Why You Can Trust CNET The 9 Best Techno-Horror Movies You've Probably Never Heard Of
From Zoom séances to an app that knows when you'll die, here are some unnerving tech scenarios for your viewing pleasure.
Techno-horror is a uniquely terrifying genre of film, especially when you're watching it in 2022. It takes the tech we've grown accustomed to, that's permeating our lives -- in how we work, how we communicate, how we have fun -- and melds it with some of our worst fears. What if a demon began wreaking havoc during a Zoom call with friends? What if dying in a video game meant dying in real life?
Many of you are already aware of the likes of Black Mirror, the dystopian TV show. Other favorites in the genre include David Cronenberg's Videodrome and even the holiday cult classic Gremlins. But there's a plethora of under-the-radar films that are at least as capable of scaring the bejesus out of you (or at least making you shiver in your gaming chair while looking at your Roomba sideways).
If you're looking for more horror movies, check out our favorites on Prime Video, Netflix and HBO Max.
Stay Alive (2006)
Your video game is haunted, and it's out to get you.
Available to rent on Apple TV+, Youtube, Amazon Prime, Vudu
Existenz (1999)
Cronenberg takes on virtual reality.
Available to stream on Paramount+ and rent on Amazon Prime
Host (2020)
A Zoom séance brings unwelcome guests.
Available to stream on Shudder and rent on Amazon Prime
Searching (2020)
John Cho is a dad whose daughter goes missing, and he uses the internet (accurately and believably) to try to track her down.
Available to stream on IMDBtv via Amazon Prime
Pulse (2001)
The dead reach out through the internet... and they reach too far.
Available to stream on Hoopla and Kanopy for students or library card holders
The Ghost in the Machine (1993)
A serial killer gets zapped into the internet and makes your smart home a smart hell.
Available to stream on HBO Max
Tetsuo the Iron Man (1989)
Body horror about a man slowly transformed into a machine.
Available to stream on Arrow
Countdown (2019)
An app knows when you will die.
Available to stream on Hulu
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Stephen King is on so much cocaine, and now we are afraid of semi-trucks.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime, Google, Apple TV+, Youtube, Vudu
For more movie recommendations, check out our list of the best sci-fi movies on Prime Video and on Netflix. If you're more of a fantasy buff, here are the best fantasy movies on HBO Max. Plus, here's our pick for the best streaming service of 2022.