The 15 Best Horror Movies That Spark Ocean Water Fears

Water covers more than two-thirds of the Earth, and yet it remains so mysterious — and anything mysterious is ripe for horror movies to exploit. Here are some of the best aquatic horror/suspense films that turn the ocean and bodies of fresh water into a scary threat. These are listed in descending order, with the most horrifying at the end of the list.

Watch Now: 10 of the Scariest Horror Movies

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‘Open Water’ (2003)

This surprise hit, which was made on a small budget, is a terrifyingly realistic re-creation of an actual event that happened when a boat mistakenly left a pair of scuba divers to fend for themselves in the middle of shark-infested waters.

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‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)

Smart, genetically altered sharks are accidentally let loose in an underwater research facility in this fast and furious film.

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‘Lake Placid’ (1999)

Written with a deft comedic touch and featuring a star-studded cast that includes Bridget Fonda, Oliver Platt, and Betty White, “Lake Placid” delivers more humor than horror as a 30-foot Asian crocodile finds its way into a rural Maine lake.

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‘The Reef’ (2011)

This tense thriller plays like an Australian “Open Water,” with a bigger body count and a bit more Hollywood-style action. It’s still intimate enough to place you in the midst of the often-shocking action as a group of friends tries to swim through shark-infested waters to an island after their boat capsizes.

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‘Creepshow 2’ (1987)

The most memorable story in this horror anthology sequel might be the simple but effective “The Raft,” based on a short story written by Stephen King about a group of friends who become trapped on a raft in a lake by a Blob-like, man-eating creature resembling an oil slick.

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‘Sphere’ (1998)

Like an underwater form of “Prometheus,” this star-studded, high-minded, fairly nonsensical sci-fi thriller asks way more questions than it answers. The journey is nonetheless thoughtful and compelling enough to enjoy the buildup before the groaner of an ending.

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‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975)

This made-for-TV movie features familiar faces like Kim Novak (“Vertigo”), Doug McClure (who starred in the lesser aquatic horror flick “Humanoids From the Deep”), Ed Lauter ("Cujo"), and Alejandro Rey (“The Swam”) in a creepy story about a Coast Guard lieutenant who arrives to aid a derelict schooner in the Bermuda Triangle and has to unravel the mystery of what happened to its four dead crew members — and how/why one woman is alive.

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‘Below’ (2002)

Directed by David Twohy (“Pitch Black”) and written by Oscar nominee Darren Aronofsky, this unique blend of war movie, murder mystery, and ghost story is set during World War II as a U.S. submarine crew discovers its vessel is being haunted by a ghost with a grudge.

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‘Alligator’ (1980)

You don’t have to travel to the ocean or a remote swamp to have a deadly run-in with aquatic creatures. As this film shows, they can live beneath your feet in the sewers, where baby alligators grow to enormous sizes by eating the carcasses of test subject animals.

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‘Deep Rising’ (1998)

This flick is a real guilty pleasure full of over-the-top action, R-rated violence, and a sense of fun that would make director Stephen Sommers’ "Mummy" movies so popular.

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‘Triangle’ (2010)

This ultra-twisty, thoroughly engrossing film that brings back memories of “The Twilight Zone” tells the story of survivors of a capsized boat who take shelter on a seemingly abandoned ocean liner. It may leave you wondering, “what just happened?”

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‘Dagon’ (2002)

In perhaps the best cinematic adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s work (in this case, “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”), survivors of a shipwreck end up in a creepy seaside village whose strange, semi-human residents worship an ancient fish god.

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‘Dead Calm’ (1989)

This tense thriller has solid acting throughout and helped launch the career of Nicole Kidman, who stars in this cat-and-mouse game as a woman whose relaxing yacht excursion with her husband is interrupted when they rescue a dangerous stranger from a sinking ship.

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‘Jaws’ (1975)

Is there any other choice? “Jaws” is an instant classic that likely affected every subsequent aquatic creature film, and it still rules as the standard for horror films in the water.

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‘Open Water’ (2003)

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‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)

Smart, genetically altered sharks are accidentally let loose in an underwater research facility in this fast and furious film.

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‘Lake Placid’ (1999)

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‘The Reef’ (2011)

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‘Creepshow 2’ (1987)

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‘Sphere’ (1998)

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‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975)

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‘Below’ (2002)

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‘Alligator’ (1980)

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‘Deep Rising’ (1998)

This flick is a real guilty pleasure full of over-the-top action, R-rated violence, and a sense of fun that would make director Stephen Sommers’ "Mummy" movies so popular.

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‘Triangle’ (2010)

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‘Creature From the Black Lagoon’ (1954)

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‘Dagon’ (2002)

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‘Dead Calm’ (1989)

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‘Jaws’ (1975)

Is there any other choice? “Jaws” is an instant classic that likely affected every subsequent aquatic creature film, and it still rules as the standard for horror films in the water.

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Watch Now: 10 of the Scariest Horror Movies

‘Open Water’ (2003)#

‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)#

‘Lake Placid’ (1999)#

‘The Reef’ (2011)#

‘Creepshow 2’ (1987)#

‘Sphere’ (1998)#

‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975)#

‘Below’ (2002)#

‘Alligator’ (1980)#

‘Deep Rising’ (1998)#

‘Triangle’ (2010)#

‘Creature From the Black Lagoon’ (1954)#

‘Dagon’ (2002)#

‘Dead Calm’ (1989)#

‘Jaws’ (1975)#

#

‘Open Water’ (2003)

‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)

‘Lake Placid’ (1999)

‘The Reef’ (2011)

‘Creepshow 2’ (1987)

‘Sphere’ (1998)

‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975)

‘Below’ (2002)

‘Alligator’ (1980)

‘Deep Rising’ (1998)

‘Triangle’ (2010)

‘Creature From the Black Lagoon’ (1954)

‘Dagon’ (2002)

‘Dead Calm’ (1989)

‘Jaws’ (1975)