7 Horror Movies to Watch After Barbarian That Have Shocking Twists

If you’ve seen Barbarian, you know what a wild ride the hit horror movie is. The film boasts great performances from a talented cast, a strong script from up-and-coming writer/director Zach Cregger, and a truly unpredictable conclusion. It’s nearly impossible to understate the magnitude of said conclusion. Without giving too much away, nearly every character who seems potentially capable of wrongdoing ultimately proves themselves a red herring. That’s a risky strategy that pays off in a big way. The narrative is extremely unconventional and breaks a lot of so-called screenwriting rules, yet the flick is better for its lack of interest in doing anything remotely expected.

With all of that said Barbarian is not the only horror film that delivers an unforeseen ending, far from it, in fact. If you’ve recently taken Barbarian in and are now looking for a flick that will scratch a similar itch, we’ve got you covered.

1) Oddity

“Oddity” is a pitch-perfect descriptor for the madness lurking within this movie. Not only does this film feature a wild twist but it also contains some properly surreal developments along the way to an absolutely wild denouement.

Oddity opens on Dani (Carolyn Bracken) right as she receives an ominous warning about a stranger in her home. Moments later, Dani is dead. One year later, we meet Dani’s twin sister, Darcy (also Bracken), a psychic medium who owns a curiosity shop. After Darcy reads an object Dani left behind following her untimely death, Darci shows up at the home Dani shared with her husband, Ted (Gwilym Lee). What follows is an unpredictable ride that establishes writer/director Damian McCarthy as a prominent voice in the genre space.

2) A Perfect Getaway

This horror picture unfolds in beautiful Hawaii, following a group of vacationers as they attempt to adapt to the news that there is a pair of killers targeting tourists in the area. Core characters Cliff and Cydney (Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich), a couple on their honeymoon, shudder at the thought that their lives may well be in jeopardy. They seem to suspect fellow travelers Nick (Timothy Olyphant) and Gina (Kiele Sanchez) may have something to do with the misfortune unfolding in their midst. But the viewer ultimately learns that nothing is what it seems in this tropical paradise.

A Perfect Getaway features gorgeous cinematography and an ever-present baseline of tension throughout. The big reveal is likely to come as a shock, but it’s the kind of ending that gives the viewer good cause to pay the film a repeat visit to look for clues that seemed innocuous the first time around.

3) Us

Jordan Peele is a master of modern horror, a filmmaker who effortlessly blends social commentary with suspense, gore, and palpable tension; and Us is a great example of all that. Us provides commentary on the duality of human nature, while also serving up a harrowing narrative with an unpredictable twist ending Peele demonstrates his cinematic prowess by giving the viewer enough contextual clues to piece the twist together, yet dividing our attention to reduce the likelihood that the audience will get ahead of the narrative.

Us follows the Wilsons, a family of four, as they take a vacation to Santa Cruz along with their friends, the Tylers. The trip starts out unremarkable but takes a decidedly dark turn when the core characters encounter the film’s chief antagonists, a group of deadly doppelgängers called the Tethered.

4) The Gift

Joel Edgerton writes, directs, and stars in this slow-burn horror thriller that reminds us that the past rarely ever stays buried. The proceedings follow married couple Simon and Robyn (Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall, respectively) who relocate from Chicago to Simon’s hometown, Los Angeles. Shortly after they arrive, Simon encounters Gordo (Edgerton), a former classmate whom he hasn’t seen in years. What starts as a seemingly random encounter ultimately takes on a very sinister connotation that will leave the audience questioning everything.

The Gift is a smartly directed effort that features plenty of twists along the way to a satisfying conclusion. The ultimate reveal, in addition to coming as quite the surprise, will likely change the way you feel about several of the core characters.

5) Would You Rather (2012)

This under-seen indie horror features a standout ensemble cast with several familiar faces. Brittany Snow, Jeffrey Combs, June Squibb, John Heard, and Sasha Grey are just a few of the recognizable names featured within. Under the direction of David Guy Levy, the key players deliver performances likely to shock and delight horror fans in equal measure. The narrative gradually builds to an ending that is all but guaranteed to make you sick to your stomach.

The picture follows Iris (Snow), a young woman desperate to pay for her brother’s mounting medical expenses by any means necessary. Out of desperation, she accepts an unorthodox dinner party invite with unforeseen consequences. The host (Combs) tells Iris that all she’ll have to do to win a massive cash prize is to play a few rounds of the classic parlor game “Would You Rather.” What makes that prospect terrifying is the idea that there is no quitting allowed. Contestants must complete each round, even if it means risking their lives to do so.

6) Get Out

As noted previously, Jordan Peele knows a thing or two about making a horror film. As fans likely know, he started as a comedian and segued into genre fare with his directional debut, Get Out. The flick is brimming with social commentary on cultural appropriation and the different guises racism sometimes takes on in the modern era. Not to mention, Get Out also features a brilliant twist that blew both fans and critics away. If you’re looking for a wild ride that never slows down, this one surely fits the bill.

[RELATED– Get Out Star Allison Williams Explains Why Get Out’s Original Ending Was “Perfect”]

Get Out catches up with Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a Black man gearing up to meet his white girlfriend, Rose’s (Allison Williams) parents for the first time. When Rose and Chris arrive at Rose’s parents’ sprawling estate, it seems as if they are delighted to meet Chris, but the more time he and Rose spend in their company, the more suspicious the entire ordeal begins to seem.

7) High Tension

High Tension is a harrowing New French Extremity picture that pushes boundaries as it careens toward a completely unhinged conclusion. The setup follows college pals Alex (Maïwenn) and Marie (Cécile de France) as they retire to Alex’s parents’ remote home for a weekend of studying. Once they arrive, the young women face off against a sadistic killer with deadly designs on the ladies.

This polarizing effort has seen its fair share of controversy, including a controversial twist that isn’t justified as well as it could have been. Despite that, this is one you need to see, if for no other reason than to make up your own mind.

Now that you’ve seen my top seven suggestions for horror movies with a shocking twist ending that blew my mind, make sure to let us know some of your favorite twists from the genre cinema space in the comments section below.