The 40 Best Asian Horror Movies of the Decade (2011-2020)

10. Impetigore (Joko Anwar, 2020, Indonesia)

Joko Anwar directs a film that begins as a thriller but eventually transforms into a horror/slasher, in a style that follows, quite closely the general rules of both categories. However, Anwar’s effort differs for two reasons. First, he does not base the scare factor on jump-scares (although some of those do exist) but on an overall atmosphere of horror, which he builds masterfully only to shatter it completely as the violence kicks in. This aspect benefits the film the most, as the viewer gradually realizes something will go wrong, but the when and the how remain unknown, thus retaining the agony for the majority of the film. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

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9. The Closet (Kim Kwang-bin, 2020, South Korea)

A generally enjoyable ghost story, “The Closet” might not be able to outlive its influences but these prove to be it’s only real issues anyway which makes this one quite fun in the genre. Fans of the style or other J-horror ghost stories will find a lot to like here while others who just like Asian ghost movies should also like this, but viewers who aren’t into either faction might not enjoy the film. (Don Anelli)

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8. May the Devil Take You: Chapter 2 (Timo Tjahjanto, 2020, Indonesia)

A slight notch below the stellar original, “May the Devil Take You 2” is still every bit as brutal, frenetic and enjoyable as its counterpart which sets up the possibilities of part three very well. Obviously, fans of the original or Timo’s past work will enjoy this one as well as those who enjoy Asian horror in general while only those who don’t appreciate the style at all will want to heed caution. (Don Anelli)

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7. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (Jeong Beom-sik, 2018, S. Korea)

With almost no real flaws to be had and plenty of strong, noteworthy elements present, “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum” is a truly effective and genuinely frightening genre effort that holds up incredibly well. Seek this out if you’re a fan of Asian horror, a found-footage advocate or curious about Asian attempts at the genre while there isn’t much to dislike here beyond those that don’t appreciate subtitled foreign films in general (Don Anelli)

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6. The Wrath (Yoo Young-sun, 2019, South Korea)

Without too many real flaws and some absolutely stellar positives throughout, ‘The Wrath‘ manages to feature plenty of stellar elements that make for a truly enjoyable and engaging effort. Give this one a watch if you’re a fan of these supernatural efforts or a fan of Asian style ghost films in general, it has a great mix of technical prowess with genre scares which makes this the perfect choice to top off our list. (Don Anelli)

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5. May the Devil Take You (Timo Tjahjanto, 2018, Indonesia)

While ‘May the Devil Take You’ may tend to wander a tad too much in the later half, the rest of the film is a stellar, top-notch over-the-top ride with continuous confrontations, plenty of strong horror sequences and a frenetic atmosphere. Readily dive into this one if you’re at the least curious, a fan of the director’s other work or enjoy this kind of Asian horror, while those that don’t enjoy it should heed caution. (Don Anelli)

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4. The Queen of Black Magic (Kimo Stamboel, 2020, Indonesia)

“The Queen of Black Magic” has quite a lot to like about it. The strong setup offers quite an enjoyable amount of action. Constructed as the former group coming together to pay respects to their ailing owner while serving as the substitute reunion between everyone and their families, the familiarity and greetings give way logically into the revelation of the ghost who haunts the building. This revelation and setup about the group being at the orphanage gives the viewer a glimpse into their friendly nature and how they’re all genuinely friends with everyone while still planting the seeds of what’s to come later on. (Don Anelli)

3. One Cut of the Dead (Shinichiro Ueda, 2019, Japan)

The film mocks every aspect of the entertainment industry, and this seems to be Ueda’s foremost purpose. In that fashion, “One Cut of the Dead” parodies the occasional strictness of the directors (the harsh behaviour usually associated with auteurs actually), having Higurashi yell “Action” at the most inappropriate times, not to mention the fact that he has used actual zombies in order to make his film more realistic. The caprices of the movie stars also get their share of mocking, as do the ridiculous demands of the industry producers, along with the fact that the majority of people in the industry consider TV shows of low quality. Furthermore, the struggles of low budget productions are also presented and mocked, while one has to laugh with the concept of the drunken director of photography, who actually ends up playing the zombie. Lastly, the role of the scream queens, the self-defense lessons for women, and “The Method” also get their share. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

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2. Satan’s Slaves (Joko Anwar, 2017, Indonesia)

Although it has a few minor, nagging issues that don’t really resolve themselves at all, this one still has quite a lot of impressive elements that hold it up overall. ‘Satan’s Slaves‘ emerges as not only one of the finest Indonesian horror films but also one of the finest films of the year, making this a must-watch for any fan of the original or Asian horror in general, while those looking for a fine intro to the country’s works could use this as a solid entry point. (Don Anelli)

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1. Train to Busan (Yeon Sang-ho, 2016, South Korea)

Yeon Sang-ho directs a film, which definitely moves towards being a blockbuster, but manages to induce it with a number of elements that make it much more meaningful than the majority of zombie and action films. Drama (and occasionally melodrama, obviously for commercial reasons) is one of them, as is the change in Seok-woo’s attitude, who eventually becomes a person willing to do good, in a genuinely humanistic concept. The elaborate script, which retains the agony as it switches genres, is another factor, as is the case with the injections of humor, which occasionally occur through chaos. Both of the ending sequences also move in that direction, with the dramatic element being the dominant one, instead of action. (Panos Kozathanasis)

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