6 when animals attack horror movies to watch before Primate

From Cujo to Jaws, animals have long been featured in horror movies, tapping into our primal fears about the wild. After all, not all animals are cute and cuddly, especially when humans intrude upon their turf. With Primate, a movie about a killer chimp, slated to release in theaters this weekend, now's a great time to watch other when animals attack movies.

Piranha

Released just a few years after Jaws, Piranha, directed by Joe Dante, hoped to capitalize on the blockbuster success of Steven Spielberg's movie. However, the movie didn't quite have the budget that Jaws did. Still, it's a fun B movie about flesh-eating piranhas accidently released into a summer resort's rivers. Oh, and did I mention that they're military hybrid piranhas? Yes, it's a totally bonkers premise, but enjoy it for what it is.

Piranha is streaming for free on Tubi and Pluto TV.

Crawl

French director Alexandre Aja is no stranger to when animals attack horror movies. He directed a remake of Piranha in 2010 called Piranha 3D. In 2019, he directed Crawl, a nerve-jangling feature about bloodthirsty alligators that attack a father and daughter after a historic hurricane rocks Florida and causes massive flooding. Kaya Scodelario is great as Haley, and Barry Pepper is equally great as Haley's dad, Dave.

Crawl is available to rent on most major streaming platforms.

Backcountry

Writer/director Adam MacDonald's 2014 movie Backcountry is a good reminder that if you're going to go camping, especially deep in the Canadian woods, it's best to know what you're doing. Otherwise, you could get lost, or worse, face off against a black bear. Jenn (Missy Peregrym) and Alex (Jeff Roop) are an urban couple who trek into the woods ill-prepared. At one point, cocksure Alex forgoes a map that a local offers him. Of course, the couple eventually gets lost in the thick of the woods and then face off against a black bear. Be forewarned that this movie is quite gruesome at times, but it's effective in showing the bear mostly from Jenn and Alex's perspective. This creates a harrowing viewing experience.

Backcountry is available to stream for free on Tubi.

Dangerous Animals

Dangerous Animals landed on several best-of horror lists last year, and for good reason. It's a shark movie with a dash of Silence of the Lambs. The movie stars Jai Courtney as Bruce Tucker, a psycho who kidnaps tourists and then feeds them to sharks, all while filming. Bruce meets his match, however, when he abducts Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), a resourceful surfer who does whatever she can to survive and beat Bruce. Dangerous Animals is intense, but not without its comedic moments and great performances from the leads.

Dangerous Animals is streaming on Shudder.

The Birds

Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is a masterclass in suspense. It turns the everyday, in this case flocks of birds, into the stuff of nightmares. Tippi Hedren stars as a wealthy socialite who pursues a potential boyfriend, played by Rod Taylor, to a small California coastal town. Suddenly, birds of all feathers start to attack. The ending of this film remains unsettling decades later, with shots of the landscape filled with the birds, silently watching. No explanation is given for their attacks.

The Birds is available to rent on most major streaming platforms.

Jaws

No when animals attack movie list would be complete without Jaws. Like The Birds, Spielberg's film showcases how to build tension and suspense. In the opening minutes, a great white attacks and kills a swimmer, Chrissie Watkins (Susan Backlinie). This triggers the rest of the narrative and rocks the quaint Amity Island right before the July 4th holiday. This movie has so many quotable lines, and of course, that infamous two-note score by John Williams. This film scared people right out of the water.

Jaws is available to rent on most major streaming platforms.

Additional when animals attack horror movie recommendations

If you still can't get enough when animals attack movies, then check out Grizzly, Frogs, Alligator, Cocaine Bear, Cujo, and The Shallows. They're each entertaining in their own way, and like the other movies on the list, they're a good reminder to be respectful of nature and the creatures that inhabit it. Otherwise, you could end up on the menu.