Netflix Just Added One of the Scariest Movies Ever to Its Library

Netflix subscribers looking for a real scare should check out Host. The 2020 British independent horror film, directed by Rob Savage, is streaming on the platform and still available this October. Host tells the story of a group of friends who accidentally summon a demon during an online séance, with all the action unfolding over a Zoom call.

Savage co-wrote the film with Gemma Hurley and Jed Shepherd.

The idea for Host came from a short prank video by Savage, which featured some of the cast and went viral. He then turned it into a feature-length film, shot entirely on Zoom over 12 weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The actors managed their own cameras, sound, makeup, lighting, and stunts, while Savage directed remotely from his home. The film first premiered on Shudder in the UK and North America on July 30, 2020, and later received a UK cinema and digital release on December 4, 2020, via Vertigo Releasing. Critics praised the movie for its jump scares, the chemistry between the cast, and its exploration of social anxiety.

The story follows friends Haley, Jemma, Radina, Emma, Caroline, and Teddy during a July 2020 lockdown in London. They join their regular Zoom call, and Haley arranges a virtual séance led by the medium Seylan, who warns them not to disrespect the spirits. Only Haley takes the warning seriously, setting off a terrifying chain of events.

Host has been widely praised. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 99% approval rating from 98 reviews, with an average score of 7.8/10. The site says, “Lean, suspenseful, and scary, Host uses its timely premise to deliver a nastily effective treat for horror enthusiasts.” On Metacritic, the film scored 73 out of 100 based on seven reviews, showing “generally favorable” reactions.

Critics especially appreciated its focus on social separation and anxiety. The New York Times and Rue Morgue compared it to Unfriended (2014), another horror movie set on a group video chat. Time magazine called Host one of the “17 Great Movies You May Have Missed This Summer” and said it was “not only one of the best horror movies of the year, but also an intimate look at creativity, film production and a shared global culture in the throes of a rampaging virus.”

Elizabeth Horkley of The Atlantic described it as “the first great entry in the new genre of ‘quarantine horror.'”

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