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WeirdThe 13 Monster Movies on Netflix with the Highest Rotten Tomatoes Scores
By Anna Menta
Published
June 3, 2019, 9:00 p.m. ET
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Photos: Everett Collection ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps
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Pan's Labyrinth
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
No one does monsters like Guillermo del Toro, and Pan's Labyrinth is the film to watch for all the best del Toro critters. Following a young Spanish girl who discovers a fantastical world in a mysterious labyrinth, this dark fairy tale is less about creature battles, and more about the wondrous and strange beauty to be found in terrifying monsters.
[Stream Pan's Labyrinth on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
No one does monsters like Guillermo del Toro, and Pan's Labyrinth is the film to watch for all the best del Toro critters. Following a young Spanish girl who discovers a fantastical world in a mysterious labyrinth, this dark fairy tale is less about creature battles, and more about the wondrous and strange beauty to be found in terrifying monsters.
[Stream Pan's Labyrinth on Netflix]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Backcountry
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Backcountry, a 2014 Canadian film from director Adam MacDonald gets to the heart of the fear that drives all monster movies: Man vs. beast. In this case, the beast is all the more scary because it's real--a black bear, loosely based on the true story of a man-eating bear in Ontario, Canada and the two campers who faced him. Fair warning: This is a very violent and gory film, so don't watch with kids or kids-at-heart.
[Stream Backcountry on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Backcountry, a 2014 Canadian film from director Adam MacDonald gets to the heart of the fear that drives all monster movies: Man vs. beast. In this case, the beast is all the more scary because it's real--a black bear, loosely based on the true story of a man-eating bear in Ontario, Canada and the two campers who faced him. Fair warning: This is a very violent and gory film, so don't watch with kids or kids-at-heart.
[Stream Backcountry on Netflix]
Photo: Netflix
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Okja
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
I admit I feel a little bad calling Okja a monster movie, thus implying that the adorable super pig named Okja is some kind of monster, when in fact, Okja is the best, most beautifully pure pig to ever not exist. Still, taking cues from classic monster flicks like King Kong, this Korean-American film introduces us to a fantastical, potentially monstrous creature, and shows us that we shouldn't believe the worst in folks--even if they're very large.
[Stream Okja on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
I admit I feel a little bad calling Okja a monster movie, thus implying that the adorable super pig named Okja is some kind of monster, when in fact, Okja is the best, most beautifully pure pig to ever not exist. Still, taking cues from classic monster flicks like King Kong, this Korean-American film introduces us to a fantastical, potentially monstrous creature, and shows us that we shouldn't believe the worst in folks--even if they're very large.
[Stream Okja on Netflix]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Gremlins
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
You may find the tiny monsters (or "mogwai," as they are called in the film) in this film to be annoying, but that's kind of the point. Written by Harry Potter director Chris Columbus and produced by Steven Spielberg, this comedy horror film may not be remembered as fondly as some of its contemporaries, but it's still a classic.
[Stream Gremlins on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
You may find the tiny monsters (or "mogwai," as they are called in the film) in this film to be annoying, but that's kind of the point. Written by Harry Potter director Chris Columbus and produced by Steven Spielberg, this comedy horror film may not be remembered as fondly as some of its contemporaries, but it's still a classic.
[Stream Gremlins on Netflix]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Hellboy (2004)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Thankfully, it is not the 2019 Hellboy on Netflix but Guillermo del Toro's far superior 2004 take on the Dark Horse Comics demonic beast-turned superhero, starring Ron Perlman as the grumpy half-human. And yes, Hellboy is perhaps more of a superhero film than a monster film, but being king of monsters, del Toro delivers plenty of weird and wonderful creatures.
[Stream Hellboy on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Thankfully, it is not the 2019 Hellboy on Netflix but Guillermo del Toro's far superior 2004 take on the Dark Horse Comics demonic beast-turned superhero, starring Ron Perlman as the grumpy half-human. And yes, Hellboy is perhaps more of a superhero film than a monster film, but being king of monsters, del Toro delivers plenty of weird and wonderful creatures.
[Stream Hellboy on Netflix]
Photo: Everett Collection
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The Monster
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
This small indie horror film from director Bryan Bertino flew under the radar when it came out in 2016, but it's a hidden gem that's now streaming on Netflix. It's a simple set up: Zoe Kazan plays an alcoholic single mother named Kathy, and Ella Ballentine plays her 10-year-old daughter who would rather live with her dad. Then one night, Kathy hits a wolf with her car. Or is it a wolf at all? (Spoiler: It's not. It's a monster.)
[Stream The Monster on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
This small indie horror film from director Bryan Bertino flew under the radar when it came out in 2016, but it's a hidden gem that's now streaming on Netflix. It's a simple set up: Zoe Kazan plays an alcoholic single mother named Kathy, and Ella Ballentine plays her 10-year-old daughter who would rather live with her dad. Then one night, Kathy hits a wolf with her car. Or is it a wolf at all? (Spoiler: It's not. It's a monster.)
