10 Fantastic French Horror Movies From 2000 On – Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. We closed out last week looking at 10 La Llorona Themed Horror Movies. Today we are sticking with that, mostly, non-English language theme as we take a look at 10 Fantastic French Horror Movies.

France has become a legendary horror nation, all while almost never producing movies in any language other than French. That’s pretty impressive and it would be impossible not to put them right up there with Japan and South Korea as one of the greatest horror nations on earth. What’s even more impressive is just how consistent they have been. We can go way back to the 70s to find French horror that inspired movie makers for years to come.

Another thing that stands out about French horror is just how gory and violent a lot of it is. Anyone remember New French Extremity? Yep, it’s hard to forget. Today we are taking a look at 10 Fantastic French Horror Movies. All of these films are post 2000 so don’t expect any of the real old classics. I have also tried to avoid a lot of the New French Extremity stuff so we have a nice mix of movies that aren’t gorefests. Let’s take a look.

10. Frontier(s) (2007) – Nazi Nightmare

Why it Ranked: One of the most American style movies on this list, Frontier(s) (Frontière(s)) is director Xavier Gens doing his best Eli Roth impression. Extremely close to the torture horror that was so popular in the 2000s, Frontier(s) sees a gang of criminals hiding out at an inn that just so happens to be run by neo-Nazis. It received a big boost in attention after the release of a movie coming later on this list but it is really nothing new. Still, an interesting answer to movies like Hostel and Saw.

Synopsis: A gang of young thieves flee Paris during the violent aftermath of a political election, only to hole up at a remote inn run by a family of neo-Nazis who have horrifying plans for their guests.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), Tubi (US)

9. The Swarm (2020) – Insect Insanity

Why it Ranked: The Swarm (La nuée) is part domestic drama, part psychological horror, and part body horror. This is a pretty slow movie that, perhaps, suffers for its lack of commitment to one particular element. Director Just Philippot has attempted to balance an allegorical story about the sacrifices made by parents with a horror focused on gross-out scenes of insects consuming flesh. At times it works quite well but it can feel a bit uneven in places. Definitely worth a watch, though, for something quite different.

Synopsis: A single mother struggling to save her locust farm discovers that the insects thrive on blood. As she begins feeding them her own, the swarm grows larger and more aggressive, threatening her family and community.

Where to Watch: Netflix

8. High Tension (2003) – Switchblade Romance

Why it Ranked: If you were to ask a casual horror fan to name a French horror movie, the movie they suggest would likely be 2003’s High Tension (Haute tension). Director Alexandre Aja made a huge splash with his story of a woman on the run after a quiet weekend away turns into a bloody fight for life. I’m nowhere near as big of a fan of this movie as most people. It’s one of the big “Twist” horrors that seemed to be doing the rounds in the 2000s. There’s still a decent amount to like and the shock ending will probably still surprise quite a few viewers.

Synopsis: Two college friends visit a secluded farmhouse for a quiet weekend of studying. Their peace is shattered when a sadistic killer arrives in the night, slaughtering the family and kidnapping one of the girls.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), Tubi (US), Peacock

7. Livid (2011) – Vampiric Ballet

Why it Ranked: The first of a couple of movies starring brilliant French actor Béatrice Dalle. Livid (Livide) is noteworthy as being one of the better supernatural French stories. Originally intended to be the first English language movie, filmed in the UK, of directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury, they instead opted for a lower budget movie produced in France due to a loss of creative control. The ending here is utterly ridiculous but the journey there is quite effective.

Synopsis: A young home-care nurse and her friends break into the mansion of an elderly, comatose dance instructor, hoping to find a rumored treasure. Instead, they awaken a dark, supernatural force that trapped within the house.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

6. The Advent Calendar (2021) – Countdown to Chaos

Why it Ranked: Speaking of supernatural, The Advent Calendar (Le calendrier) puts an interesting spin on a Christmas tradition as a paraplegic woman receives a strange calendar as a gift. The Advent Calendar is a little uneven but, for the most part, it’s a super interesting horror movie. It is slow moving and rather grim but the increasingly severe consequences of Eva opening the calendar each day keep the movie extremely compelling. It is, actually, quite scary in parts, too. A great alternative to your standard Christmas horror movies.

