Antagonists in horror movies can come in many forms – ghosts, zombies, demons, you name it. But what happens when a familiar aspect of nature seems to do a 180? This has been the basis for many effective horror films since they first began to freak out audience members. Horror movies about animals often find such success because they're so possible and extremely imaginable within the confines of real life. After all, who's to say whether these instances could actually happen? An article from the Spokesman-Review highlighted the increase of real-world animal attacks recently: "While statistically you’re still more likely to die of a heart attack, these attacks raise an important but easy-to-forget point: Wild animals have their own agendas, ones decoupled from human will and desire."
When animals seem to turn on us, we humans find ourselves immersed in an unwilling game of man versus nature. Within horror movies, terrifying truths are revealed about the ferocity of the natural world. Dipping their toes into the horror genre, any kind of animal can appear frightening within the right atmosphere. And these vicious creatures will do anything to get back to the top of the food chain. Let's take a look at the best horror movies about animals, ranked.
7 Arachnophobia (1990)
Equally comedic and creepy, Arachnophobia is a spine-tingling adventure. Following a research trip to Venezuela that results in a photographer's death, a single spider stows away to America after crawling into his casket. Legions of spiders spawn as a result, descending upon the home of Dr. Ross Jennings (an arachnophobe, of course) and his family. Throughout the story's progression, the creepy crawlies get bigger and badder, resulting in mysterious deaths that can't be explained by anything but Jennings' greatest foe. Longtime fans of this film are looking forward to a promising remake headed by Christopher Landon.
6 Man’s Best Friend (1993)
Contrary to its title, Man's Best Friend sees what should have been a beloved family pet transformed by the true-to-life terrors of animal experimentation. Lori Tanner is let into a testing laboratory in hopes of breaking a story on animal abuse, and soon sees domesticated creatures as the unfortunate subjects. Naturally put off by the magnitude of their mistreatment, she leaves the facility, but she's trailed on her way out by Max, a burly dog with hidden genetic enhancements. This film is essentially as heartbreaking as it is frightening, as we watch the manipulated DNA turn a precious pup into a cold hard killer. Unaware of his true nature, Lori takes the dog in, with monstrous consequences as he embarks on a massacre.
5
Cujo (1983)
Cujo is a tragic example of why you should always get your animals vaccinated. Bitten by a rabid bat, a bumbling and well-intentioned Saint Bernard quickly becomes a foaming-at-the-mouth menace to society. Donna and Tad, a close-knit mother-and-son team, are encapsulated in their car and trapped for hours in the oppressive heat as Cujo rages on outside. Their efforts seem futile and circular, but thankfully, Donna's quick thinking saves the day just in time. The film captures the undying devotion of dogs, albeit in an extremely adverse interpretation. As a horror gem of the '80s, fans would love to see this cautionary tale retold for a new generation.
4 Anaconda (1997)
Wedged within the wilds of the Amazon, Anaconda warns that the jungle is alive with all sorts of untouched creatures, especially gargantuan ones. A documentary film crew is unwittingly drawn into the footage of a lifetime after crossing paths with an obsessed hunter. Together, they aim to chase down the ancient snake that haunts the rainforests, but this is soon reversed when their subject pays them an earth-shaking visit. A Roger Ebert review calls Anaconda "a slick, scary, funny Creature Feature, beautifully photographed and splendidly acted in high adventure style." Snakes don't even have to be big to be menacing, so this movie really kicks the scare factor up a notch.
3 Pet Sematary (1989)
The original '80s adaptation of Pet Sematary is one of the most chilling adaptations of Stephen King's classic works. Translated onto the big screen, this film exposes the unspeakable familial trauma that lies within the pages of the original novel. But without the discovery of the titular animal burial ground and what lies just past it, there would be no story. Before young Gage was resurrected by his devoted father, Church's reanimated corpse was the harbinger of the horrors that would befall the Creed family. The increasingly ornery cat who Louis brings back from beyond the grave is the first of the revived mammals to rise from the sour ground, with a cold temperament to match his dirt-caked appearance.
2 The Birds (1963)
Turning innocuous avians into winged terrors, The Birds is a time-honored piece of horror media. Like a huge raincloud centering over one unfortunate town, the birds in question rudely interrupt much more than just the budding love connection between Melanie Daniels and Mitch Brenner. Bombarding the residents of Bodega Bay, California, the sheer number of these birds is enough to make this movie pop up in your mind when you see a flock gathering together. What may sound like a ridiculous premise becomes genuinely horrifying with a some memorable instances of body horror – you just can't unsee a human body with its eyes plucked out by hungry bird beaks.
1 Jaws (1975)
As one of Steven Spielberg's most classic works of cinema, Jaws shines as an animal horror must-see. Its singsong main theme still strikes fear into the hearts of listeners, making appearances and cameos in many other pieces of media. The shark functions as a hulking example of what happens when people meddle with the wilds of the outdoors. After Jaws is spotted, authorities set out to capture this elusive monster from the depths, which proves to be a more dangerous endeavor than anticipated. The film showcases the immovable force of one of the most powerful apex predators on the planet, and still sticks in the back of the minds of generations of beach-goers to this day.