The 13 Greatest Serial Killer Films of All Time, Ranked

      Here are the 12 best serial killer films we've ever seen, ranked from least to most excellent.

      Ranging from dark comedies to studies of empathy masked as serial killer narratives, each of these films offers insights into crime and society as a whole.

      Below are the finest serial killer movies ever created.

      12 – Freeway (1996)

      Republic Pictures – Credit: C/O

      Mathew Bright’s Freeway is as extravagant as Henry is realistic: It reinterprets Little Red Riding Hood, featuring Kiefer Sutherland as the Big Bad Wolf Bob Wolverton and Reese Witherspoon as the heroine, a runaway named Vanessa who is illiterate.

      In this clever, very '90s twist on the fairy tale, no one believes Vanessa, even after she shoots Bob to end his destructive spree across California’s highways.

      This film perfectly captures the era of sensationalized TV and widely publicized murder trials, blurring the lines between life and entertainment.

      11 – My Friend Dahmer (2017)

      FilmRise – Credit: C/O

      Adapted from a graphic novel by Derf Backderf, who knew Jeffrey Dahmer growing up, this haunting and dark coming-of-age story by Mark Meyers is unsettling not due to exploitation — it is quite restrained — but because it portrays a moment when a terrible serial killer could have been stopped if anyone had recognized the signs of the pain he would inflict.

      The film effectively connects Dahmer’s absence of empathy for animals and peers to his later murders, without being overly blunt. (His mimicry of a disabled person serves as an early indicator of his casual cruelty.)

      The entire cast shines, particularly Ross Lynch as Dahmer and Alex Wolff as Derf, prompting viewers to reflect on warning signs.

      10 – Seven (1995)

      New Line Cinema – Credit: C/O

      Released a year before Freeway to greater acclaim, Seven is the archetypal serial-killer-as-mad-genius film, reveling in how John Doe (Kevin Spacey) eliminates his victims.

      Like all memorable villains, he believes he has a noble mission — targeting followers of the seven deadly sins — yet it's difficult to view the film as anything but sensational fiction.

      Still, it's superbly crafted pulp. Much credit goes to director David Fincher's undeniable skill and the strong performances throughout, including notable turns from Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Spacey, along with Gwyneth Paltrow's breakthrough role.

      9 – From Hell (2001)

      20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O

      Based on the graphic novel From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, the Hughes brothers’ remarkable adaptation presents an unexpected take on Jack the Ripper.

      Featuring Johnny Depp as a Victorian-era detective and Heather Graham as a sex worker targeted by Whitechapel’s notorious killer, From Hell will go to great lengths to captivate your morbid curiosity, even including a cameo by the Elephant Man.

      It also provides a grimly plausible and narratively satisfying theory about Jack’s identity.

      8 – Monster (2003)

      Newmarket Films – Credit: C/O

      Patty Jenkins’ portrayal of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos is bold and ambitious in a way few films are: It makes us understand and even feel sympathy for its female protagonist before ultimately turning against her.

      Charlize Theron underwent a remarkable transformation that earned her the Best Actress Oscar, and her character’s arc reveals, in a way few serial killer films achieve, that monsters aren’t born; they are created.

      7 – American Psycho (2000)

      Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, Lionsgate

      Easily the funniest serial killer film ever produced, American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale in his breakout role), a wealthy young man who either murders people or vividly imagines committing murder, depending on your interpretation.

      Our take: He did kill those people. This adds to the dark humor when everyone assumes he didn’t, thanks to his good looks, designer wardrobe, impressive physique, and decent business card.

      Perhaps the most humorous aspect is how it subverts the hero-detective narrative: Willem Dafoe’s Donald Kimball is as much a clout-hungry, phony yuppie as Bateman. The script, crafted by director Mary Harron and co-star Guinevere Turner, expertly captures the funniest elements of Bret Easton Ellis’ brilliant novel while omitting parts that might push the film beyond mainstream acceptance.

      If you enjoyed this, you might also want to check out our Oral History of American Psycho. We’re also looking forward to Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming adaptation of Ellis’ novel, though it’s hard to imagine anyone surpassing Harron’s interpretation.

      6 – Zodiac (2007)

      Paramount – Credit: C/O

      David Fincher’s Zodiac, which we prefer to Seven, diverges from the standard serial killer narrative: the crimes remain unresolved. No one finds closure. The killer not only destroys