12 Best Antichrist Movies & Why You Should Watch Each
Horror movies that explore the concept of an Antichrist often tap into primal fears about the nature of good and evil and the potential for evil to be born and grow within a seemingly innocent child. These movies often depict the Antichrist as possessing supernatural powers, such as the ability to control or manipulate others, and as being pursued by those who would stop them from fulfilling their dark destiny. With that said, let’s take a look at the 12 best Antichrist movies.
These movies not only terrify audiences with their depictions of the Antichrist and their twisted worldview but also serve as cautionary tales about the dangers of unchecked evil and the need for vigilance against it.
12. Lost Souls (2000)
What it’s about: Lost Souls is a 2000 supernatural horror film directed by Janusz Kamiński and starring Winona Ryder and Ben Chaplin. The film follows Maya Larkin (Ryder), a gifted writer who has devoted herself to studying and debunking religious cults. Maya becomes obsessed with a young man named Peter Kelson (Chaplin), who she believes is in danger of becoming possessed by the Devil.
Why you should watch it: Lost Souls is a suspenseful movie with themes of possession and exorcism. We would recommend this movie to thriller and horror fans who usually like to stay away from graphic and gory scenes.
11. 11-11-11 (2011)
What it’s about: 11-11-11 was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. The movie centers around the belief that the number 11:11 is a sign of impending doom and follows the story of a successful author named Joseph Crone (Timothy Gibbs), who is haunted by the tragic loss of his wife and child.
Why you should watch it: The movie has been noted for its eerie atmosphere and tense moments. Although it’s not really an Oscar-winning title by any means, the concept or the initial idea was quite interesting. It has some issues in regard to the acting and writing, but the directing was well done, and it stood out in a couple of really nice atmospheric scenes.
10. The Vatican Tapes (2015)
What it’s about: The director of the 2015 movie, The Vatican Tapes, was Mark Neveldine. The movie follows a young woman named Angela Holmes (Olivia Taylor Dudley), who starts to exhibit strange and violent behavior that doctors and scientists cannot explain. As her condition worsens, it becomes clear that a malevolent demon possesses Angela, and the Vatican is called in to perform an exorcism.
Why you should watch it: The film does a very good job of making sure that the viewer is engaged. It’s often difficult to find a movie in the horror genre that deals with the themes of exorcism and that can successfully convince you while watching. The script is convincing, and so is the acting, and for those reasons, we would recommend this movie.
9. Damien: Omen II (1978)
What it’s about: Damien: Omen II is our next antichrist movie, released in 1978; this is a film directed by Don Taylor. It is the sequel to the 1976 film The Omen and follows the story of Damien Thorn (Jonathan Scott-Taylor), the Antichrist who was born at the end of the first movie. The film takes place seven years after the first film’s events and shows Damien as a young boy attending a military academy.
Why you should watch it: The reason why the sequel to The Omen is a bit lower on the list is that the original is, for a lot of fans, the ultimate favorite. Nevertheless, the sequel is quite good, and it has a very interesting premise.
8. Demonic (2015)
What it’s about: The movie follows a detective named Mark Lewis (Frank Grillo) and a psychologist named Elizabeth Klein (Maria Bello), who investigate the mysterious deaths of five people at an abandoned house. The only survivor of the incident is a young woman named Quinn (Cody Horn), who has no memory of what happened.
Why you should watch it: This movie has a very intriguing premise, and that is its strongest quality, alongside the directing. The film is visually compelling and innovative; it does have some weak characterization, but overall it’s very entertaining.
7. Snister (2012)
What it’s about: Sinister is another iconic horror film directed by Scott Derrickson. The movie follows a true-crime writer named Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), who moves his family into a new home to research his latest book. However, when he discovers a box of disturbing home movies in the attic, he realizes that the house has a dark and deadly past
Why you should watch it: The film has been praised for its tense atmosphere, effective scares, and strong performances from its cast. This movie is definitely a gem of this list; it has some of the most amazing acting performances in the genre. It’s just generally a quality watch, and we would highly recommend it.
6. Eli (2019)
What it’s about: The movie follows a young boy named Eli (Charlie Shotwell) who suffers from a rare autoimmune disease that requires him to live in a sterile environment. His parents take him to a secluded facility run by a doctor named Isabella (Lili Taylor), who claims to have a cure for his condition.
Why you should watch it: The movie has been praised for its performances and creepy atmosphere, and looking at some of the recent horror movies that came out, this is definitely another hidden gem.
5. The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
What it’s about: The movie centers around a talented and ambitious lawyer named Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves), recruited by a prestigious law firm in New York City headed by John Milton (Al Pacino). As Lomax rises up the ranks and becomes embroiled in a high-profile case, he realizes the firm’s success may be due to its connections to a malevolent entity.
Why you should watch it: The film has been praised for its strong performances from Reeves and Pacino, as well as its clever exploration of themes related to morality and power. This psychological horror is perfect if you love when the focus is on the main characters and their psychological state.
4. The Rite (2011)
What it’s about: The movie tells the story of a skeptical seminary student named Michael Kovak (Colin O’Donoghue) who is sent to Rome to study exorcism at the Vatican. Despite his initial doubts, Kovak becomes involved in a case involving a possessed young woman (Marta Gastini) and must confront his own beliefs and doubts about the existence of evil.
Why you should watch it: While the only reason you need to watch this movie is that the legend Anthony Hopkins is in the main role, this movie is probably the closest we will get to another Exorcist movie in the modern day.
3. Devil’s Due (2014)
What it’s about: The movie follows a newlywed couple named Zach (Zach Gilford) and Samantha (Allison Miller) on their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. After a strange encounter with a mysterious woman, Samantha becomes pregnant and begins to experience strange and increasingly disturbing changes to her body and behavior.
Why you should watch it: This movie is perfect for all the found footage fanatics, as well as Rosemary’s Baby fans. This movie is an homage to Polanski’s iconic film, so if you think that sounds like something you would enjoy, give it a try.
2. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
What it’s about: Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes), move into a new apartment in New York City. After becoming pregnant, Rosemary begins to suspect something sinister is happening to her and her unborn child, and she begins to unravel a conspiracy involving her neighbors and her husband.
Why you should watch it: The film is notable for its subtle and psychological approach to horror and its iconic performance by Farrow. If you enjoy horror movies without much intense and graphic imagery, this is a good movie to check out since it’s main focus is on the odd atmosphere that builds throughout the movie.
1. The Omen (2006)
What it’s about: Our final movie of the list follows a wealthy American diplomat named Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) who adopts a child he believes to be an orphan after his newborn son dies. As the boy, Damien (Harvey Stephens), grows older, strange and terrifying events begin to occur, leading Robert to suspect that Damien may be the Antichrist.
Why you should watch it: This is one of the most iconic horror films to date, and we highly recommend it. It’s generally praised for its frightening atmosphere, amazing acting performances, and Jerry Goldsmith’s score that ties it all together.
