15 Best Monster Movies on Netflix (& Why You Should Watch Them)

Netflix has a substantial library covering a wide variety of genres. One of the most popular movie genres, in general, is horror movies, and in the past, we’ve brought you several top lists featuring the best horror movies out there. In today’s post, we’re going to focus on one specific genre of horror movies, monster movies. From aliens and curses to oversized mythological beings, we’ve searched Netflix’s library in great detail to deliver to you the 15 best monster movies you can currently watch on Netflix.
1. The Host (2006)
What it’s about: This Korean horror movie deals with the consequences of dumping large quantities of formaldehyde into Seoul’s Han River. A few years after the incident, a giant monster emerges from the river and starts to terrorize the city.
Why you should watch it: This movie is about what would happen if there were oversized pets living in the sewers abandoned by their owners. The Host received critical acclaim for its interesting “hunter-prey” dynamic between protagonists and monsters and featured some of the best-known Korean actors.
2. The Cave (2005)
What it’s about: A group of divers explores a newly discovered underwater cave system. They come in contact with a bizarre and dangerous new species that’s never been exposed to the outside world before. The situation is further worsened when they figure out that the creatures are able to pass on a certain “infection” to humans.
Why you should watch it: If you like the movie “The Descent,” you will also love The Cave. The movie is filled with cliches, but it’s tense, set in a bit of a claustrophobic environment, and has a nice twist at the end.
3. Pacific Rim (2013)
What it’s about: Pacific Rim is set in the future when a portal opens up in the middle of the Pacific and starts spitting out gigantic sea monsters capable of great destruction. To fight back, humankind has invented Jaegers, colossal mechas that can be “ridden” by two pilots via a mental link.
Why you should watch it: This is by far one of the best western takes on the Kaiju genre. The movie has a thrilling plot, lots of action, and lots of stunning visual effects. Likewise, giant monsters are always a plus.
4. The Ritual (2017)
What it’s about: The Ritual is a supernatural horror movie that follows a group of friends on their way to a deadly camping trip. The forest they are visiting is haunted by a deadly creature and inhabited by an even deadlier group of humans.
Why you should watch it: The movie starts a bit slow, and much of what is actually going on is never shown on screen. If you appreciate that kind of pacing, this movie is perfect for you. An added bonus is that it was filmed in a gorgeous Romanian forest and features an overall gloomy and hopeless atmosphere perfectly fitting for the movie’s overall plot.
5. The Mummy (1999)
What it’s about: If you’re really not familiar with the series and the title doesn’t give it away, you should know that The Mummy centers on the concept of an archeological expedition gone wrong and an ancient, powerful creature being woken up.
Why you should watch it: The Mummy is a classic when it comes to movies that deal with releasing ancient creatures. It has impressive effects and is one of the best action-adventure movies there is.
6. Bird Box (2018)
What it’s about: Humanity has been judged and is now hunted by supernatural beings that cause most people who look at them to commit suicide. The movie focuses on Malorie and the early days of the invasion as she struggles to navigate this new and terrifying world.
Why you should watch it: Bird Box was an instant hit as soon as it was released and received much praise. It has a unique concept and a terrifying new obstacle the protagonists need to overcome to survive, their lack of sight.
7. Sweetheart (2019)
What it’s about: Jennifer Remming has been in a boating accident and washed ashore on a deserted tropical island. What she found there was far from heaven. She struggles to survive on her own, and matters are made even worse when she is forced to defend herself against the strange and terrifying presence that haunts her each night.
Why you should watch it: Sweetheart has almost no dialogue, yet it manages to explain everything masterfully. If you’re a fan of survival horror movies, this will be a true treat for you.
8. Cloverfield (2008)
What it’s about: New York is suddenly invaded by a colossal and terrifying creature from another dimension. A group of friends is attempting a rescue mission while trying to save their own lives.
