Mike Flanagan has had one of the most unusual paths to success out of any auteur filmmaking of his generation. Although it was a series of low-budget, high concept horror films that first signified to cinephiles that he had talent, Flanagan built a strong fanbase due to his work on television. In an era of “prestige television,” directors are often given more opportunities to make challenging, original projects on streaming, as cinemagoers have shown little interest in films that don’t come from pre-established franchises. Thanks to the success of “The Haunting of Hill House,” “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” “Midnight Mass,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Flanagan was able to deepen his focus into family tragedy, guilt, and the pervasive evil of manipulation. “Cathartic” is a strange word to use for the horror genre, but it’s accurate when describing the unique way that Flanagan draws his characters.
Many of Flanagan’s fans would argue that television represents his truest intentions, but he’s also responsible for some of the better horror films in recent memory. Even when given the reins to an established property, such as the “Ouija” series or the wider universe of Stephen King, Flanagan has retained his artistic integrity. Although his upcoming projects include a “Carrie” television series for Amazon Studios and a new installment in “The Exorcist” franchise, Flanagan has currently gained enough clout that he will undoubtedly find a robust audience for whatever original venture he decides to work on next. Here is every Mike Flanagan film, ranked.
8. Before I Wake (2016)
Also known as Somnia, the story concerns a grieving couple who welcome an orphaned child into their household and soon learn about his unique gift: His dreams manifest in reality as he sleeps. At first, they are overwhelmed by the wonderful delights of his imagination, but it doesn’t take long for them to realize that his nightmares can be just as terrifying & horrific.
A dark fantasy horror addressing the themes of grief, loss & motherhood, there is no denying that the film features a premise that’s fascinating & promising, yet the end product is mediocre & forgettable. Mike Flanagan operates from a safe distance, holds back when he needs to go all-in, and is unable to wrap the journey on a satisfying note, not to mention that the finale ends up being a tad too sappy & overlong.
7. Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
Discarding the contemporary setting of the first film and going back in time to the 1960s for its story, the prequel to Ouija (2014) follows a widow & her family who run a séance scam business in their suburban house. Things take a sinister turn when they incorporate an Ouija board into their stunt and inadvertently invite an evil presence into their house.
Compared to its critically massacred original, Ouija: Origin of Evil is a massive improvement in every imaginable way. It packs a welcome dose of fun & frights, makes excellent use of its vintage setting, and is structured in a way that delivers genuine thrills despite the predictable storyline. Flanagan’s direction is a definite standout here as he takes a simple story and gets maximum mileage out of it.
6. Absentia (2011)
Absentia is about a pregnant woman whose husband mysteriously vanished 7 years ago. Grappling with her loss, she eventually decides to sift through the wreckage and move on with her life after her younger sister comes to live with her. However, an ominous tunnel near the house is soon found to be the link to several disappearances, which in turn makes the siblings wonder if her husband’s presumed death might be anything but natural.
Shot on a shoestring budget, Mike Flanagan’s first feature makes for a gripping meditation on grief, loss & letting go, and comes imbued with a sense of unease that provides some effective scares. The film gradually sets up its foreboding atmosphere and provides sufficient room for the siblings’ relationship to develop, but the stronger the first half does creates anticipation, which the next half fails to measure up to, thus leaving an underwhelming aftertaste in the end.
5. Hush (2016)
A slasher film through n through, the story follows a young, deaf & mute writer who lives a solitary life in the woods and is working on her next book. But her quiet & peaceful life is disrupted when a masked killer appears at her door and, after learning about her disability, takes advantage of the situation and torments her all night. But as this cat-n-mouse game nears its conclusion, our protagonist realizes that there is only one way to end this ordeal.
At first, Hush feels like a fresh breathe of life in the home-invasion horror sub-genre. In fact, it even had the necessary ingredients to book its spot amongst the finest examples of its genre. But a few poor creative decisions eventually prevent it from soaring to new heights. Still, for what it’s worth, it is a palpably tense, downright thrilling & gleefully violent delight with raised stakes that deliver the desired goods despite settling for less than what was up for grabs.
