Listen, the human body is a ball of mysteries wrapped in miracles. For as much as scientists uncover about it, there are still countless things we still don’t know — like, they’re still theorizing about why we yawn! That chasm of knowledge bumping up against the fact that our bodies are the one constant that tethers us to reality is what creates the perfect playground for horror. And though many people immediately think of David Cronenberg when it comes to body horror, he’s not the only filmmaker using the medium to stir up uncomfortable goosebumps and queasiness through film. So, if you’ve got a strong constitution and a love of horror, we’ve gathered the best body horror movies on Netflix.

For more recommendations, check out the best horror movies on Netflix, the best R-rated horror movies on Netflix, the best horror shows on Netflix, or the best shows and movies on Netflix across all genres.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

‘The Perfection’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 70% | IMDb: 6.2/10

The Perfection

Release Date

May 24, 2019

Runtime

90 minutes

Director

Richard Shepard

Writers

Eric C. Charmelo, Richard Shepard, Nicole Snyder

Co-written and directed by Richard Shepard, The Perfection is a twisted psychological horror filled with surprises from start to finish. Allison Williams and Logan Browning (Dear White People) lead the film as two musical prodigies who meet at the best private music school in Boston. But their competition for the attention of the demanding leader, played by character actor Steven Weber, sets off a scheme that rips open the layers of a deep conspiracy. This film presents different types of body horror throughout, from brutal amputations and skin-crawling hallucinations to the loss of one’s bodily autonomy to sexual predators (trigger warning for sexual assault). Also, special shout out to cinematographer Vanja Černjul, who keeps this film looking perfect even in the most upsetting sequences.

Watch on Netflix

‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 6.8/10

Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch star in this single-location supernatural horror directed by Norwegian master of horror André Øvredal (The Last Voyage of the Demeter) about an endearing father and son who run a local morgue in a small town. Unfortunately, their charm doesn’t stop them from having to face a terrifying haunting that stalks them through the night after a mysterious Jane Doe is brought in to investigate. Beyond the amazing use of practical effects that make the grotesque aspects feel more visceral, the big draw of The Autopsy of Jane Doe is the mystery of the corpse that unfolds at a perfect pace, allowing a balance of scares and answers to reveal themselves in a steady flow.

Watch on Netflix

‘Blood Red Sky’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 6.1/10

Blood Red Sky

Release Date

July 23, 2021

Runtime

121 minutes

Director

Peter Thorwarth

Writers

Stefan Holtz, Peter Thorwarth

This German-language slaughter-fest, co-written and directed by Peter Thorwarth, is a wonderful combination of classic horror camp and modern cinematic visual language. Blood Red Sky stars Peri Baumeister as a loving mother who would do anything for her son. When their flight gets hijacked by a crew led by guest star Dominic Purcell, she has to kill for him, revealing her dark vampiric secret to fight back against the gunmen. Baumeister’s performance is the standout aspect of the film as she slowly bares her fangs in a stunning transformation from mild-mannered mother to bloodthirsty force of nature, with expert prosthetics and make-up to showcase every stage of the shift.

Watch on Netflix

‘Clinical’ (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 23% | IMDb: 5.1/10

Clinical

Release Date

January 13, 2017

Runtime

104 minutes

Director

Alistair Legrand

Writers

Luke Harvis

Producers

Ross M. Dinerstein, Samantha Housman

• 
• 
• 

  Aaron Stanford

  Miles Richardson

• 

  William Atherton

  Terry Drummond

Clinical is a combo between a psychological thriller and a slasher that keeps the viewer off balance by making them question what’s real — a smart move, considering it focuses on a traumatized psychiatrist. Taking the lead is Vinessa Shaw as the aforementioned psych with PTSD, and she masterfully carries the audience down the dark path of the story with a captivating performance that shows off her dynamic range. Director and co-writer Alistair Legrand creates a tense atmosphere that facilitates the puzzle of the plot while putting the viewers in the headspace of someone dealing with trauma.

Watch on Netflix

‘Cadaver’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 25% | IMDb: 5.2/10

Cadaver

Release Date

October 22, 2020

Director

Jarand Herdal

Writers

Jarand Herdal

A bleak, post-apocalyptic Norwegian-language horror film, Cadaver is reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Squid Games, where desperate people are given hope for a better future in a rigged system. The story follows a family of three, two parents and their daughter, living in a city destroyed in a nuclear blast who stumble on a bright and opulent hotel that offers the only hot meal in town in addition to an immersive performance. Unfortunately, the price of staying in the hotel turns out to be human lives. Writer and director Jarand Herdalhe does a great job making the colorful sets of the hotel stand in delightfully stark contrast to the gray and dying world outside, while Thorbjørn Harr as the charismatic host of festivities flawlessly sells the concept.

Watch on Netflix

‘Skins’ (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 37% | IMDb: 6.1/10

Skins

Language

Spanish

Run Time

1 hr 29 min

Director

Eduardo Casanova

Release Date

February 11, 2017

Actors

Jon Kortajarena, Candela Peña, Ana Polvorosa, Macarena Gómez, Secun de la Rosa

This Spanish-language arthouse drama has much to say about how our appearance affects our social interactions and status. The horror of Skins doesn’t derive from jump scares, musical stings, or the supernatural but rather the internalized fears we have based on how society treats people who look different from a socialized concept of “normal.” The story follows a handful of people born with deformities and showcases the isolating and often damaging ways that people treat them. Although many of the ailments have been taken to extremes to illustrate the themes, like the person born with a mouth for an anus, the satire of the narratives shines through to create a heartfelt and cathartic film. Another trigger warning: there is a sexual assault in one of the stories.

Watch on Netflix

‘Clown’ (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes: 48% | IMDb: 5.7/10

Clown

Language

English

Run Time

1 hr 40 min

Director

Jon Watts

Release Date

June 17, 2016

Actors

Eli Roth, Laura Allen, Christian Distefano, Andy Powers, Peter Stormare

Before he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe to deliver their Spider-Man trilogy, director Jon Watts made his directorial debut with this supernatural horror that amps up our collective fear of clowns. Similar to the classic R. L. Stein Goosebumps story The Haunted Mask, Clown takes the concept of a costume that slowly consumes the wearer to darker depths as a family man dons a ratty clown costume from his attic that refuses to come off, converting him into a creature of nightmares. Watts creates original lore for the film, which is intricate and fascinating, but the way he shifts the man into the beast over time is a wonder of body horror that belongs in the Hall of Fame…if such a thing existed.

Watch on Netflix