Best Underrated Horror Movies

The Halloween season is upon us, and so, it’s time for horror movies! I’m sure you’re all planning your rewatches of A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th – but what about some of the more underrated horror movies out there? The horror movies that, unless you’re deep into the genre, you’ve never seen, and may have never even heard of.

Well today, we’re going to be listing some of the best forgotten horror movies to mark on your watchlist this spooky season. The most underrated scary movies are often some of the best ones, so if you’re looking for some truly frightening hidden gems this Halloween, look no further! We’ve included some slashers, some horror comedies, and some horror-thrillers, to keep you on your toes all October. Without further ado, let’s get into our list of the best lesser known horror movies.

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Creep (2014)

Image by Netflix

Found-footage horror and its efficiency is hotly debated by horror fans – these camera-POV flicks can either be absolutely terrifying, or nausea-inducing messes. 2014’s Creep is absolutely the former, and manages to be extremely functional in taking a simple, grounded, realistic plot, and using the found-footage medium to create one of the most immersive horror experiences of recent years.

Creep tells the simple story of a videographer named Aaron who travels to a remote cabin to accept work for a client named Josef who, as you may expect, is not exactly the most normal of customers. With a quick runtime of 77 minutes, Creep finds its momentum fast, and keeps the pace up for the entirety of the film. The movie is genuinely unsettling in its realism, and is guaranteed to make you double check your doors at night. For how it excels in the found-footage medium, the film deserves to be mentioned alongside subgenre classics like The Blair Witch Project – the fact that it often goes under non-horror fans radar makes it the perfect opener for this list.

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Black Christmas (1974)

Image by Warner Bros. Pictures

Released in the 1970s, Black Christmas never quite got the respect it deserved when it first hit the screens. While in recent years, the movie has developed a cult following, and has started to garner the legacy it rightfully earned, it still feels like this movie isn’t fully recognised as the pioneer of the slasher genre that it is. Predating even John Carpenter’s Halloween, which was actually inspired by this movie, it’s not a stretch to call Black Christmas an innovator for the slasher genre – and yet so many fans haven’t seen it.

Telling the story of a serial killer who sneaks into a sorority house during the Christmas season and begins to kill each of the members inside, Black Christmas has been re-evaluated in recent years and praised for its innovations, but its mixed reviews at the time of its original release left many with a sour taste in their mouth. What horror fans will find when visiting this classic, however, is a truly terrifying movie, with more than a few horrifyingly eerie scenes, and an ending that will keep any viewer awake at night. A definite recommendation, perfect for either the Halloween, or even the Christmas season, if you’re twisted enough.

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Psycho II (1983)

Image by Universal Pictures

Psycho II has mainly suffered from association in the years since its release. Horror sequels are all too often duds, and especially when it comes to a genre-shaper like Psycho, a sequel over 20 years down the line didn’t exactly instill hope in many fans. As a result, Psycho II has gone under the radar of most, with many not willing to give it a chance. Anyone who does, though, will discover that this movie is severely underrated, and is actually one of the best horror sequels of all time.

The film follows Norman Bates 22 years after the events of the original Psycho, who having been released from a mental institution, returns to his home. Admittedly, the movie can be divisive among fans. Some people applaud the movie is a deserving follow-up, while others criticize the film as a stain on the legacy of Psycho. I think that, regardless of your reservations, any horror fan should give this movie a try. You might find yourself joining the fanbase of one of the most underrated horror sequels in history.

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The Invisible Man (2020)

Image by Universal Pictures

The Invisible Man, as a property, has had an underrated history in and of itself. As one of the original Universal Monsters, along with the likes of Dracula and Frankenstein’s Monster, the Invisible Man has been far from as appreciated as his contemporaries. This 2020 film is a reimagining of 1933’s The Invisible Man, a connection so distant that non-horror fans would be forgiven for never knowing it existed at all.

This 2020 version, though, is an incredible horror film, both unnerving and emotional, with an explosively effective performance by Elisabeth Moss stealing the show. Many have hailed The Invisible Man as one of horror’s greatest examples of how sometimes, the perfect property to remake is hiding in plain sight. Given how underrated the movie’s predecessor was in the Universal Horror line-up, 2020’s take on the character has allowed it to thrive more, but still not enough to not consider this movie an underrated gem. Be sure to check it out if you haven’t yet.

