Horror is a universal language. This genre, particularly in movies, can be home to some really profound stories portraying all the fears and anxieties that society suppresses. Audiences don’t just go to horror movies to be scared: they go to be treated to impressive visuals, enrapturing spine-tingling atmospheres, and stories that reflect that which a culture is afraid of.
Latin American cinema has produced some of the most underrated international horror movies, particularly in the genre’s recent boom in popularity. From Mexico’sThe Devil’s Backboneto Brazil’sGood Manners, some of the region’s best movies happen to be horror. These movies are windows into what these cultures see as “Other,” made by some incredible filmmakers with tremendous amounts of talent and making their countries proud.
10’Terrified' (2017)
Country: Argentina
Demián Rugna, who has already cemented himself as an exciting new voice in Argentine horror, broke onto the scene with the festival circuit darlingTerrified. Though only a little under 90 minutes long, this is the kind of experience that leaves a scar on viewers' minds. It’s about strange events occuring in a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, which lead three people to try and investigate further.
Displaying Rugna’s typical knack for relentless violence and mean-spirited scaresthat all horror fans should love,Terrifiedis absolutely brutal. Its plot isn’t particularly deep or smart, but when the special effects are so effective, and the scary set pieces are so darned horrifying, it hardly matters. All in all,Terrifiedproves that Latin American horror is a force to be reckoned with, especially when it comes to atmospheric yet no less impactful terror.
Watch on Shudder
Country: Cuba
It’s not rare at all for the zombie genre to feel stale and out of fashion. Every now and then, though,a revitalizing horror comedylikeJuan of the Deadbreathes new life into the subgenre. Set during a zombie apocalypse, the film follows a team of slackers facing an army of brain-hungry monsters. Meanwhile, the Cuban authorities claim that the living dead are dissidents revolting against the government.
A critique of authoritarianism and state-controlled media just as much as it is a hilarious celebration of Cuban culture,Juan of the Deadis what horror comedies done right look like. Its set pieces are a blast of fun, made even better by the measured use of gory slapstick. For those who wish that this particular subgenre was more intelligent more often, this is a perfect fit.
Rent on Apple
8’The House at the End of Time' (2013)
Country: Venezuela
One of the most popular Venezuelan films of recent years,The House at the End of Timeis a dark fantasy/horror drama about a mother experiencing terrifying encounters with apparitions at her old house. Thirty years later, she returns to the same place to decipher what has been tormenting her for so long. Similar to other haunted house movies but also quite singular, this modern Venezuelan classic makes itself worthy of its fame.
The relatively condensed runtime and the low budget allow the mind-bending time travel story at the core ofThe House at the End of Timeto shine bright. Surprisingly complex and made with tons of creativity and passion,it may not be as creepy as many of its peers, but it sure is better than most. Even in spite of all its limitations, Venezuelan cinema’s voice echoes loudly out of this terrific horror thriller.
Watch on Peacock
7’Huesera: The Bone Woman' (2022)
Country: Mexico
One of Mexico’s most recent outstanding entries in the horror genre,Huesera: The Bone Womanfollows Valeria, who has long dreamed of becoming a mother. After learning that she’s pregnant, she expects to finally feel happy — but something feels off. Drawing elements from traditional Mexican horror folklore,Hueserais a terrifying exploration of perinatal depression, the anxieties of motherhood, and how the pressures of domesticity oppress queer people in Latin America.
Hueseraisn’t all just about exploring its complex themes, though. Thanks to offputting sound design focusing on the chilling noise of cracking bones, as well as some ofthe most grotesque uses of body horrorthe genre has recently seen,it’s an absolutely terrifying film that toys with audiences' fear of the unknownin the most creative ways possible.
Huesera: The Bone Woman
6’Good Manners' (2017)
Country: Brazil
Brazil’sGood Mannersis about Clara, a lonely nurse from the outskirts of São Paulo, who’s hired by a mysterious rich woman to care for her unborn child. The two women develop a strong bond, but a fateful night changes everything for them. This is one ofthe best Brazilian movies, especially for international audiences, taking a look at the nature of female relationships in a very unique and chilling way.