Synopsis: A former dancer, now using a wheelchair, receives an antique wooden advent calendar. Each window she opens grants a wish but comes with terrifying repercussions, forcing her to decide how far she is willing to go to walk again.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

5. Raw (2016) – Flesh & Family

Why it Ranked: Julia Ducournau’s coming of age body horror Raw (Grave) received a whole bunch of critical acclaim and horror fan love back on release in 2016. Putting something of a fresh coat of paint on a fairly old concept, Raw takes the familiar story of flesh craving humans and relates it to coming-of-age in a believable environment. I just found Raw’s various messages a little too on the nose and obvious to thoroughly enjoy it. Not to mention how padded it can feel. A good option as a “my first French arthouse horror movie”, though.

Synopsis: A strict vegetarian starts at a veterinary school where she undergoes a carnivorous hazing ritual. This awakens an uncontrollable craving for meat, leading to a dark journey of self-discovery.

Where to Watch: Netflix

4. Oxygen (2021) – Breathless Tension

Why it Ranked: Alexandre Aja is back in this Netflix movie from 2021. I, personally, believe that this is Aja’s best movie, yet. Though it takes place, almost entirely, in one location, the tension and atmosphere never let up. Aja manages to drip feed in new plot elements and reasons to stay engrossed in our protagonist’s dire predicament. Mélanie Laurent is on fantastic form, here, as well, which makes Oxygen (Oxygène) all the more easy to enjoy. Netflix don’t put out a ton of great horror and thriller movies but this one is definitely worth a watch.

Synopsis: A woman wakes up in a cryogenic chamber with no memory of who she is or how she got there. With her oxygen running out, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out before she suffocates.

Where to Watch: Netflix

3. Them (2006) – The Real Terror

Why it Ranked: Them (Ils) might be my personal favourite movie on this list. Ils forgoes a lot of character development and scene building to get straight to the point. This movie is a taught, atmospheric, and scary cat and mouse horror that doesn’t cut any corners and gets straight to the action. Featuring some of the most effective scenes I can remember in this type of horror movie. This film doesn’t let up until the final moment. It is rare that a horror so light on story manages to be so effective. Not for everyone but definitely worth checking out.

Synopsis: A couple living in a large, isolated country house are awoken by strange noises. They soon realise they are being stalked by a group of mysterious, hooded strangers who want to play a deadly game.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)

2. Inside (2007) – Bloody Birth

Why it Ranked: One of the most noteworthy movies from the New French Extremity sub-genre of horror. Inside (À l’intérieur) is the second movie from director duo Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury to appear on this list. Béatrice Dalle is exceptionally terrifying in this movie that goes quite far beyond simple gore into legitimately wince inducing torture horror hell. It can be a bit of a silly movie at times, introducing characters and plot elements that make no sense at all, but it is hard to deny just how tense and shocking Inside can be. Legitimately effective stuff that will have you turning away from the screen. Whatever you do, avoid the terrible US remake.

Synopsis: Four months after the death of her husband, a pregnant woman is tormented in her home by a strange woman who wants her unborn baby.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)

1. Martyrs (2008) – Pain & Transcendence

Why it Ranked: It is something of a surprise that a film as gruesome and macabre as Pascal Laugier’s Martyrs came to be so popular in the west. Its reputation definitely precedes it and it is likely that few horror fans have managed to avoid, at least, hearing about this film at some point or another. Martyrs kicked off a bit of a love affair with French horror for a lot of people. It will appeal to gore fans more than people who enjoy horror with genuinely well fleshed out stories. It’s widely considered by many, however, to be one of the best horror movies of the past 20 years. You decide for yourself but it is hard to deny how important Martyrs is for French horror.

Synopsis: A young woman’s quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend into a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity and suffering.

Where to Watch: Tubi (US), Amazon (Rent/Buy)

French Frights

There we have it, 10 fantastic French horror movies that prove you don’t need Hollywood budgets to create some of the most terrifying cinema on earth. Whether you are into the extreme violence of the New French Extremity movement or the subtler psychological scares of modern thrillers, France has something for every horror fan. It is a nation that isn’t afraid to push boundaries, and for that, we salute them.

I’ll be back soon with more lists. In the meantime, why not check out some of our other international horror rankings? Stay spooky.

🇫🇷 Quick Picks: French Horror Essentials

• 🏆 The Extreme Classic: Martyrs (2008)
• 🩸 The Home Invasion: Inside (2007)
• 😱 The Pure Terror: Them (2006)
• 🥩 The Modern Hit: Raw (2016)
• 🚀 The Sci-Fi Thriller: Oxygen (2021)