Horror is among the most versatile and popular genres in modern cinema. Just this year, countless horror movies came out, both in theaters and streaming, with many, includingLonglegsandA Quiet Place: Day One, becoming major hits with critics and audiences. Indeed, throughout its long history, horror has produced many movies that have both been embraced by critics and audiences.
Sadly, not every horror movie has the same fate. In fact, some are outright panned by critics, who take gleeful aim at everything from their lack of originality (a recurring issue, especially in horror) to their uneven tone and disconnected performances. Yet, many horror movies that were widely criticized upon release have been reclaimed by fans, who can appreciate them for what they are.These critically panned horror movies are actually great for what they areand can be not only quite enjoyable but memorable, to the point where they might be iconic in their own right.
10’House of Wax' (2005)
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
The mid-2000s produced several slasher movies, many of which were remakes of classic horror movies from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. One such example isHouse of Wax, directed by a then-unknownJaume Collet-Serraand starring an ensemble includingElisha Cuthbert,Chad Michael Murray, andParis Hilton. The plot centers on a group of friends who stumble upon a ghost town hiding a horrifying secret.
As is the issue with most remakes,House of Waxwas unfavorably compared to the iconic original starringhorror iconVincent Price. However, other than the title, both movies share very little in common. It’s best to judge 2005’sHouse of Waxas its own thing:a chill and competent slasherthat might not be a masterclass in filmmaking but remains an entertaining horror exercise withenough gore and gnarl to satisfy hardcore and casual audiencesalike.
House of Wax
9’Black Christmas' (2006)
Directed by Glen Morgan
2006’sBlack Christmasis one of those noughties movies starring a cast of very familiar faces who should really be more famous today:Katie Cassidy,Mary Elizabeth Winstead,Michelle Trachtenberg,Lacey Chabert, andCrystal Lowe. The plot sees a group of sorority sisters stalked by a deranged killer on Christmas Eve.Black Christmasis actually inspired by real-life crimes, giving it an additional, discomforting layer.
A (very) loose remake of the 1974 eponymous film, 2006’sBlack Christmasis more of a reinterpretation than an outright adaptation. The story is more overt, abandoning all subtext and opting for a straightforward approach to violence and gore. However, the result is quite effective; indeed,Black Christmasdoesn’t get nearly enough credit for how unsettling it is, providing a truly disturbing origin story for its villain and featuring some of the most original kills for its unsuspecting ensemble.
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8’Prom Night' (1980)
Directed by Paul Lynch
In many ways,Jamie Lee Curtisis the ultimate scream queen. Her work in 1980s horror cemented her reputation as such, even if some received quite a negative reception upon release. Take 1980’sProm Night, which sees her as prom queen-bound and future final girl Kim, who becomes the prey of a deranged killer seeking revenge for a past crime.
In retrospect, many of the things that contemporary critics disliked aboutProm Nightare what make it great.It’s funny, both intentionally and unintentionally, andfavors instant payoff over atmospheric dread. However, that approach is arguably best for a slasher, andProm Queenunderstands it. It is among the first proper entries into the subgenre anddoes a wonderful job summarizing what makes slasher movies so entertaining.
Prom Night
7’Halloween II' (1981)
Directed by John Carpenter
And speaking of Jamie Lee Curtis, the sequel to her genre-defining, game-changing, outright iconic 1978 horror masterpieceHalloweendid a lot worse with critics.Halloween IIpicks up immediately where its predecessor left off and sees Michael Myers tracking Laurie Strode to the hospital, killing anyone on his path to get to her.
Halloween IIreceived near-instant backlash for its controversial choice of turning Michael Myers into Laurie Strode’s brother —Quentin Tarantinowent as far as to call it"fruit from the poison tree!" Whether you like the twist or not, it’s undeniable thatHalloween IIsucceeds asan atmospheric descent into darkness accompanied by some brutal violence. Curtis is at her final girl best, while Michael Myers effortlessly walks his way into horror icon territory, one slow, firm step at a time.
Halloween II
6’Lady in a Cage' (1964)
Directed by Walter Grauman
The “psycho biddy” subgenre of horror, also derogatorily known as “hag horror” or “hagsploitation,” rose to prominence in the mid-60s following the success of 1962’sWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane?The subgenre features older women, often stars from Classic Hollywood, and places them in situations of increasing mental distress, either terrorizing or being terrorized by those around them.
Lady in a Cageis a great reflection of the troubled time in which it came about, capturing the chaotic journey from Hollywood’s Golden Age into the grittier and more violent days of New Hollywood.
