When we talk about the best 2000s movies, we don’t always think of it as being the era of effective scares. And that’s a fair assumption, since there are definitely some duds. But some of the best horror movies of all time came out of that time, and this one, which has just become available on Netflix, still stands out.
You might think we’re talking about Stephen King‘s The Mist, The Others, or even the horror slash comedy movie Shaun of the Dead. But we’re going much darker here, and firmly pointing to The Ring as one of the best spooky flicks of that decade.
The Ring, released in 2002, cemented itself as one of the most effecting horror movies of the 2000s, and has been consistent fodder for parodies and references every since.
Directed by Gore Verbinski, The Ring focuses on the lore of a haunted videotape which causes the death of anyone who watched it within seven days. Starring Naomi Watts, the thriller movie made waves upon its release for its unrelenting discomfort and unusual sickly-green look.
The movie was an American remake of the 1998 Japanese supernatural horror, Ringu. Much like other horror movies of the time, The Ring was subject to a clever and mysterious marketing campaign, which involved the release of the full ‘cursed video’ itself. (If you’re brave enough, you can watch the tape in the clip below.)
The Ring was something of a box office giant at the time, thanks to successful marketing and word of mouth. It ended up bringing in $249 million worldwide. In fact, it still sits on the list of the top 50 highest-grossing horror movies of all time.
It would go on to spark a trend of Japanese horror remakes, which resulted in the likes of The Grudge, Dark Water, and Shutter. All thanks to a disgustingly creepy long-haired little ghost girl!
If you’ve never seen it (or your only knowledge of the movie is what you’ve seen in the Scary Movie satire flick), then you’re in luck, because US subscribers can now watch The Ring on the Netflix streaming service as of today.
If you’re not already on Netflix, you can check out the current Netflix price now, and see what other Netflix horror movies are available to watch on the platform, since there’s plenty out there.
For more of the best scares, check out our lists of the best ghost movies and best monster movies to watch now. You can also find out everything you need to know about The Exorcist: Believer release date, and the Welcome to Derry release date.
Plus, check out all the new movies coming to the big screen this year, and see how many horror movies appear on the best movies of all time list.