Best Slasher Movies on Netflix

It is human nature to embrace the intrinsic feeling of manufactured fear. Obviously, nobody wants to go toe-to-toe with a real-life murderer (I mean, unless you're into that kind of stuff?), but watching some on-screen slashers is always a guaranteed way to get that blood flowing. Luckily, with the best slasher movies on Netflix, it's easier to get your adrenaline pumping like never before. With a wide variety of gruesome films, the flagship streaming service can be your go to for all things gory.

We'll start with a reboot of one of the more iconic horror films in recent memory—Cabin Fever. Although, like most remakes, the 2016 iteration of Cabin Fever failed to live up to horror master Eli Roth's cult classic from 2002, the latest version still provides its audience with a fair amount of chills and thrills. While there might not technically be a human "murderer," the flesh-eating disease plaguing the film's protagonists fills the role more than admirably.

1991s Cape Fear is also a remake of an earlier film of the same name; however unlike Cabin Fever, this movie was just as critically acclaimed as its 1962 predecessor.

The 1991 version, starting Robert DeNiro, follows the case of a convicted rapist recently released from a 14 year prison sentence. Instead of going back to a "normal" life, DeNiro's character chooses to seek vengeance on the public defender that imprisoned him. Martin Scorcese's remake is not just one of the best slasher films on the platform—it's one of the best movies currently available for streaming on Netflix, period.

Initially, The Shining was panned by critics and fans alike following its 1980 release. Years later, however, Stanley Kubrick's visually stunning thriller has earned more than just a cult following—it's now considered one of the most iconic horror films of all time.

What many don't realize is that filmmaker Stanley Kubrick decided to go in a different direction with the film entirely—much to the dismay of author Stephen King. While the book dealt heavily with the supernatural, Kubrick made Jack Nicholson's character, Jack Torrance, more of a victim of cabin fever than the paranormal. This qualifies Torrance as more of a classic "slasher" rather than just a victim of a haunting. Regardless of semantics, there's no denying The Shining's place on this list.

Children of the Corn, above all else, is a pretty freaking creepy movie. Based on another (surprise!) Stephen King novel of the same name, Children of the Corn remains one of the most violent and downright horrifying movies on this list. The movie follows a couple that stumbles on a cult of devoutly religious children with some, err, violent tendencies. I'm not going to spoil the rest of the movie for you, but it's definitely one of the more eye-opening horror/slasher movies on Netflix at the moment.

Clive Barker outdid himself with the original Hellraiser—a slasher film based on his own novella, The Hellbound Heart.

Barker, originally a horror novel writer, made his directorial debut with Hellraiser in 1987, and in the process cemented himself as a bonafide horror legend. The movie's primary villain, Pinhead, has also made quite a name for himself, and now ranks up there with the likes of Freddy Krueger, Jason Vorhees, and Michael Myers as one of the most iconic horror villains ever.

While Hellraiser is somewhat of a surreal horror movie, it does have many slasher qualities, thanks largely in part to Pinhead's violent nature and the fact that he's, well, a serial killer. If you're looking for something grounded in reality, this might not be your go-to slasher flick, but it's certainly still one of the best horror movies on Netflix right now. Oh, and you can pretty much go ahead and forget about its assortment of low budget sequels, like the widely panned Hellraiser: Revelations.

While plenty would suggest the golden age of horror movies is over, 2014s It Follows disputes that notion as one of the more recent horror movies with great plots. David Robert Mitchell's indie film is based around a supernatural entity that "follows" it's prey until it kills them. Fittingly, the supernatural force can only be passed along via sex, which gives the movie some nostalgic value. The film can be considered a callback to the gory, sex-driven slashers of the 1980s.

The 2015 film, The Invitation, starts out with a pretty basic premise—a bunch of old comrades meet up for a dinner party at a mutual friend's house. However, after a weird game of "I Want," which is essentially an adult version of "Truth or Dare," things start to go south.

Long story short, the dinner party morphs into a meet-up for sadistic murderers, as the members reveal their fair share of past traumas and harrowing experiences en route to a bloodbath of a night. The Invitation is easily one of the best new scary movies on Netflix, and certainly qualifies as a new-age slasher film.

2016s Hush, a psychological thriller/slasher film directed by up-and-coming director Mike Flanagan, has been generally well received since being introduced to the streaming platform.

The plot centers around a sadistic serial killer in a mask (no, not Michael Myers, dingus), who stalks and invades the home of a young woman named Maddie. The main plot twist of this film, however, is that Maddie is deaf and mute, making it all the more difficult for her to avoid danger. The protagonists' lack of senses make her plight a non-stop thrill-fest and one of the more mind-bending slashers available on Netflix.

The third and final Stephen King adaption to appear on this list, Gerald's Game certainly makes its mark amongst Netflix's collection of slasher films.

Directed by Mike Flanagan, Gerald's Game features Jessie and Gerald—a couple whose failing marriage causes them to think outside the box to explore their sexuality.

Gerald handcuffs Jessie to the bed once they arrive at the cabin, but Jessie quickly feels uncomfortable during the awkward sexual encounter. Before Gerald can unchain her however, he suffers a massive heart attack and things begin to take a very dark turn for Jessie.

The movie adaption—previously dubbed "unfilmable" before Flanagan stepped in—is filled with jump scares, mind-numbing dream sequences, and the unique ability to make its viewers sit and question their own reality. And of course, there's a pretty horrifying cloaked figure to give it that real slasher-esque feel.

Warning: the 2016 French-Belgian film 'Raw' is not for the faint of heart. If you have a weak stomach, a penchant for crying, or just an overall disdain for meat, of any kind, please contact your local healthcare provider after watching this film.

Seriously, though, this film is without a doubt one of the goriest movies you can watch on Netflix right now. Basically, it introduces a young vegetarian woman who is forced to eat the entrails of a dead animal during a hazing ritual. She quickly becomes addicted to the taste, which causes her to crave human flesh. Obviously, this is some pretty gruesome stuff, but the scarily-realistic theme of cannibalism makes for a highly entertaining thriller, and one of the best slasher movies on Netflix.