10 Lesser Known Virus and Infection Horror Movies – Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. We have been on a Cryptid, Killer Animal, and Creature Feature kick this week on Ranking Horror. Today, we are going to close things off with something altogether more human. We are taking a look at 10 Lesser Known Virus and Infection Horror Movies.

Now I know what you are thinking. This is just going to be a list of zombie themed horror movies that nobody talks about because they are bad, but that isn’t the case. This list doesn’t feature any zombie movies in the traditional sense. All of these virus and infection horror movies focus on the subjects of worldwide viruses, personal struggles with infections, or apocalyptic survival scenarios.

None of these movies feature hordes of ambling zombies facing up against a group of well armed survivors. These films are far more concerned with the personal struggles of characters attempting to deal with the aftermath of viruses. What’s more, many of these films fly well under people’s radars, meaning you may just find a new horror favourite that you never knew existed.

10. Bite (2015) – A Sticky Transformation

Why it Ranked: Chad Archibald’s Bite is very reliant on its transformation sequences and an overabundance of slimy stuff. Bite isn’t the best movie on this list, but it certainly presents one of the more interesting results of an infection out of every title here. Borrowing liberally from The Fly, I still found Bite to be disgusting enough to bear mention and it certainly goes under people’s radars. Worth a look if you have a strong stomach!

Synopsis: A bride-to-be is bitten by a seemingly innocuous insect while on her bachelorette party, only to suddenly be infected with something that begins transforming her body in horrifying ways. Naturally, this is body horror in the most visceral of ways.

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

9. In The Earth (2021) – Nature Strikes Back

Why it Ranked: Directed by Ben Wheatley, who you may know for the brutal horror movie Kill List which appeared in our list of 10 Incredibly Depressing Horror Movies. In The Earth finds itself at the bottom of our list as it simply doesn’t play into the pandemic theme enough. It was actually made in 2020, so very apt when it comes to timing, but this is far more of a slow, arthouse, folk horror than anything else. Still worth checking out for a completely different approach to the subject at hand.

Synopsis: In The Earth takes place in a world ravaged by a pandemic and follows a scientist and park scout whose venture into the woods for equipment goes drastically wrong.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

8. Viral (2016) – Quarantine Dread

Why it Ranked: Viral does feature elements that look like zombies, I should make that clear, but the way the movie approaches the subject sets it apart. Where Viral shines is when it is playing out as a drama focused on how the characters are coping with their new life situation. The early stages of the film are incredibly interesting, forgoing gore and violence to tell a story of struggle and endurance. The later stages try too hard to bring the sci-fi stuff back in, but it remains a great alternative to traditional flicks.

Synopsis: The story follows a woman documenting her life in quarantine after a virus wipes out most of the world’s population. Trapped in a high-stakes situation, it is up to her to do whatever she can to protect herself and her sister.

Where to Watch: Max, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

7. The Beach House (2019) – A Toxic Tide

Why it Ranked: Directed by Jeffrey A. Brown, The Beach House is a movie of two halves. The first half plays out as a relationship drama, while the second half sees things pick up dramatically as the world becomes infected with an airborne virus that causes horrifying mutations. The story transforms into a survival horror that feels refreshingly different. It is a flawed film, but the atmosphere and creeping dread are well worth the watch.

Synopsis: It follows a couple spending a weekend away at a gorgeous beach house to work on their relationship, only to find two older people already there. Things begin to get very strange after a night of partying gives way to a changed world.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

6. Sea Fever (2019) – Parasites at Sea

Why it Ranked: Sea Fever might be best looked at as a low budget, indie version of The Thing set at sea. Slow moving, tense, and benefiting greatly from the claustrophobic confines of the trawler, this is an interesting little movie that does a lot with a little. People were extremely amused at the concept of watching a movie about people being quarantined during a real-world quarantine, thanks to its release timing. Don’t expect gore and violence, but do expect a lot of psychological pressure.

