Underrated & Surprising – 10 Hidden Horror Gems of 2024

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A Brilliant Year For Horror

2024 was an amazing year for horror. Massive releases took the world by storm. The thing that truly makes 2024 so special however, is the middle class of horror. There were some absolutely fantastic movies released that nobody expected. Nobody knew just how good some of them would be and how much they would contribute to the genre, as a whole.

Some were ultra low budget but still great, others just faded into the background a bit against a bevy of huge horror hits. It’s those movies that we are talking about in this list. The horror that surprised us in 2024. Keep in mind, I can only feature movies I have reviewed so if a film you loved is missing, it is because I didn’t cover it.

Also, don’t expect to see some of the more obvious titles here like Oddity, The Substance, In A Violent Nature etc. I have already covered those films a lot and, while many of them surprised me, I don’t want to be referring to them in every list. Without further ado, let’s take a look.

😲 At a Glance: 5 Surprising Horror Hits of 2024

10. Invited (2024) – RSVP to Terror

Why it Surprised Us: Standing out as one of the better movies released that year. 2020’s Host proved how effective screenlife horror could be. Invited takes that movie’s blueprint and weaves its own story that is, ultimately, much lighter on the scares but still fairly interesting. It’s an easy format to digest and that affords Invited’s hokey acting and rather silly plot a bit of leeway.

Knockout Verdict: Zoom into doom.

I feel like I have to give a shout-out to some of the micro budget movies that released in 2024. Sure, they don’t hold up against some of the more well produced films but they deserve some love. A couple of them were, really, quite enjoyable. The first of which is screenlife horror movie Invited.

This movie focuses on a family gathering together on a video chat app for a wedding. Only to realise that there is something much more sinister afoot than simple matrimony. We grade DIY found footage on a curve but, compared to most of them, Invited is fairly watchable. We awarded Invited a 3/5 in our review.

9. Life of Belle (2024) – A Family Affair

Why it Surprised Us: Life of Belle is another one of those ultra low budget found footage movies from 2024 that deserves a mention. It is a bit of a family affair as director Shawn Robinson teams up with family members. It has some legitimately effective moments. Sure, it robs mercilessly from other found footage movies, Paranormal Activity in particular, but it does enough to stay interesting. Excellent performances from the kids deserve special mention and its easy to appreciate how much the team accomplished with very little.

Knockout Verdict: Paranormal Parenting.

This story follows a mother, seemingly, losing her mind as the result of a haunting resulting in a horrible domestic tragedy that is unsolved to this day. The DIY nature, once again, affords the movie some leeway but I found Life of Belle to be quite enjoyable. We awarded Life of Belle 3/5 in our review. Again, we are grading on a curve, here.

8. Guess Who (2024) – Festive Frights

Why it Surprised Us: Tubi came out swinging in 2024 with a few entries on this list and one entry into my Top 10 Horror Movies of 2024 list. Guess Who was the first of those noteworthy titles and it’s a movie I actually enjoyed. The first hour or so of Guess Who is actually very watchable with some decent tension and a compelling plot built around British Christmas traditions. Sure, it’s a Tubi slasher so temper your expectations but it’s not bad.

Knockout Verdict: Unmasking the season.

It follows the story of a woman heading back to her boyfriend’s childhood trailer park home for Christmas. Only to find herself stalked by a maniacal, masked, killer. It’s a Christmas horror movie that released in January and it really doesn’t manage to stick the landing. It gets a bit lost later on but Guess Who is still worth checking out. Especially when you consider the low budget and the fact that it is completely free to watch. We awarded Guess Who 3/5 in our review.

7. Azrael (2024) – Silence is Violent

Why it Surprised Us: Azrael was one of the most unique horror movies of 2024 and definitely something of a surprise. The gimmick, here, is that the world that Azrael is set in is one that has abandoned speech. Meaning there is no dialogue at all in this movie. It’s not a silent movie, as such. In fact, it is a rather noisy one with tons of loud bangs and grunting. But the novelty helps set it apart from other films that released this year.

Knockout Verdict: Actions speak louder.

Directed by E.L. Katz, of Cheap Thrills fame, Azrael follows the story of a young woman (Samara Weaving) who, after escaping from a cult, sets out to find her missing lover while also attempting to avoid recapture. It’s quite tense and very watchable with some fairly visceral moments of violence. Weaving is, as always, fantastic, as well. We awarded Azrael 3/5 in our review.

6. Daddy’s Head (2024) – Grief Has Teeth

Why it Surprised Us: Shudder Original Daddy’s Head feels like a throwback to a type of horror you would see all over the place back in the mid 2000s. Slow paced, psychological, scares that are heavy on interpersonal drama, and full of conflict. Metaphor heavy horror is quite a common thing nowadays but Daddy’s Head aims to subvert expectation a bit and does a nice job in the process.

Knockout Verdict: Trauma wears a new face.

It follows the story of a young boy who, while living with his young, ill equipped to parent, step-mother, sees a monster wearing the face of his recently deceased father asking him to commit awful acts. It’s not a perfect movie but the seriously creepy creature design, decent acting, and tension makes it well worth 90 minutes of your time. It’s hard to shake the feeling that this could have been so much more, though. We awarded Daddy’s Head 3/5 in our review (that sounds like such a weird statement).

