The 13 Greatest Serial Killer Films of All Time, Ranked

      Here are the 12 finest serial killer films we’ve ever watched, ordered from least to most exceptional.

      12 – Freeway (1996)

      Republic Pictures – Credit: C/O

      Mathew Bright’s Freeway is as exaggerated as Henry is realistic: It’s a reinterpretation of Little Red Riding Hood featuring Kiefer Sutherland as the Big Bad Wolf Bob Wolverton and Reese Witherspoon as our protagonist, an illiterate runaway named Vanessa.

      In a clever, distinctly ’90s twist on the fairy tale, Vanessa is disbelieved, even after she shoots Bob to end his reign of terror across California’s highways.

      It’s an ideal film for an era dominated by trash television and publicized murder trials, blurring the lines between death and entertainment.

      11 – My Friend Dahmer (2017)

      FilmRise – Credit: C/O

      Adapted from an outstanding graphic novel by Derf Backderf, who truly knew Jeffrey Dahmer, this profoundly unsettling coming-of-age film by Mark Meyers is disturbing not due to anything sensationalist—it is quite subdued—but because it portrays a time when a monstrous serial killer could have been prevented if anyone had foreseen the devastation he would later inflict.

      The movie makes a clear connection between Dahmer’s lack of compassion for animals and peers and his eventual killings, without being heavy-handed. (His mimicry of someone with a disability foreshadows his casual cruelty.)

      The entire cast excels, particularly Ross Lynch as Dahmer and Alex Wolff as Derf, prompting reflection on early warning signs.

      10 – Seven (1995)

      New Line Cinema – Credit: C/O

      Released a year prior to Freeway amidst much greater acclaim, Seven is the archetypal serial-killer-as-mad-genius film, occasionally reveling too much in the various ways John Doe (Kevin Spacey) eliminates his victims.

      Like all great antagonists, he believes he has a noble mission—eliminating embodiments of the seven deadly sins—but the film often feels more like pulp fiction.

      Still, it is impressively crafted pulp. Kudos go to the undeniable skill of director David Fincher and superb performances throughout. In addition to strong roles from Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Spacey, Gwyneth Paltrow delivered her breakout performance.

      9 – From Hell (2001)

      20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O

      This film is based on the graphic novel From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, with the Hughes brothers providing a remarkable adaptation that presents a fresh perspective on Jack the Ripper.

      With Johnny Depp as a Victorian-era investigator and Heather Graham as a sex worker targeted by Whitechapel’s notorious killer, From Hell spares no effort to captivate your morbid curiosity: it even features a cameo by the Elephant Man.

      The film proposes a grimly plausible identity for Jack, delivering a narratively satisfying conclusion.

      8 – Monster (2003)

      Newmarket Films – Credit: C/O

      Patty Jenkins’ portrayal of the real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos is bold and ambitious in ways that few films achieve: it enables us to grasp and even empathize with its female serial killer before ultimately turning against her.

      Charlize Theron underwent an astounding transformation that earned her the Best Actress Oscar, and her remarkable character development illuminates, unlike many serial killer films, that monsters are shaped, not born.

      7 – American Psycho (2000)

      Christian Bale stars as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, Lionsgate

      Easily the wittiest serial killer film ever created, American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale in a career-defining role), a yuppie who either murders people or vividly imagines doing so, depending on your interpretation of the film.

      Our take: He indeed killed all those people. This makes it even more darkly comedic when everyone assumes he didn’t, courtesy of his attractive appearance, designer outfits, great physique, and acceptable business card.

      Perhaps the biggest laugh comes from the inversion of the hero-detective cliché: Willem Dafoe’s Donald Kimball is just as much a clout-chasing phony as Bateman. The screenplay, crafted by director Mary Harron and co-star Guinevere Turner, skillfully extracts many of the most humorous elements from Bret Easton Ellis’ brilliant novel while omitting portions that would render the film too extreme for the average audience.

      If you’re interested, you might also enjoy our Oral History of American Psycho. We’re also curious about Luca Guadagnino’s forthcoming adaptation of Ellis’ novel, though it’s hard to imagine anyone bettering Harron’s version.

      6 – Zodiac (2007)

      Paramount – Credit: C/O

      David Fincher’s Zodiac, which we prefer over Seven, is almost the antithesis of a conventional serial-killer narrative: The crimes remain unresolved. No one finds closure. The killer doesn’t just shatter the lives of his direct victims.

      The film encapsulates