Netflix streaming horror film dubbed 'modern Rear Window' with scream queen's 'best performance'

A chilling horror film has been branded a 'modern-day Rear Window' with a 'feminist twist' as fans encourage others to watch the gem on Netflix

Netflix buffs, brace yourselves for a spine-tingling crime flick featuring the ultimate scream queen that's got horror aficionados absolutely hooked.

Although it didn't make huge waves when it first came out in 2022, this gem has been quietly amassing a cult following who hail it as one of the freshest horrors to hit the scene in years.

The film stars the iconic Maika Monroe, fresh off her success in the hauntingly atmospheric Longlegs from last year, and a recognised horror legend since her breakout role in the 2014 sensation It Follows.

Helmed by the talented Chloe Okuno in her impressive directorial debut, Monroe plays Julia, a young actress who suspects a sinister onlooker is spying on her after she relocates to a new area.

Critics from Collider to Screen Rant are all singing Monroe's praises, with Screen Rant asserting she "shines throughout" her performance in the 2024 smash Longlegs. Don't miss your chance to see her in this under-the-radar horror masterpiece, currently streaming on Netflix.

Many horror enthusiasts even claim it's a modern-day match for the legendary Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window, which shares a similar storyline.

CBR.com lauded the movie, saying: "Watcher demonstrates how the same fears manifest over time.

"Laid out in Rear Window is a fear of nonconsensual (yet reciprocated) voyeurism, where people see things they weren't supposed to", reports the Mirror US.

"Watcher embodies this to tell a gripping psychological horror film that is both feminist and cautionary, with a satisfying ending and standout performance by Maika Monroe."

A five-star review on Google enthused, "Honestly though, one of the best thriller movies I've watched.

"I get that it may be boring to some people, but this was exactly what I had been craving. No fancy music, action, or stunts are needed, just great writing and directing. It's just so realistic, how you never know what's going on with a person's life until you see it."

Meanwhile, another viewer celebrated the film: "A great suspenseful movie, acting is wonderful and convincing. Maika Monroe does wonderfully in this role, and her anxiety and fear is palpable."

On Letterboxd, an enthusiastic user posted: "Maika Monroe really is the lowkey scream queen of my dreams... and I am living."

Another commenter concurred, proclaiming "Maika Monroe as the final girl covered in blood, five stars!"

The accolades continued with someone else commenting, "If Rear Window and Rosemary's Baby had a love child, you would get Watcher.

"This film is everything I could have asked for. From the beautiful shots to the amazing pacing to Maika Monroe's best performance to date, this movie has it all for me."

Finally, a thrilled admirer championed it as a modern-day classic, saying, "Such a beautiful, modern-day slow-burn thriller, directed wonderfully by the incredible Chloe Okuno. If you didn't think Maika Monroe was one of the best scream queens of this generation by now, you definitely will after this."

Ready to indulge in the chilling tale of Watcher?

Watcher is available to stream on Netflix.