Seven Unmissable Extreme Horror Movies Now Free To Stream Online
Tyler Doupe'
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Tubi is a severely underrated streamer. I normally won’t watch anything with advertising. But the commercials on Tubi are few and far between. It’s a small price, pun intended, to pay for the streamer’s impressive and extensive catalog.
Though the streamer doesn’t offer a ton of big-budget films, there is a bountiful supply of indie programming available. In fact, Tubi is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots to discover films that flew under the radar. So, with that in mind, I have compiled a list of seven underseen horror films you can stream for free on Tubi right now!
Eden Lake
Eden Lake is one of those features that I can only revisit every so often. It’s a brutal film, to say the least. But it’s also intense, fast-paced, and features a dynamite cast. Just make sure you have a moment to sit and collect your thoughts after you finish watching. The finale is a bit of a gut punch. The film follows lovebirds Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and Steve (Michael Fassbender) as they trek to a lakeside paradise for one last visit before it’s turned into a housing development. But their idyllic getaway is interrupted by a rowdy band of teenage miscreants with a proclivity for ultra-violence.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes
I’m so glad this harrowing effort from The Brothers Dowdle is finally a bit more accessible. Years ago, it was nearly impossible to find. But it has been given the home video treatment and (as the title of this post implies) can also be found on Tubi.
I don’t rattle easily. But even I was shaken by The Poughkeepsie Tapes. This found footage pseudo-documentary unfolds through a series of VHS cassettes collected from the home of a notorious New York serial killer. The gritty aesthetic lends an air of authenticity that makes the proceedings feel all too real. Additionally, the relationship between killer and victim becomes increasingly hard to take as we see Stockholm syndrome begin to set in for those he opts to keep around. The Poughkeepsie Tapes is eerie from start to finish and serves to leave me rattled every time; even after multiple repeat visits.
Would You Rather
This 2012 flick features an impressive cast that includes the likes of Brittany Snow, Jeffrey Combs, John Heard, and Sasha Grey. The picture riffs on films like Saw with its depiction of a game turned deadly but still manages to be its very own entity. Director David Guy Levy delights in making the audience uncomfortable as we watch desperate contestants in a deadly game of ‘Would You Rather’ make impossible choices. The film is sadistic and mean-spirited but it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Moments of pitch-black comedy provide just enough levity to keep the proceedings from being too heavy.
She Came from the Woods
I have nothing but praise for this underrated indie gem. I gave it a rave review during its theatrical exhibition and my appreciation has only grown since then. She Came from the Woods has been acquired as a Tubi original. And seeing as Tubi Originals can be hit or miss (think Terror Train), I have to wonder if that has kept it from finding the audience it so richly deserves. The premise sees a group of camp counselors shutting down Camp Briarbrook for the off-season. When a group of staffers conducts a halfhearted ritual to summon the ghost of local legend Nurse Agatha, they get far more than they bargained for. What follows is a clever slasher that frequently subverts expectations.
Inner Demons
This indie horror flick makes effective use of the found footage narrative technique. It doesn’t get everything right. But the film serves up some solid jump scares, biting commentary on the cynical nature of reality programming, and a persistent feeling of unease. The picture follows Carson (Lara Vosburgh), a young woman who has become dependent on opioids. When an Intervention-style reality crew arrives on the scene, they learn that Carson is using drugs to escape from what she thinks is demonic possession. The crew is more than a little skeptical about her claims. But the more time passes, the more plausible Carson’s claims seem to be.
Mayhem
I am a Joe Lynch stan. He is one of my favorite indie directors. His films are reliably enjoyable and entertaining. And Mayhem continues that trajectory. It’s filled with dark comedy and a bit of commentary on the soul-sucking nature of corporate life. I wish this flick had been given a wider release because it is some of Lynch’s best work. The film follows corporate slave Derek (Steven Yeun) as his workplace is overtaken by a virus that reduces human inhibitions to the point where anyone infected has little to no control over their more primal impulses. He teams up with a disgruntled client named Melanie (Samara Weaving) and the pair attempt to weather the sh*t-storm together. Both Weaving and Yeun turn in impressive performances that see both of their characters maintain a shred of humanity when everyone around them is going completely off the rails.
The Pact
The Pact made enough of an impression on audiences to warrant a sequel. So, it’s not totally overlooked. But it still remains underseen outside of its cult fanbase. The flick features a twisty narrative that finds a young woman (Caity Lotz) returning to her childhood home to settle her mother’s estate. During her stay, she can’t shake the idea that she’s not alone in the house. Director Nicholas McCarthy uses that premise to maximum effect and populates the film with just the right amount of jump scares and a hefty dose of atmospheric tension.
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