There’s plenty of smart and provocative social commentary inGood Manners, balanced with lots of horror elements that are as satisfying as they are horrifying. DirectorsMarco DutraandJuliana Rojasturn São Paulo into a whole other character, one whose nighttime alleys and streets function as the perfect backdrop to this genre-bending fairy tale jam-packed with surprises.
Watch on Tubi
5’When Evil Lurks' (2023)
Argentina’s recentWhen Evil Lurksis probably the most genuinely horrifying film the country has made in the past decade. It’s set in a remote village where two brothers find a man infected by a demon and about to give birth to the Devil himself. Trying to get rid of the body, they unintentionally end up unleashing an evil that they’ll struggle to contain.
The bloodiest,most mean-spirited horror film of 2023,When Evil Lurksmixes elements of body horror, folk horror, and even the road trip genre to create an experience that’s impossible to forget. Absolutely no one is safe in Demián Rugna’s most recent film, especially not the audience, who’ll be subjected to some of the most shocking horror sequences they’ll ever see. In the post-COVID world,this story of paranoia around the authorities' inability to contain crises is scarier than ever.
When Evil Lurks
4’Tigers Are Not Afraid' (2017)
Another recent Mexican horror gem,Tigers Are Not Afraidis a dark fairy tale about a gang of five children trying to survive the horrific violence of the cartel, haunted by the phantoms created every day by the drug war. Directed byTrue Detectiveseason 4 headIssa López, it’s a powerful tale that uses magical realism to amplify its hard-hitting message about corruption, violence, and trauma.
Taking a look at the drug war through the innocent eyes of children,Tigers Are Not Afraidis an unforgettable meditation on generational trauma. Reminiscent of Guillermo del Toro’s work but very much its own film with a distinct tone and creative voice,Tigers Are Not Afraidis a richly atmospheric drama that’s bound to open a few eyes and break a few hearts.
Tigers Are Not Afraid
3’La Llorona' (2019)
Country: Guatemala
The legend of La Llorona is one of Latin America’s best-known and most important folk tales, with several countries having multiple versions and interpretations of the story.Jayro Bustamante’sLa Lloronais a Guatemalan re-interpretation of the source material, showing an aging war criminal (inspired by real Guatemalan dictatorEfraín Ríos Montt) facing death while the ghosts of his past haunt him and his family.
One ofthe most underrated international horror movies,La Lloronais the definitive rendition of the iconic legend.What is horror folklore, after all, if not a means to purge a society’s collective demons?With understated but highly effective horror elements, Bustamante dives head-first into the nightmares that haunt Latin America every day: corruption, classism, impunity, and violence. Taking place mostly only in the protagonist’s house, it’s a chilling portrayal of real-life horrors and how societies try to cure themselves of them.
La Llorona
2’The Devil’s Backbone' (2001)
Nowadays, del Toro’s fascination for themes that criticize war, authoritarianism, and fascism is well known, andThe Devil’s Backboneis where it all started. The director’s third-ever feature is a Mexican-Spanish co-production about a teenage boy whose father died in the Spanish Civil War. Arriving at a boys' orphanage, he discovers that the place is haunted and has plenty of grim secrets to discover.
The Devil’s Backboneis gripping and scary butshines the most thanks to its smart social and political commentary. Poignant, Gothic, and visually incredible, it displays its director’s early use of dark fairy tales and horror resources to lay bare the atrocities of war. The movie has plenty of what makes del Toro’s horror so special: an abundantly human heart at the center of all the violence and terror.
The Devil’s Backbone
1’The Wolf House' (2018)
Country: Chile
The Chilean-German co-productionThe Wolf Houseis one ofthe best arthouse animated moviesever made, imbued with an exquisitely surreal atmosphere that’s bound to have some viewers scratching their heads in delighted confusion. It tells the story of María, a woman who takes refuge in a house in southern Chile after escaping from a German colony.
Visually striking,The Wolf Housesmixes different styles of animationwith a clear emphasis on some of the most impressive stop-motion of the 21st century.Its story is more disturbing than it is outright horrific, but its nightmarish tone is guaranteed to ingrain itself in audiences' minds for days. It’s a movie that operates by its own rules and is completely indifferent toward traditional genre conventions.