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The Final Girls (2015)

Image by Stage 6 Films

For horror-comedy fans, this is an absolutely perfect pick for you this Halloween season. If you also happen to be a fan of slasher movies, that will only elevate the experience that is The Final Girls even further. This movie is one of the most heartfelt, well-acted, and well-realised experimental horror-comedies of all time – and yet, I know of very few people who’ve even heard of it, let alone seen it for themselves.

The Final Girls tells the story of a group of teenagers who find themselves in a classic slasher scenario – the twist, however, is that they go through this after they are transported into a 1986 slasher movie. The entire cast of The Final Girls is at the top of their game, and the mother-daughter relationship at the center of the movie is a rare example of a horror movie relationship that is truly fleshed out and well-realised. The movie will make you laugh, scream, and cry, all in one 90-minute session. A personal favourite of mine in this genre, I definitely recommend you check it out.

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Society (1989)

Image by Wild Street Pictures

A word of warning – it was a tall task trying to find an image to use from the movie that wasn’t extremely grotesque. 1989’s Society is one of the most visceral, stomach-churning body horror films I’ve ever seen, and so in some ways, I’m not surprised it hasn’t managed to breakthrough to commonplace fame amongst non-horror fans. Admittedly, you have to be pretty deep into the horror genre to know about Society – for those of us in the know though, this film is a must-watch for any horror fan who hasn’t discovered it yet.

The plot of Society follows a teenager named Bill Whitney, who feels out of place in his upper-class family, and begins to suspect that his parents are members of a cult for those in their wealth bracket. For lovers of the gruesome, Society is a must-watch. Not only is the plot fairly decent at keeping you hooked, but when Screaming Mad George’s special effects take the spotlight, the film is elevated to a level of body horror mastery that few horror movies can rival. Though, if you’ve got a weak stomach, I recommend steering clear of this one entirely.

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30 Days of Night (2007)

Image by Sony Pictures Releasing

30 Days of Night is a strange movie, in that it’s not exactly underrated by most standards (it did respectably well at the box office, and even spawned a few spin-offs), but amongst horror fans, I rarely see this movie even mentioned. The lack of conversation around 30 Days of Night is surprising because, as far as vampire movies go, this is a really solid choice for fans of the subgenre.

The story is focused on a town in Alaska that is overrun with vampires during a, you guessed it, 30-day night. The movie is a gloriously gory time, and features some genuinely frightening vampires, so if that sounds like your thing, I definitely recommend you check this one out. For a horror movie, it’s on the longer side, at nearly 2 hours runtime, but if you’re willing to stay for the whole ride, 30 Days of Night is a great, genuinely scary vampire flick, perfect for Halloween.

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Ginger Snaps (2000)

Image by Motion International

Our final entry on this list is also my personal favourite. Ginger Snaps to those who have seen it, is the original Jennifer’s Body, as it follows a young girl whose relationship with her sister is tested as she begins to turn into a werewolf. The film, though, is considerably better than Jennifer’s Body. The movie is sophisticated in its message, excellently explores themes such as puberty through the lens of lycanthropy, and manages to balance its darkness with its comedy beautifully.

As far as teen horror flicks go, Ginger Snaps is the best of the best, yet it is rarely talked about as such. This could be down to the fact that, for a teen horror flick, the movie is quite bloody, as well as being genuinely terrifying in some of its later scenes. Fun fact, this movie was also referenced in the recent music video for Taste by Sabrina Carpenter, which caused a spike in popularity for the more sought-after and overtly referenced Death Becomes Her. This movie, on the other hand, hasn’t received the same flowers. It hurts my heart to see Ginger Snaps falling into relative obscurity, so I wholeheartedly recommend that any viewer check it out this Halloween. It’s a truly enjoyable watch.

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Conclusion

The horror season is just beginning, but maybe before you switch on the renowned horror classics, consider giving one of these more underappreciated gems a shot – you might just find a new favourite horror movie. Which of these films have you seen, and do you have any personal favourites? Let us know in the comments!

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