5. Double Blind (2024) – No Rest for the Wicked

Why it Surprised Us: Another movie that doesn’t quite live up to its amazing potential. Double Blind is still a fascinating concept and remains interesting throughout. The fairly unique premise does give way to some relatively formulaic, and predictable, moments but I still found this one to be very enjoyable. The concept of sleeplessness is well illustrated with some very inventive techniques.

Knockout Verdict: Sleep is for the dead.

Double Blind is an Irish horror movie starring Millie Brady as a woman in desperate need for cash. At the end of her rope, she accepts a place in a medical trial to earn a little extra money. What, initially, seems like an easy answer to her problems quickly turns deadly as the trial goes wrong meaning none of the group can go to sleep or else they will die. Brady is excellent and it is well worth checking out. We awarded Double Blind 3/5 in our review.

4. Clickbait: Unfollowed (2024) – Like, Share, Die

Why it Surprised Us: Another surprise from Tubi but, let’s be clear, a lot of people absolutely hate it. The whole social media influencer horror thing is starting to feel a little bit overdone. Clickbait: Unfollowed manages to bypass some of that feeling of exhaustion by presenting its characters as ridiculous, over the top, caricatures of online personality types and then torturing them both mentally and physically.

Knockout Verdict: Influencers get canceled.

Clickbait sees a group of social media influencers enter a reality television show where they are placed in a head to head battle. Tasked with earning as many followers as possible between each round. The only catch is that elimination from the competition is the least of their worries as a much worse fate awaits them on defeat. It’s hilarious in parts, consistently fun, and enjoyable throughout. Despite its issues, we really liked this movie, awarding Clickbait 3/5 in our review.

3. Lowlifes (2024) – Eat the Locals

Why it Surprised Us: Lowlifes was a massive surprise last year. So much so that it even found its way into my top ten horror movies of 2024. Tubi really knocked it out of the park with this one as this is one of their best efforts yet. Lowlifes presents itself as something of a Deliverance style tale of murderous country bumpkins going nuts before pulling off its mask to reveal something completely different. It’s utterly refreshing.

Knockout Verdict: The hunter becomes the hunted.

It follows the story of a family heading out to a remote area of the USA for a camping holiday. Only to find themselves having to spend the night with a quirky family of locals after they encounter trouble on the road. It’s continually hilarious and enjoyable throughout. It’s not what you might expect and that’s one of the things that makes Lowlifes so great. I awarded Lowlifes 3.5/5 in our review.

2. I Saw The TV Glow (2024) – Static in the Soul

Why it Surprised Us: Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw The TV Glow isn’t quite like anything else on this list. In a lot of ways, I Saw The TV Glow may be the most important and poignant horror movie release of 2024. At least for the groups of people who the movie resonates with the most.

Knockout Verdict: The Pink Opaque.

A visual feast with a story that is deep in metaphorical meaning. It follows the story of a pair of teenagers who bond over a cheesy 90’s supernatural television show. Only for the show to lead them to question, not only their identities, but the very reality that they live in. It also manages to be genuinely touching as it weaves its tale of the life unlived. My only problem with it is that it barely qualifies as horror. Still a fantastic movie, though. We awarded I Saw The TV Glow 3.5/5 in our review.

1. Late Night With The Devil (2024) – Broadcast From Hell

Why it Surprised Us: I really didn’t see Late Night With The Devil coming in 2024 and it seems as though a lot of other people didn’t, either. It feels completely unique and is perfectly executed to maintain authenticity and believability. You genuinely believe you are watching the story of a 70’s television show gone wrong. Well, that is until the dodgy special effects kick in. It was, for me, one of the most surprising and is sure to be at the top of many “Best of the year” lists.

Knockout Verdict: The ratings are killer.

It follows the story of late night television show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian). With his show constantly hammered in the ratings by Johnny Carson, Delroy believes they need something unmissable. The latest in a long line of stunts is an on-air live interview with a possessed girl. Late Night With The Devil is presented as a mix of live show footage, behind the scenes clips and documentary style commentary and interviews. It’s also wickedly entertaining, hilarious, and compelling throughout. We awarded Late Night With The Devil 4/5 in our review.

2024: A Year of Hidden Gems

That wraps up our list of 10 Surprising Horror Movies From 2024. From the silent tension of Azrael to the broadcast nightmare of Late Night With The Devil, it is clear that the genre is alive and well, especially if you know where to look. Streaming services like Tubi and Shudder really stepped up to the plate this year, delivering some of the most interesting titles on this list.

If you enjoyed this list, why not stick around? We have plenty more horror movie lists to check out, or you can dive into our latest horror reviews. Thanks for reading Knockout Horror!

😲 Quick Picks: The Best Surprising Horror of 2024 by Vibe

The “I Can’t Believe It’s That Good” Pick: Late Night With The Devil
For when you want to see a future classic. It perfectly captures the aesthetic of 70s television and slowly descends into absolute chaos. It lives up to every bit of the hype.

The “Hidden Gem” Pick: Lowlifes
For when you want a twist you won’t see coming. It starts as a standard “family in peril” movie and flips the script entirely. It is easily one of the best reasons to download Tubi.

The “Mood Piece” Pick: I Saw The TV Glow
For when you want to feel something. It isn’t a traditional horror movie with jump scares; it is a beautiful, melancholic look at identity, nostalgia, and the fear of a life unlived.

The “Silent But Deadly” Pick: Azrael
For when you want action without the talk. It is a unique experiment in silent storytelling that doesn’t skimp on the gore or the tension. Samara Weaving is, as always, a powerhouse.

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