Synopsis: The story follows the crew of a trawler marooned off the coast of Ireland who find themselves in a terrifying situation as the water supply becomes infested by a strange parasite.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

5. Antiviral (2012) – Sickness as a Commodity

Why it Ranked: Antiviral comes to us by way of Brandon Cronenberg, so you know he is going to attempt to outdo his dad in terms of weirdness. It is a satirical commentary on the ridiculousness of celebrity worship, but it is also a gory body horror that David Cronenberg would be proud of. Bathed in a very unique, bright white veneer, there aren’t too many virus horror movies like this. It falls off a bit in the second half but remains entirely captivating due to just how different it is from the norm.

Synopsis: The story follows a man who works for a company that sells the viruses of famous celebrities. After smuggling the virus that killed a megastar inside of his body, the man finds himself in the middle of a mystery that threatens to destroy him.

Where to Watch: AMC+, Shudder, Tubi

4. Splinter (2008) – A Pointy Infestation

Why it Ranked: Toby Wilkins directs this indie gem. Some might class this as a zombie movie, but the Splinter parasite acts far more like The Thing than anything else. It’s disappeared under the radar in recent years but still deserves a mention. The camera work is a bit frantic, likely to hide some low-budget effects, but this remains a satisfyingly visceral horror movie with some exhilarating moments of action and great creature logic.

Synopsis: A young couple and a pair of escaped convicts find themselves trapped in a remote gas station by a voracious Splinter parasite that transforms its hosts into jagged, murderous creatures.

Where to Watch: Max, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

3. The Bay (2012) – Feasible Found Footage

Why it Ranked: The Bay is one of the better found footage horror movies I have watched and still manages to go under the radar. The thing that works so well is the way that everything seems feasible. Found footage presentation and brilliant acting make it incredibly convincing. Director Barry Levinson chooses to focus on societal collapse and the inability of officials to control the situation. It feels eerily prophetic in today’s climate.

Synopsis: It follows the story of a small town in Maryland that, during their 4th of July celebrations, suffers an outbreak of a strange infection caused by isopods. The town is suddenly quarantined as the gruesome reality of the outbreak takes hold.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), Apple TV

2. Pontypool (2008) – Language is the Virus

Why it Ranked: Pontypool is a very self contained horror movie. Almost everything takes place in a radio studio. Meaning, despite its zombie-esque leanings, it feels more like a tale of human struggle than marauding monsters. It is a War of the Worlds radio broadcast for the modern age. It is moving, effective, actually quite funny, and completely compelling. It’s a very unique approach to infection thanks to its lo-fi charms and linguistic hook. Awesome stuff and consistently underrated.

Synopsis: The story follows a radio host as he relates the events taking place during a sudden outbreak of a deadly virus in a small town in Canada. As it turns out, the virus is transmitted through the English language itself.

Where to Watch: AMC+, Shudder, IFC Films Unlimited

1. Infection (2004) – A J-Horror Hospital Nightmare

Why it Ranked: Directed by Masayuki Ochiai, who directed the huge J-Horror hit Shutter, Infection (Kansen) is quite typical of J-Horror in that it brings together a whole bunch of storylines into one twisted narrative. It can be messy, but the atmosphere and tension are off the charts. The hospital makes for a very eerie setting and the characters fill you with unease. It is certainly the most under-the-radar film here, which is why it sits at number one. If you can push aside the plot flip-flopping, it is a legitimately scary ride.

Synopsis: Workers at a rundown hospital do everything they can to avoid succumbing to a mystery illness after a young patient with a strange infection dies in the waiting room.

Where to Watch: Rare Horror Imports, Amazon (Buy)

Closing the Quarantine

And there we have it, 10 lesser known virus and infection horror movies that prove there’s plenty of life (and death) in the genre beyond the typical zombie horde. Whether it’s the linguistic terror of Pontypool or the sterile, clinical dread of Infection, these films offer a much more personal and often more terrifying look at what happens when the human body and society break down.

We’ll be back next week with even more curated horror rankings. If you enjoyed this infectious list, why not check out some more virus related content as well? Stay spooky.

🧪 Quick Picks: Infection Essentials

• 🏆 The Hidden Masterpiece: Infection (2004)
• 📻 The Intellectual Scares: Pontypool (2008)
• 📹 The Realistic Nightmare: The Bay (2012)
• 👄 The Body Horror Fix: Antiviral (2012)
• 🌊 The Nautical Chill: Sea Fever (2019)