Why you should watch it: I’m a huge fan of found-footage horror movies, and Cloverfield does it really well. It’s tense, and the decision to deliver the invasion in such an “amateurish” way was brilliant. Cloverfield was a great start to an overall decent movie franchise.
9. Before I Wake (2016)
What it’s about: Cody is an orphaned child who has trouble finding a foster home. All previous attempts to adopt him were unsuccessful. Jessie and Mark Hobson are recovering from the loss of their only son Sean, they decide to take in Cody, and soon they realize that Cody can bring to life everything he sees in his dreams. At first, they try to abuse the “gift,” but it soon turns out in a dangerous game.
Why you should watch it: The movie deals with the original idea and monopolizes on your own childhood fears and nightmares. Overall it’s an interesting horror movie that deals with several themes related to loss, regret, and, well, fear itself.
10. Annihilation (2018)
What it’s about: A special team made out of biologist, geomorphologist, physicist, and paramedic ventures into a zone where a meteor crashed three years prior. The zone is called Shimmer, and it’s expanding at an unnerving pace. As soon as they step into the Shimmer, they will discover that time and biology don’t make sense anymore.
Why you should watch it: I was drawn to this movie since it sounded a lot like one of Lovecraft’s stories called “The Color Out of Space,” and it is similar, but the movie (also based on a book) has its own unique twist to it. The movie not only presents you with an interesting concept related to alien “invasion,” but it also deals with themes of loss and regret.
11. Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
What it’s about: Earth is facing a massive energy crisis, and a team of scientists is dispatched to test a revolutionary Shepard particle accelerator in order to provide the Earth with infinite energy. Shepard particle accelerator is controversial because some people believe that it will open a portal to strange and dark dimensions from which horrors can get outside and invade the Earth. And yeah, it happens. After failed activation of the device, Earth vanishes from sight, and protagonists find themselves facing a strange new world.
Why you should watch it: The movie wasn’t received as well as prior movies in the franchise. But overall, it’s a solid sci-fi horror watch with an interesting premise. It does little to explain events that happened in the prior movies, but it works just as well as the standalone movie.
12. The Meg (2018)
What it’s about: The Meg follows a team of scientists in their efforts to explore the Mariana Trench, the deepest trench on Earth. They find a plethora of new and strange flora and fauna never before seen, but in the deepest reaches of the trench lurks something ancient and horrific, Megalodon.
Why you should watch it: The Meg sounds similar to the Jaws, but it’s a decent enough movie. It monopolizes on suspense, hydrophobia, and, well, our fears of Sharks and everything related to them.
13. The Mist (2007)
What it’s about: Based on the novel of the same name written by Stephen King, The Mist follows a group of survivors holed up in a local supermarket. From what are they running? Other-dimensional monsters invaded the town through the mist that appeared after a severe storm struck the town.
Why you should watch it: The Mist is an excellent movie that doesn’t have to involve much bloodshed to get the message across. It’s mysterious, tense, and suspenseful. It’s everything you want a monster movie to be.
14. No One Gets Out Alive (2021)
What it’s about: The story follows Ambar, an undocumented immigrant struggling to survive in Cleveland. Due to a lack of funds, she is forced to move into a run-down boarding house run by a strange guy named Red. Soon after moving in, she realizes that something is horribly wrong as she becomes haunted by a strange and unknown presence. She decides to leave but returns once again due to desperation, and this is where the true nightmare begins.
Why you should watch it: No One Gets Out Alive begins slow but picks up the pace and explains (and shows) everything in due time. It’s an interesting take on Aztec mythology, and brilliant social commentary is added to the mix.
15. Under the Shadow (2016)
What it’s about: Under the Shadow follows a mother-daughter duo as they struggle to survive in a war-torn Tehran. At first, the only horror they will face is that of war, until a demonic and mystic entity starts to haunt their home.
Why you should watch it: Under the Shadow is an unsettling psychological horror that cleverly incorporates supernatural horrors into man-made horrors such as war. Even though the movie is not realistic at all, it deals with some pretty heavy and real themes.