[Stream The Monster on Netflix]
Photo: Netflix
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Bleach
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
This 2018 Japanese film--based on the manga of the same name--stars Sota Fukushi as a teenage boy who suddenly acquires the powers of a soul reaper, and must now help lost souls find their way in the afterlife. Anime monsters are, without fail, fascinating and inventive, and the monsters in Bleach--ghost-like creatures that feed on human souls--are no exception.
[Stream Bleach on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
This 2018 Japanese film--based on the manga of the same name--stars Sota Fukushi as a teenage boy who suddenly acquires the powers of a soul reaper, and must now help lost souls find their way in the afterlife. Anime monsters are, without fail, fascinating and inventive, and the monsters in Bleach--ghost-like creatures that feed on human souls--are no exception.
[Stream Bleach on Netflix]
Photo: Netflix
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The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Scotland's most famous monster gets the spotlight in this 2007 film adaptation of Dick King-Smith's children's novel The Water Horse. If you're looking for a not-so-scary "monster" flick to watch with your kids, this adorable CGI version of the Loch Ness Monster will enchant and delight the whole family.
[Stream The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Scotland's most famous monster gets the spotlight in this 2007 film adaptation of Dick King-Smith's children's novel The Water Horse. If you're looking for a not-so-scary "monster" flick to watch with your kids, this adorable CGI version of the Loch Ness Monster will enchant and delight the whole family.
[Stream The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep on Netflix]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Monster House
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Another monster movie that's fun for the whole family, the 2006 hit animated film Monster House is witty, sweet and enjoyable, thanks to a screenplay from Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, and Pamela Pettler. Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Kevin James all lend their voices to the many monsters discovered by three adventurous kids in a haunted house.
[Stream Monster House on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Another monster movie that's fun for the whole family, the 2006 hit animated film Monster House is witty, sweet and enjoyable, thanks to a screenplay from Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, and Pamela Pettler. Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Kevin James all lend their voices to the many monsters discovered by three adventurous kids in a haunted house.
[Stream Monster House on Netflix]
Photo: ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
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The Mummy
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 58%
Sure, 1999's The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz isn't a cinematic revelation, but it's the definitive mummy movie of the modern era. Mummies are a classic MonsterVerse creature, and despite The Mummy's low Rotten Tomatoes score, you can't deny its lasting impact on USA Network's movie schedule.
[Stream The Mummy on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 58%
Sure, 1999's The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz isn't a cinematic revelation, but it's the definitive mummy movie of the modern era. Mummies are a classic MonsterVerse creature, and despite The Mummy's low Rotten Tomatoes score, you can't deny its lasting impact on USA Network's movie schedule.
[Stream The Mummy on Netflix]
Photo: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
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47 Meters Down
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%
What could be scarier than the real-life monsters of the oceans, AKA sharks? In this survival horror film from 2017, Claire Holt and Mandy Moore trapped in a cage at the bottom of the ocean, surrounded by great white sharks while their oxygen tanks run out. Sounds fun, right?
[Stream 47 Meters Down on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%
What could be scarier than the real-life monsters of the oceans, AKA sharks? In this survival horror film from 2017, Claire Holt and Mandy Moore trapped in a cage at the bottom of the ocean, surrounded by great white sharks while their oxygen tanks run out. Sounds fun, right?
[Stream 47 Meters Down on Netflix]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Eight Legged Freaks
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%
Let's get some bugs on this monster list, am I right? This 2002 comedy-horror starring David Arquette, Scarlett Johansson and a bunch of giants spiders is not good by any stretch of the imagination, but it is very good at being bad. And isn't that what you really want from a monster movie?
[Stream Eight Legged Freaks on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%
Let's get some bugs on this monster list, am I right? This 2002 comedy-horror starring David Arquette, Scarlett Johansson and a bunch of giants spiders is not good by any stretch of the imagination, but it is very good at being bad. And isn't that what you really want from a monster movie?
[Stream Eight Legged Freaks on Netflix]
Photo: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
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The Mummy Returns
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 47%
Oh yes, you better believe that Netflix has not only The Mummy, but also its 2001 sequel, The Mummy Returns. (It also has the third film in the franchise, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, but an abysmal 13 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes meant I couldn't justify its inclusion in this slideshow.) More Brendan Fraser! More Rachel Weisz! And most importantly, more mummies!
[Stream The Mummy Returns on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 47%
Oh yes, you better believe that Netflix has not only The Mummy, but also its 2001 sequel, The Mummy Returns. (It also has the third film in the franchise, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, but an abysmal 13 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes meant I couldn't justify its inclusion in this slideshow.) More Brendan Fraser! More Rachel Weisz! And most importantly, more mummies!
[Stream The Mummy Returns on Netflix]
Photo: Everett Collection
