The Two Best Vampire Movies Of All Time, According To Rotten Tomatoes

When it comes to the bloodsuckers — the fabled creatures of the night — cinema has showered them with enough screentime to last forever. It's to the point that it becomes a thankless job to pick out the best of the best. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the best vampire movies of all time are "Vampyr" and "Let the Right One In."

While both are undisputed classics, it's surprising to see them ranked higher than a number of similarly celebrated films. For example, 1922's "Nosferatu," starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok, sports a 97% score, but only occupies No. 4 on the list. Similarly, 1992's "Bram Stoker's Dracula," a visual marvel and the undisputed gold standard interpretation of Dracula in the modern era, only finds itself at No. 27. It seems critics really didn't like Keanu Reeves' portrayal of Jonathan Harker in that movie.

What's welcome to see are the number of newer films soaring on the list. "Sinners" is only 1% behind "Vampyr" and "Let the Right One In," while Robert Eggers' "Nosferatu" remake scares away at No. 13.

1932's "Vampyr" was ahead of its time, with its director, Carl Theodor Dreyer, receiving his due long after he passed. "Vampyr" may have been outshone by the financial muscle and bluster of 1931's "Dracula" at the time, but Dreyer figured out a way to use brooding atmosphere to compensate for what he didn't have access to. Consequently, its legacy as one of the greatest horror movies of all time can be felt in modern-day gothic vampire movies that value frightful ambiance over blood and gore.

"Vampyr" follows the story of occult aficionado Allan Gray (Julian West) who visits a French village. Allan receives a package from a mysterious man with the instruction to only open after the latter's death. His curiosity piqued, Allan embarks on a journey that leads him to a manor — only to get more than he bargained for as he finds himself walking a hazy line between the worlds of the living and dead.

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Vampyr" has a 98% critical approval rating and 82% audience score. Time Out called it "one of the first psychological horror films" and praised its visual language, writing, "With the help of Rudolph Maté's luminous photography, Dreyer creates a film of great beauty." 

Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, Tomas Alfredson's "Let the Right One In" tells a different kind of vampire story. It's a breath of fresh air for a genre that often feels like its fangs are blunt in terms of originality.

The Swedish film centers on the young and bullied Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) who encounters his neighbor Eli (Lina Leandersson). While they both appear to be the same age, it takes a while for their friendship to blossom. However, their relationship takes an unexpected turn when Oskar discovers that Eli is a cold-blooded vampire who must kill to survive.

"Let the Right One In" doesn't play out like one would expect, with several twists and turns, all while asking if Eli and Oskar can remain friends. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 98% and 90% on the Tomatometer and Popcornmeter respectively. The Los Angeles Times gave the movie a positive review, discussing the film's power in exploring how "being human and acting human don't always go together." In 2010, "The Batman" director Matt Reeves adapted a fantastic American version of the movie titled "Let Me In" starring Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloë Grace Moretz, while also receiving a TV show remake in 2022.