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The Greatest Horror Movies Set on the Open Sea

Updated April 20, 2020 5.6k votes 1.0k voters 60.6k views29 items

List RulesVote up your favorite scary films that take place in the ocean, whether the danger is mainly in drowning, a hungry sea monster, or something more sinister.

The open sea can be scary in and of itself, but when a deadly force enters the picture it becomes downright terrifying. The top sea horror movies feature bloodthirsty sea creatures looking for their next meal. This is a list of the best scary ocean movies, including everything from The Abyss to Deep Blue Sea to Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep.

What films will you find on this list of the best water horror movies? A man-eating shark disrupts a sleepy resort town in the 1975 classic Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg. The suspenseful plot - along with the movie's timeless score - added to the frightening viewing experience. As the title suggests, Ghost Ship finds a haunted vessel tormenting fellow sailors. Other good movies featured on this list include Open Water, Sphere, and Shark Night.

Which scary water movie is the best? Give your favorites a thumbs up and share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Jaws
Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfuss
Released: 1975
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. The prototypical summer blockbuster, its release is regarded as a watershed... more
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Deep Blue Sea
Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J
Released: 1999
Directed by: Renny Harlin
Deep Blue Sea is a 1999 science fiction horror film, starring Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Michael Rapaport, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson. The film was directed by Renny Harlin... more
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The Abyss
Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Released: 1989
Directed by: James Cameron
The Abyss is a 1989 American science fiction-adventure film written and directed by James Cameron, starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. When an American submarine sinks... more
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Ghost Ship
Julianna Margulies, Emily Browning
Released: 2002
Directed by: Steve Beck
Ghost Ship is a 2002 American-Australian horror film directed by Steve Beck. The film was shot in Queensland, Australia and Vancouver, Canada. It stars an ensemble cast featuring Gabriel Byrne,... more
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The Shallows
Blake Lively
Released: 2016
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
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Lake Placid
Betty White, Mariska Hargitay
Released: 1999
Directed by: Steve Miner
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Leviathan
Peter Weller, Ernie Hudson
Released: 1989
Directed by: George P. Cosmatos
Leviathan is a 1989 science fiction horror film about a hideous creature and a group of people in a sealed environment, in a similar vein to such films as Alien and The Thing. It is one of many... more
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Open Water
Saul Stein, Blanchard Ryan
Released: 2003
Directed by: Chris Kentis
Open Water is a 2003 drama psychological horror film loosely based on the true story of an American couple, Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who in 1998 went out with a scuba diving group, Outer Edge Dive... more
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The Meg
Jason Statham, Jessica McNamee
Released: 2018
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
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Jaws 2
Roy Scheider, Murray Hamilton
Released: 1978
Directed by: Jeannot Szwarc
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The Reef
Zoe Naylor, Adrienne Pickering
Released: 2010
Directed by: Andrew Traucki
The Reef is a 2010 Australian horror film. The film was written and directed by Andrew Traucki, his second feature film, and is about a group of friends who capsize while sailing to Indonesia. The... more
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Deep Rising
Famke Janssen, Djimon Hounsou
Released: 1998
Directed by: Stephen Sommers
Deep Rising is a 1998 American action horror film directed by Stephen Sommers and starring Treat Williams, Famke Janssen and Anthony Heald. It was distributed by Hollywood Pictures and Cinergi... more
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Underwater
Kristen Stewart, T.J. Miller
Released: 2020
Directed by: William Eubank
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Sphere
Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson
Released: 1998
Directed by: Barry Levinson
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Dead Calm
Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill
Released: 1989
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
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47 Meters Down
Mandy Moore, Claire Holt
Released: 2017
Directed by: Johannes Roberts
47 Meters Down is a 2017 survival horror film directed by Johannes Roberts. Two sisters, Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt), decide to go cage-diving while on a trip to Mexico. They board a... more
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Triangle
Melissa George, Michael Dorman
Released: 2009
Directed by: Christopher Smith
Triangle is a 2009 psychological horror thriller film written and directed by Christopher Smith. Jess (Melissa George) plays a single mother who goes on a boating trip with several friends. When they... more
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The Deep
Nick Nolte, Jacqueline Bissett
Released: 1977
Directed by: Peter Yates
The Deep is a 1977 adventure film directed by Peter Yates and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. The film stars Robert Shaw, Jacqueline Bisset, and Nick Nolte.... more
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Orca
Bo Derek, Richard Harris
Released: 1977
Directed by: Michael Anderson
Orca is a 1977 horror film directed by Michael Anderson and produced by Dino De Laurentiis, starring Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, and Will Sampson. It is based on Arthur Herzog's novel of the... more
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Below
Zach Galifianakis, Olivia Williams
Released: 2002
Directed by: David Twohy
Below is a 2002 WWII horror film directed by David Twohy. It was written by Lucas Sussman, Darren Aronofsky and David Twohy, and stars Bruce Greenwood, Olivia Williams, Matthew Davis, Holt McCallany,... more
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The Beast
William Petersen, Adrienne-Joi Johnson
Released: 1996
Directed by: Jeff Bleckner
The Beast is a 1996 television movie starring William Petersen, Karen Sillas and Charles Martin Smith. Aired in two parts as a miniseries, the movie is based on the 1991 novel Beast by Jaws author... more
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Piranha 3D
Kelly Brook, Elisabeth Shue
Released: 2010
Directed by: Alexandre Aja
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DeepStar Six
Nia Peeples, Miguel Ferrer
Released: 1989
Directed by: Sean S. Cunningham
DeepStar Six is an American science fiction horror film about the struggles of the crew of an underwater military outpost to defend their base against the attacks of a sea monster. It was released in... more
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Sea Fever
Connie Nielsen, Hermione Corfield
Released: 2020
Directed by: Neasa Hardiman
Sea Fever is a 2020 Irish science fiction thriller film directed by Neasa Hardiman. The misfortunes of a crew of a West of Ireland trawler, marooned at sea, struggle for their lives against a growing... more
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Shark Night
Katharine McPhee, Sara Paxton
Released: 2011
Directed by: David R. Ellis
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Underwater

Orca

Sea Fever