British actress Naomi Watts has honed her talent for dynamic performances throughout her thirty-six years in Hollywood and is largely recognized for her work in modern horror movies. At the turn of the millennium, landing the leading role in acclaimed director, David Lynch's macabre noir Twin Peaks: The Return while also branching out within the horror genre with a handful of films now considered frightful classics, all of which are ranked here from worst to best.
Before moving to the United States, Watts lived in England and Australia and did not have great luck landing major roles. However, Australia is where Watts made her film debut in the critically panned 1986 drama For Love Alone. The Ring the following year increased her notoriety in horror. Naomi Watts has acted in at least sixty-eight films and made a name for herself in projects that vary in tone, style, and budget.
Naomi Watts' creative interest in features beyond horror still aligns with her work in that genre, as she is prone to acting in projects with morbid or tragic themes. One of her most transformative roles in horror is Ann Farber, from the U.S. remake of Funny Games. Watts' experience in intense thrillers and dramas aids her performances in horror and helps her stand out from other protagonists in the genre. Her work in television has been equally impressive and inspired by dark themes. American Horror Story's, Chloë Sevigny. Naomi Watts has not abandoned cinematic horror but leaves behind a legacy of films in the genre, each distinctly different, and ranked below from worst to best.
Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996)
A mastermind of supernatural horror, Stephen King, wrote a short story in 1977 called Stephen King's Children of the Corn franchise has rarely received high praise, but the fourth installment is devastatingly panned by critics and the public alike. Watts' sympathetic performance as an ambitious medical student is often cited as the biggest element keeping the movie afloat. COTC IV lacks what King adaptations usually thrive on, the plot contains little sense of humor and is taken too seriously for the film to stick its intended landing.
Shut In (2016)
Naomi Watts plays a child psychologist in Shut In taking care of her catatonic son while a severe poltergeist, who she suspects to be her missing patient, plagues her house. This 2016 psychological horror made just 2 million dollars above its budget at the box office and was negatively reviewed by the majority of film critics. Even the star-studded cast struggled to elevate the unoriginal material in the plot. Watts stars alongside Stranger Things actor Charlie Heaton, Jacob Tremblay, and Oliver Platt. Heaton's talents are unfortunately not utilized to their fullest, but Watts does manage to build off of Tremblay's talent quite naturally. The notable performances do not make up for Shut In feeling like a lesser version of supernatural classics like Insidious.
Down (2001)
A journalist and mechanic team up in the 2001 horror flick Down (aka The Shaft) to solve the startling mystery as to why all the elevators in a New York skyscraper have become the source of a series of gruesome deaths. Naomi Watts is ed by fellow Twin Peaks star James Marshall on a suspenseful race against the clock to prevent more people from getting killed by the possessed shafts. While Down contains the charm of a man vs machine story in the vein of the commercially successful Final Destination series, the plot is too formulaic and situational to be scary. Nonetheless, Watts delivers a riveting performance as the inquisitive reporter Jennifer Evans and gives the horror movie a much-needed kick to keep it engaging.
King Kong (2005)
King Kong is a 2005 monster film about an oversized ape that wreaks havoc on New York after being abducted from his home on Skull Island. Naomi Watts plays an actress in a crew that sails to Skull Island; and she narrowly avoids getting sacrificed to Kong by appealing to his comionate nature. The second remake of the original 1933 King Kong has been received well by critics and horror fans since the adaptation does not hold back on the brutal nature of its focal monsters. Peter Jackson's adventurous direction transforms the film into a spectacle, which is as much a strength as it is a downside when it needs to take itself seriously. King Kong remains an enjoyable adaptation that enhances the originally extensive lore.
The Ring Two (2005)
Directly following the events of the first film, Naomi Watts returns to portray Rachel Keller in The Ring Two. The distressed mother attempts to save her son from being possessed by Samara Morgan's ghost. The sequel to The Ring was dismissed by critics though initially celebrated by moviegoers intrigued by the sprouting franchise. While it may not match up to the success of the first installment, The Ring Two delves deeper into the tragic past and psyche of Samara. Watts brings her A-game to the role again which keeps the terrifying horror sequel from feeling like a pointless cash grab.
The Ring (2002)
The Ring is about the circulation of a The Grudge. There is a uniquely tragic quality to The Ring, represented best in this installment, not present in many other horror franchises since the emotional core focuses on child abuse. To the film's ultimate benefit, Naomi Watts thrives in her role as Rachel Keller and portrays an equal amount of sympathy for The Ring's antagonist as she does fear.
Funny Games (2007)
Funny Games features one of Hannibal actor Michael Pitt delivers a shockingly sadistic performance as Paul. Funny Games does not sugarcoat the explicit psychological abuse shown, allowing the film to land the perfect ending.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Mulholland Drive landed the renowned filmmaker, David Lynch, the Cannes Film Festival's Best Director Award in 2001. The surrealist noir film blends horror with mystery, in a way that feels both dream-like and nightmarish simultaneously. Naomi Watts' duplicitous character Betty helps a woman with amnesia discover who she truly is, and the two fall in love along the way despite the horrors of their reality seeping into their lives. David Lynch plays with the concept of biased narratives in Mulholland Drive to spark fear rather than just confusion, making it one of his most effective horror films. Watts and actress Laura Elena Harring share intense chemistry that helps the tragedy of the film's romantic arc stand out during its climactic conclusion.
The talented actress Naomi Watts has proven her range in and out of the horror genre as she continues to star in relevant Indie movies and major blockbusters. Nonetheless, horror is where Watts got her start, and her devotion to the genre shows in recent performances such as her return to David Lynch's Twin Peaks. This ranked list of every Naomi Watts horror movie highlights her incredible talent and experience, which could lead to her best films being still to come.