Our Review: Hush (2016): The Deaf Mouse vs The Wounded Cat!
4. Gerald’s Game (2017)
Marking Mike Flanagan’s first attempt at adapting a Stephen King novel, Gerald’s Game tells the story of a middle-aged couple who travel to their remote lake house to spice up their failing marriage. Things take a tragic turn when the husband unexpectedly dies in the middle of the sex act, leaving the wife handcuffed to their bed. With little hope of rescue, she must find a way to set herself free.
The novel this film is based on was once thought to be unfilmable, and in that regard, Flanagan’s attempt is admirable. Competently crafted & skillfully narrated, the film makes efficient & effective use of its available resources and is expertly steered by a career-best performance from Carla Gugino. However, it could have been an even leaner & meaner product had Flanagan chosen to keep the endless expositions & unnecessary epilogue at bay, for this story is too faithful for its own good.
3. Oculus (2013)
Based on Flanagan’s own short film, Oculus tells the story of a young woman who acquires access to an ancient mirror which she believes to be responsible for the death & misfortune that her family suffered over a decade ago. Intending to destroy the mirror, she first tries to document its powers on the camera in order to prove her brother’s innocence.
Smart, scary & unpredictable for the most part and encapsulated with an aura that reeks of dread, mystery & a sense of foreboding, Flanagan’s sophomore feature film is thrilling, entertaining & more involving than your average horror flick. Packed with genuinely unnerving moments, it keeps playing with our perception of reality and is engaging & suspenseful throughout. In only his second feature, Flanagan exhibits a strong control of his fledgling craft.
Our Review: Oculus (2013): Thrilling, Mystifying & More Involving Than Your Average Horror Flick
2. The Life of Chuck (2025)
“The Life of Chuck” is an anomaly within Flanagan’s filmography, and not just because it’s the first to not directly be based in the horror genre; while Flanagan has often incorporated flashbacks and parallel events, “The Life of Chuck” is uniquely structured into three acts that are told in reverse chronological order. By examining the legacy before inception, Flanagan’s unique character study of the “remarkable” protagonist Chuck identifies the absurd, seemingly insignificant moments that may have an indelible impact on the world around him. While it’s framed by a voiceover from an unseen narrator (voiced by Nick Offerman), “The Life of Chuck” is not purely sentimental; although it’s a film that sees the good in people, it does not have high hopes for their future.
Flanagan is a writer at heart, and “The Life of Chuck” is a film in which information, emotion, and theme are conveyed almost entirely through prose; while this could have ended up feeling like expositional overload, Flanagan finds a beauty in allowing his characters to express themselves. The few moments the film does become a pure work of spectacle, including a Gene Kelly-inspired dance number or a legitimately terrifying depiction of an apocalyptic event, land with an even greater impact.
Our Review: The Life of Chuck (2025): An Earnest, Spiritual, Micro-Epic of the Human Condition
1. Doctor Sleep (2019)
Years after the events of The Shining, a now-adult Dan Torrance drinks heavily to suppress his shining abilities but eventually finds some semblance of stability in his life after moving to a small town where he joins a self-help group, takes a job at a hospice, and learns to use his shine to comfort dying patients, thus earning the titular nickname. In the meantime, he comes into contact with a young girl with a similar trait & maintains telepathic interactions with her. But when her life is under threat, he is forced to confront his past demons in order to save her.
Inarguably the biggest accomplishment of Mike Flanagan’s career, Doctor Sleep is an intelligently crafted & ingeniously narrated sequel that weighs the works of Stephen King & Stanley Kubrick with clarity and delivers a downright captivating end product that succeeds as a worthy follow-up to both sources. Paying homage to Kubrick’s classic while retaining the essence of King’s novel, this unnervingly calm successor to one of the greatest works of horror is no less than an achievement. An assured masterpiece, by all means, Flanagan’s latest is a shining example of its genre that’s more than capable of standing on its own.
