Best monster movies on Netflix right now

From Godzilla Minus One to Bird Box: The best monster movies on Netflix right now

Monsters may or may not exist in real life, but they make for great cinema

There’s just something about the monster movie genre that makes it particularly exciting, often more so than just about any other kind of movie. Not quite all-out horror, yet with plenty of scares and gripping sequences, the monster movie format is one that has endured over the years, helped along by some massive franchises such as Godzilla, King Kong, and Jaws, among others. Among the latest big releases in this genre is Godzilla Minus One, a Japanese film that brings Godzilla back to its roots with its original creator Toho- oh and it’s streaming on Netflix already.

Apart from this, Netflix also has a big collection of monster movies to choose from, just in case this latest release gets you in the mood for more super-creature thrills. Here’s our list of the best monster movies you can stream on Netflix right now.

Godzilla Minus One

The Godzilla franchise has existed for decades, and has grown in global popularity under Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse series. However, The original creators of the franchise Toho are still active in the genre, and recently released Godzilla Minus One. Set in post-World War II Japan, Godzilla is portrayed as a radioactive and highly territorial beast, adding to the misery and destruction faced by Japan trying to recover from the effects of the war.

Apart from the frightening and traditional portrayal of Godzilla, the film also benefits from an engaging sub-plot, superb visuals, and a haunting soundtrack. It’s nothing like the MonsterVerse Godzilla films, but it’s definitely worth a watch for fans of the monster-movie genre.

Kong: Skull Island

Arguably the best film in Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse franchise, Kong: Skull Island explores not only the origins of King Kong as part of the greater monster universe also occupied by Godzilla, but also the story of the mysterious Skull Island which holds the key to the monster world. With an impressive star cast featuring Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, and John Goodman, the film is full of monster scares and plenty of action.

Interestingly, it also sets the tone for the first Godzilla vs. Kong film, and the larger MonsterVerse franchise as a whole. It’s modern and very ‘Hollywood’, but is an entertaining watch nonetheless.

A Quiet Place

A sleeper hit starring Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, A Quiet Place sees the world taken over by deadly alien creatures who are incidentally completely blind, but have sonar-like hearing. Much of the human population has been wiped out, and survivors must remain completely silent to avoid attracting the creatures, which are incredibly difficult to defeat thanks to strong armour plating.

With just a handful of actors and a rural farmland setting, A Quiet Place sets the tone for the film nicely from the get-go, and conveys detailed dialogue and sequences with only actions and sign languages, as the characters avoid speaking so as to not attract the attention of the creatures. It’s a gripping film through and through.

The Ritual

Four friends go on a hiking trip to Sweden after the death of one of their friends months earlier, setting up the premise of The Ritual. If you don’t know much more about this film, it’s best to stay spoiler-free, as the horrors of the Swedish wilderness soon emerge in most unexpected ways.

The film stars Rafe Spall as Luke, the de facto leader of the group of friends who had a role to play in the death of the fifth friend. It’s a haunting film with elements of supernatural and mythology involved as well, for those who want a bit more than just a typical monster movie.

Bird Box

A monster film where you never see the monster sounds a bit odd, but Bird Box is a unique movie that makes the concept work rather well, focusing on the human aspect of a post-apocalyptic monster-infested world. The creatures in Bird Box are mysterious entities which cause anyone who sees them to immediately kill themselves through any means possible. People therefore wear blindfolds to stay safe, but the threat soon becomes other humans themselves.

It’s a well-executed story, backed by stellar performances from Sandra Bullock, John Malkovich and Tom Hollander. There’s also a Spanish-language sequel based in Barcelona that’s worth watching right after this.