenon, Donnie Darko, blends elements of science fiction, teen drama, and horror into a mind-bending mystery involving a troubled teenager who becomes plagued by terrifying visions of a sinister rabbit and thoughts of death. This cult classic showcases surreal events that will have audiences questioning what is real and what is a fantasy, not only in the film, but in their real lives. Even though Donnie Darko is arguably one of the biggest and best mystery horror movies of all time, its ability to wrap its tentacles around audiences, as well as offer up some truly mind numbing explanations, make this a must-see staple of the subgenres.

Alfred Hitchcock has garnered the nickname, “The Master of Suspese,” for good reason, as the revolutionary director manages to transform even the most mundane stories into spine chilling and pulse pounding feats of achievement, and no film may better showcase this point than Rear Window. A thrilling and claustrophobic masterpiece that follows a wheelchair-bound photographer who becomes convinced that one of his neighbors has committed murder, the film uses its circumstances to deliver unrelenting tension and dread, as audiences as just as stuck to the wheelchair as their protagonist. As the film delves deeper into the mystery, the tension steadily mounts, culminating in a hair-raising finale that is as timeless as anything from Hitchcock's esteemed catalog.

Dario Argento, the master of Giallo, released what is widely considered to be his masterpiece in 1975 with the superb and sadistic Deep Red. Following a jazz pianist who witnesses a brutal murder and becomes embroiled in the hunt for the elusive and sadistic killer, the film is the pitch perfect blend of horror, mystery, and crime, something the Giallo subgenre would become synonymous with, as its portrayal of true crime is as grizzly as anything the horror genre has ever produced. With a striking visual style and a remarkably unsettling atmosphere, Deep Red constantly keeps the audience guessing as it unravels a labyrinthine plot filled with shocking surprises and gruesome twists and turns, showcasing Italian horror cinema as a force to be reckoned with in the years to follow.

One of the most chilling folk horror tales of all time, The Wicker Man is a devastating and heartbreaking tale of terror, intrigue, and mystery that revolves around the disappearance of a young girl on a remote Scottish island. With themes and tones of religion throughout, this mesmerizing movie does a fantastic job of lulling audiences into a false sense of security only to bombard them with one of the most captivating and genuinely revolting finales the horror world has ever seen.

Roman Polanski's spellbinding adaptation of Ira Levin's novel follows a young couple as they  move into a new apartment that isn’t quite what it seems to be all the while the titular Rosemary becomes pregnant with a child who is far more deadly than anyone could ever imagine. Rosemary's Baby expertly crafts a spine chilling tale of terror that fuses the occult, supernatural elements, and psychological torment to slowly make audiences feel as though they are losing their mind right along with their protagonist. 

A fantastic satirical horror-comedy in the vein of Scream,André Øvredal’s Bodies Bodies Bodies is a horror masterpiece for the Gen-Z and Millennial crowds that showcases the agony of dealing with the most tropey and ridiculous cast of characters ever put to screen. With nonstop laughs, chilling thrills, and a genuinely fantastic mystery that will leave audiences dumbfounded by the final moments of the film, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is arguably one of the best horror films of the decade, and a riveting whodunit that perfectly captures the heart and soul of horror and mystery.

The latest installment in the beloved slasher franchise that continues to perfect the satirical nature of its predecessors, Scream 6 continues the unrelenting terror and suspense of the series, this time however, taking it to the big apple. Set entirely in New York City, this installment sees the return of Sam and Tara Carpenter, dealing with the stress and trauma of the latest attacks while also trying to move on with their lives. Arguably the most brutal and violent entry in the franchise, Scream 6 lets all hell reign loose, delivering arguably the best entry in the franchise since it began.

Robert Hiltzik's cult classic slasher Sleepaway Camp is a horror lovers dream, a wacky, bizarre, nightmarish horror film that manages to be campy and utterly terrifying, and showcases a genuinely shocking mystery. Following a group of teenagers at a summer camp, grisly murders begin to unfold, but the mystery of who is killing is the beating heart of this intense and wacky thriller. A cult classic for good reason, the film is by no means a masterpiece in the traditional sense, but is one of the most unique, groundbreaking, and revolutionary horror films to release in the 80s.

A modern day horror mystery classic, Barbarian is one of the most refreshing and unique horror films to release in ages, as its firm grasp on tension as well as terror help solidify it as one of the scariest movies of the 2020s. With three drastically different stories being told simultaneously, audiences will be on the edge of their seats as they watch this disturbing and revolting mystery unfold. The less known about the film the better, but Barbarian is a masterful entry in the “Air BnB” subgenre of horror films that is becoming increasingly popular, and features one of the most unique and utterly disturbing monsters horror has seen in decades, as well as a monster who isn’t quite what it seems.

Black Christmas is inarguably one of the most important horror movies to ever release, as it is not only a fantastic film, but helped revolutionize the genre by creating what we widely know as the slasher genre today. Preceding films like Halloween and Friday the 13th, Black Christmas set the blueprint for what the subgenre would become, by following a group of sorority sisters stalked by a mysterious killer during the holiday season. With its creepy atmosphere, unsettling phone calls, and an unknown protagonist, the film keeps viewers on edge throughout the film, and never truly gives the satisfaction of feeling safe after the credits roll.

Edgar Wright's return to the horror genre in Last Night in Soho is a stylish and suspenseful thriller that follows a young fashion student transported back to the 1960s, where she encounters a mysterious woman whose dark past threatens to consume them both. Blending elements of psychological horror and time-travel mystery, the film weaves a captivating and enrapturing tale that is as gorgeous as any film released over the last decade, but still manages to have an eerie and creepy undertone of terror. Wright proves yet again that there is no director who can match his trademarked flair and style, while still delivering just enough scares to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.