Although the subgenre features many questionable tropes, it’s also much better than given credit for. Take 1964’sLady in a Cage, starring two-time Oscar winnerOlivia de Havilland. At the time of its original release, it received lackluster reviews from critics who considered it insulting for an actress of de Havilland’s status to be so mistreated. However, when analyzed as a psychological horror,Lady in a Cageisa genuinely distressing exercise in frustrationand the disturbing quality of human nature, the sheer desire to dominate for the sake of it. It’s also a great reflection of the troubled time in which it came about, capturing the chaotic journey from Hollywood’s Golden Age into the grittier and more violent days of New Hollywood.
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5’The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (2003)
Directed by Marcus Nispel
Any remake of such a seminal film asThe Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas always going to pale in comparison; even the film’s sequels couldn’t live up to its legacy. However, 2003’s remake did a stellar job of updating the story, respecting the essence while still reinvigorating it to fit the sensibilities and appetites of 2000s audiences.Jessica Bielleads an ensemble in this update about a group of friends who become the target of Leatherface and his deranged family.
2003’sThe Texas Chainsaw Massacreis a great horror movie. It’sviolent, hectic, often very disturbing, and quite distressing. Biel makes for an excellent final girl, and the supporting cast is also up to the task, especially the familiar but vastly overratedMike Vogel. Those looking for the same generation-defining impact as the 1974 original will not find it, but those who are after a great horror film will surely leave satisfied.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
4’Sorority Row' (2009)
Directed by Stewart Hendler
2009’s slasherSorority Rowgets a very bad reputation. It’s often disregarded as an uninspired and lazy slasher that does nothing original with its premise and instead sticks to the subgenre’s most basic tropes. In a way, these criticisms are correct:Sorority Rowdoes indeed nothing new and instead settles for the bare minimum. And yet, it does so in the best way possible.
This film about a group of sorority sisters who cover an accidental crime and become haunted by it, is so funny and entertaining that it’s hard to fault it for wanting to keep things on the safe side.Leah Pipesis particularly strong as the dominating and outright unlikable Jessica, stealing every scene she’s in and elevating the whole thing almost single-handedly.Sorority Rowisa great slasher movie because it embraces the genre’s inherent absurdity; many more should follow suit.
3’Plan 9 from Outer Space' (1957)
Directed by Ed Wood
Infamous cult directorEd Woodis behind many of cinema’s all-time worst movies, but none is more notorious than 1957’sPlan 9 from Outer Space. The film follows a group of extraterrestrials who come to Earth to stop humanity from building a doomsday weapon that can destroy the universe. Thus, they execute “Plan 9,” meaning to awaken the death.
If anything,Plan 9 from Outer Spaceis quite original. The film is poorly made and often in questionably bad taste, but man, is it entertaining. No one can claim they got bored when watching it; in fact, no one would even claim to have turned their eyes away from the screen, even for a moment.Plan 9 from Outer Spaceis the ultimate enjoyable bad movie, and there’s genuine cinematic value in that. Who cares if it’s “good” or “bad?” It is what it is, and it’s all the stronger for it.
Plan 9 From Outer Space
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2’Event Horizon' (1997)
Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson
Academy Award nomineeLaurence FishburnejoinsSam NeillinPaul W. S. Anderson’sEvent Horizon. A sci-fi horror, it follows a crew of astronauts sent to investigate the sudden reappearance of the missing vesselEvent Horizon. However, they will soon discover a sinister force surrounding it.
The filmreceived considerable criticismfor its seeming style-over-substance approach and overreliance on horror tropes. However,Event Horizondoesn’t nearly get enough credit for itsnear-flawless balance of horror and science fiction, a delicate act that not many movies can pull off. The stunning, instantly iconic imagery and strong sense of anxiety and uncertainty contribute to building a film that is as rewarding as it’s thought-provoking.Event Horizonhas aged beautifully, cementing itself as one ofthe best R-rated movies of the ’90s.
Event Horizon
1’The Grudge' (2004)
Directed by Takashi Shimizu
The J-horror craze of the early 2000s produced many films; some, likeThe Ring, were widely embraced, while others, likeThe Eye, were utterly reviled. 2004’sThe Grudgewas unqualified as uninspired and lacking in the story and ambiance, but it’s safe to say that assessment was overly harsh. The film starsSarah Michelle Gellarand follows several characters who enter a cursed house in Tokyo, succumbing to the vengeful spirits within.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to sayThe Grudgeis amongthe scariest movies of the 2010s. It popularized many of the main tropes related to J-horror andcreated some of the most iconic horror imagery of the new millenniumthus far. Yes, the story is often needlessly convoluted, especially for such a simple premise, butThe Grudgemore than makes up for any perceived flaw with an abundance ofhorrifying chills that are still effective twenty years later.
