10 best monster movies that ruled the 2010s

Some of the best monster movies come from the 2010s. From The Babadook to IT, the movies of the era have the perfect mix of horror and tension. While horror movies already raise the adrenaline, the monsters within horror movies make the movie even more interesting and gripping. Known for their unsightly physical appearance and gnawing presence, some of the best monster movies have a tense atmosphere that makes them a must-watch. Here are the 10 best monster movies from the 2010s.

Disclaimer: This entire article is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

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The Ritual, Troll Hunter, and other best monster movies from the 2010s

1. The Wailing

Directed and written by Na Hong-jin, this 2016 South Korean horror movie features Kwak Do-won, Hwang jung-min, and others. The movie is about a policeman who has to investigate a series of mysterious killings and illnesses in a remote and isolated Korean village after a mysterious Japanese man comes to live among them, and the officer’s own daughter also gets possessed. Now, the officer must solve the mystery so that he can save his daughter. A critical and commercial success, the movie has an actual monster and is one of the best monster movies. The movie ends with the revelation that the innocent old Japanese man who is suspected of witchcraft by the townsfolk, is actually a demon who collects the souls of the living. The red-eyed demon looks like a terrifying monster, and his grinning and cackling spirit makes for an unsettling ending. The movie is tense, suspenseful, and is one of the best monster movies to come out in the 2010s.

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2. Krampus

Starring Toni Collette, Adam Scott, and others, this Christmas comedy and horror movie from 2015 is based on a character from Austro-Bavarian folklore and is one of the best monster movies. Directed by Michael Dougherty, the film is about a dysfunctional family that keeps fighting, and this causes a young boy to lose his festive spirit. However, once he becomes dejected and unhappy, he unleashes the wrath of Krampus, who is a horrifying horned beast from ancient European folklore and is responsible for punishing naughty children at Christmas. While the movie received mixed reviews, it offered viewers a chance to see a live-action, on-screen version of the beloved monster from the folk tales. The film is fun and refreshing, and has moments of horror and comedy blended in. The monster makes quite an impression, and it is therefore one of the best monster movies of the decade.

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3. The Ritual

Directed by David Bruckner and based on the novel of the same name by Adam Nevill, this 2017 British supernatural and psychological folk horror movie is one of the best monster movies of the decade. Starring Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, and others, the film is about five friends, one of whom dies early on in the movie due to a story robbery. The remaining four decide to honor their deceased friend, who always wanted to go on a hiking trip in Sweden. Eventually, the four get lost in the Swedish old-growth forest trying to take a shortcut and encounter bizarre and terrifying experiences. The movie received positive reviews for its plot, atmosphere, and visuals. It is a claustrophobic and tense movie, and its highlight is the monster Moder, who is an ancient demonic creature worshiped by the cultish locals. The monster has a human torso for a head and glowing eyes that make this movie one of the best monster movies.

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4. Annihilation

Starring Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez, and others, this 2018 sci-fi horror movie is written and directed by Alex Garland and is one of the best monster movies. Based on the 2014 novel by Jeff VanderMeer, the film focuses on a group of scientists who enter a mysterious, quarantined zone in the forest called the “shimmer”, which causes mutation among plants and animals due to an alien presence. The movie has themes of dystopia and the human need to cause destruction. It was therefore positively reviewed by critics and viewers alike. The movie showcases how the shimmer emerged after a meteor landed on Earth. The film is a modern take on aliens and life on Earth, and its monster is the bear, which has been mutated inside the shimmer. While the bear’s body is largely intact, its head is disturbing as a human skull is fused on top of its head. Therefore, the film is one of the best monster movies of the decade.

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5. Troll Hunter

Directed and written by André Øvredal, this 2010 Norwegian dark fantasy movie features Otto Jespersen, Hans Morten Hansen, and others and is one of the best monster movies. The film is shot as a found footage mockumentary and received positive reviews from viewers and critics. The movie focuses on a group of students from a college who decide to make a documentary about a suspected bear poacher. However, as they begin to delve deeper into the mystery, they realize that they are being hunted and begin to experience horrifying incidents. The movie has a level of gritty realism due to the found footage style. However, the scariest and even the most outlandish part of the film is the Jötunn, who is a large and aggressive monster that has become infected with rabies and starts to threaten populated areas. The monster is a classic monster, and the movie is therefore one of the best monster movies.

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6. The Void

Starring Aaron Poole, Kenneth Welsh, and others, this 2016 Canadian horror movie is a Lovecraftian movie and is written and directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie. The movie is about a group of people who become trapped in a hospital by a gathering of cultists in hoods and the horrifying creatures that they worship. The movie was a critical and commercial hit and has many influences from the horror movies of the 1980s. It is gory, gruesome, and one of the best monster movies. The main monster of the movie has tentacles and seems like it is from another dimension. One of the worst creatures is Sarah, who was once a girl but was brought back from the dead by her father. However, she returns as a four-legged beast, covered in rotting flesh, and has a tentacled skull face. Therefore, it is one of the best monster movies.

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7. Crimson Peak

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, this Gothic romance and horror movie from 2015 is one of the best monster movies. The film is written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins and features Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, and others. The movie is set in Victorian-era England and focuses on a newly wedded bride, who travels to a remote Gothic mansion in Cumberland and must find out the mystery behind the ghostly visions she sees in her home and the past of his husband and his sister. The movie one critical and commercial approval and has gruesome ghosts and bloody phantoms that roam around the Gothic mansion. The film has an unnerving and tense atmosphere and is a great watch for lovers of all things Gothic. The phantoms have a deep red color that makes them otherworldly. Therefore, it is one of the best monster movies.

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8. The Babadook

Based on the 2005 short movies by Jennifer Kent, this 2014 Australian psychological horror movie is also directed by Kent and features Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, and others. It is one of the best monster movies as the film focuses on a widowed single mother and her son, who must deal with the terrifying humanoid monster that is haunting their home. The movie has themes of grief, parenting, and therefore has many layers and is nuanced. The movie has become a cult classic and has received critical and commercial acclaim. The monsters and other special effects were created using stop motion animation, which gives them a more terrifying appeal. The movie is anxiety-inducing as the monster feeds on grief and fear, and the scary appearance of the entity makes it one of the best monster movies of the decade.

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9. It

Directed by Andy Muschietti and based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, this horror movie from 2017 is the first of a two-part adaptation of the novel. Starring Bill Skarsgård and others, the movie was a smash hit and garnered positive reviews from critics and viewers. Noted for its cinematography, performances, and direction, the film is about a group of seven outcast children in Derry, Maine, who begin to be terrorized by a monster in a clown’s attire. The monster only emerges from the sewer and appears as Pennywise, the dancing clown. Even though the movie has kids, it does not dial down the horror quotient, and Skarsgård gives a terrific performance as the child-eating monster Pennywise, who looks and behaves in a scary manner. A must-watch, it is one of the best monster movies of the decade.

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10. A Quiet Place

Starring Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, this 2018 post-apocalyptic horror movie is directed by Krasinski and focuses on a family where the parents struggle to survive and raise their children in a post-apocalyptic world filled with monsters. The movie was a critical and commercial hit and is one of the best monster movies that even spawned a sequel. The film mainly focuses on a group of blind extraterrestrial creatures who have taken over Earth and kill people when they make a noise. The alien monsters are terrifying to look at as they move at supersonic speeds when hearing a noise, and have long limbs and a jangly body that makes them terrifying. It is one of the best monster movies of the decade and is a must-watch.