From High Tension to Crawl, director Alexandre Aja has cemented himself as a modern fixture in the horror genre. The French auteur made a big impression in the States when Lionsgate picked up his demented suspense film High Tension (aka Haute Tension). The film fest favorite opened the door to more high-profile productions, including the remake of The Hills Have Eyes and the Kiefer Sutherland thriller Mirrors, as well as the popular creature feature movies Piranha 3-D and Crawl.

Never Let Go is Aja's latest movie and proves he is not looking to leave behind his horror roots any time soon. With his eye for unsettling visuals, his staging of intense sequences, and his willingness to make the audience squirm, all of Aja's horror movies have been worthwhile entries in the genre. However, there are some that are more successful than others, with his movies ranging from serviceable genre fare to modern masterpieces.

7 Horns (2013)

A Horror-Comedy Based On Joe Hill's Novel

This darkly humorous horror fantasy, Horns, was a somewhat faithful adaptation of Joe Hill’s cult novel. Daniel Radcliffe stars as a young man falsely accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend. Out of guilt and frustration, he begins to grow devil horns, which have a supernatural influence over everyone he meets; causing them to tell uncomfortable truths.

Aja’s penchant for dark humor works well with the material, but the final product is uneven and far less engaging than the intriguing premise. Seeing Radcliffe outside of the Harry Potter movies and playing around with such dark material is a lot of fun. His performance helps to ground Horns somewhat in the protagonist, working well with the tonal shifts. However, the rest of the movie is not as effective at switching between tones, making the whole thing feel awkward. The result is a solid horror-comedy that still falls short of its potential.

6 Mirrors (2008)

A Gruesome Supernatural Horror

Aja’s first big studio film, Mirrors was a loose remake of the 2003 South Korean hit Into the Mirror. Kiefer Sutherland stars as a troubled former NYPD detective who finds himself working as a night watchman at a derelict department store. Mirrors within the building contain a supernatural force that begins to haunt Sutherland and kill those around him.

Some genuinely creepy effects and tense situations help elevate a fairly mediocre narrative. The supernatural story fails to do any real mythology building, making the concept inconsistent and hard to become invested in. Though Sutherland's performance is committed, the protagonist is not a compelling character to follow through this surreal story. However, some truly gruesome kills help Mirrors avoid being forgettable. The film performed well enough at the box office to generate a direct-to-video sequel.

5 Never Let Go (2024)

Halle Berry Leads The Dystopian Horror Tale

Alexandre Aja's most recent horror movie pairs him with an Oscar winner, though it is sadly not a project up to the standards of their combined talents. Never Let Go is a dystopian horror movie set in the future when an evil force has taken over the world. Halle Berry stars as a mother living an isolated life in the woods, remaining tethered together at all times, warning her sons this is the only way to remain safe. However, one of her boys begins questioning what the real threat is.

All of the emotionally effective aspects of the movie come from Berry's strong performance in the lead role.

Never Let Go is another example of Aja doing his best with a story that is a lot less interesting than his filmmaking talents. The themes of the movie are obvious and have no strong impact in the end. All of the emotionally effective aspects of the movie come from Berry's strong performance in the lead role, elevating the material she is given. However, even with those shortcomings, Aja is able to craft a tension-filled ride that is a lot of fun at times.

4 Piranha 3-D (2010)

An Over-The-Top Creature Feature

This “reimagining” of Joe Dante’s classic drive-in movie delivers everything that someone could want from such a title. The unfortunate timing of a prehistoric piranha uprising and spring break at a busy lake resort set the stage for an epic bloodbath. Emphasizing the extreme violence and nudity that the Roger Corman school of filmmaking traded in for decades, Piranha 3-D delivers it all in a smart and relentlessly gruesome package.

A game Elisabeth Shue leads a fun ensemble cast that also features Ving Rhames, Adam Scott, and Richard Dreyfuss in a fun Jaws-inspired cameo. This is the most comedic of Alexandre Aja's horror movies, wisely never taking itself too seriously given the premise. However, the movie is also brutal enough to thrill horror fans with the climactic massacres being a particularly wild set piece. Given that the sequel Piranha 3DD leaned too far into the madcap style and became a parody, it is all the more impressive that Aja maintained the right balance.

3 Crawl (2019)

A Claustrophobic Killer Alligator Movie

Alexandre Aja returned to the creature feature genre with much bigger aquatic threats compared to the piranhas. In Crawl, a Category 5 hurricane traps a father and daughter in the crawlspace of their family home. However, as the water begins to rise under the house, they soon find that a trio of alligators have made their way into the small space and are looking for a meal.

Some genuinely scary sequences are achieved by making familiar, mundane spaces easy hunting grounds.

Ditching the tongue-in-cheek approach of Piranha 3-D, Crawl is a much grittier and intense movie that makes great use of its claustrophobic setting. Aja’s camera effectively puts the viewer right in the middle of the frenetic action. Some genuinely scary sequences are achieved by making familiar, mundane spaces easy hunting grounds. Great performances by Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper and superior effects work elevate this suspenseful adventure film.

2 High Tension (2003)

A French Grindhouse Thriller

High Tension, is the film that brought Alexandre Aja to the US, and it was given a wide release for good reason. The movie centers on Alex (Maiwenn), who invites Marie (Cecile de ) to stay at her family’s secluded home to study over the weekend. That night, Alex’s family is systematically murdered by an intruder who has an unhealthy relationship with both women. What follows is an unapologetically violent and suspenseful film that plays against audience expectations.

From the early home invasion scene, Aja cements his incredible ability to keep audiences on the edge of their seats and keeps them there throughout the movie's extended chase format. High Tension's ending is often criticized for an unnecessary twist that takes away from the rest of the movie. But while this is hard to accept, the nail-biting thrill ride that proceeds offers more than enough to make it a worthwhile horror ride.

1 The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

Remake Of Wes Craven's Classic

Remaking Wes Craven’s classic drive-in film, The Hills Have Eyes, might seem like an ambitious project, but Alexandre Aja knew exactly what to do with the material and delivered a stunning American debut. A typical American family on vacation is menaced by a mutant cannibal tribe in the New Mexico desert.

Telling the very same story, with few detours, the director still managed to make a genuinely scary and subversive work. A solid cast led by Ted Levine and Kathleen Quinlan helps ground the proceedings – giving weight to the inevitable horrific events. Aja does not back down from the brutality of the movie with the violence bloody and visceral. There is also a strong emotional element to the movie as this family is torn apart in such a sadistic way. However, Aja also manages to thrill the audience with the revenge aspect of the movie's second half.