There have been a ton of critically-acclaimed horror films over the last number of decades – especially the last few years. Films like Nope, Sinners and Weapons have been some of the best reviewed films in ages. More often than not, however, the horror genre has been a punching bag for a lot of critics. Whether it be low-budget Blumhouse production, sequels to some of horror’s most beloved franchises or slashers that have been deemed too similar to others in its sub-genre, there’s quite a bit of negative shots thrown at horror’s way on a daily basis.
That’s particularly true where Rotten Tomatoes is concerned. The popular review website collects all the top critics’ thoughts into one numerical score. 60% and above is considered fresh, while anything below that threshold is where the site gets its namesake. These scores often determine if someone watches a film or not. The critical scores are usually in the ballpark of its quality, but there are some underrated films that got an undeserved bad wrap when they were released.
10
Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%
When James Wan released Insidious in 2011, he reinvigorated the haunted house sub-genre. It wasn’t a major critical darling, but its insanely creepy visual style, tense music and thematically thick performances propelled it to become one of the most successful horror franchises of all-time. This brings us to 2015’s Insidious: Chapter 3. The first prequel of the series featured a whole new cast and writer, Leigh Whennell (Saw), making his directorial debut.
The film itself was immediately written off as a cash grab because of the Lambert family’s absence. In the decade since its release, however, Chapter 3 is starting to become a cult classic. At the center of this was Whennell, whose visual grip on the franchise was similar to Wan’s given their longstanding partnership and friendship. Yet Whennell’s slightly darker edge gave this series a jolt of jump scares that reminded genre fans that this over-used technique can be an actual art form.
While Whennell would go on to make critically-acclaimed films like Upgrade and The Invisible Man (2020), this hellish rollercoaster ride of a prequel is one of the most purely scary films of the last decade. Lin Shaye‘s bigger role this time around also helps expand the haunting lore in some fun ways, with Dermot Mulroney and Stefanie Scott adding more emotional weight to “The Further”. Insidious 3 is not as good as the first two chapters, but it’s far better than its mixed Rotten Tomatoes score would leave you to believe.
9
Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 23%
The first three Paranormal Activity films are often considered a high point of the found footage sub-genre, but the praise for the franchise usually ends when we get to Paranormal Activity 4. After the insane prequel witchcraft highs of Paranormal Activity 3, the fourth film from writer Christopher Landon served to reset the series. Katie’s demonic tragedy was still the backdrop of the narrative, but this was the first time we focused on a family not related to her. Paranormal Activity 4 is probably best known for being Kathryn Newton’s first leading film role.
Now the actress is a “Scream Queen” for Freaky and Abigail, but her lighthearted and infectious screen presence is why the fourth entry is the most rewatchable films in the series besides the original. The family dynamic is entertaining and how this story ties into Katie’s larger lore is deeply disturbing. The scares are a slow burn, and it does follow the structure of the first film closely, but the integration of Xbox’s Kinetic and webcams/video chat successfully propelled the film into the 2010s. Now it feels like a chilling yet cozy time capsule in horror history. Especially compared to the sequels that would follow this film, Paranormal Activity 4 deserves to stand toe-to-toe with the rest of the franchise. That also has something to do with its insane final 10 minutes.
8
Halloween Ends (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%
Halloween Ends is one of the coolest franchise films in recent memory. Acting like a love letter to all things John Carpenter, the odd-ball style of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Ends will become a cult classic over the next decade. Yes, there’s the Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) of it all, with his copycat killer storyline being this finale’s sticking point. Yet that ultimately becomes Ends’ biggest strength. The addition of Corey gives Halloween this haunting, dark romantic reflection edge to it that you’re either going to vibe with or hate. The ambiguous supernatural elements this film teases also have rubbed Michael Myers’ purist the wrong way.
That being said, like the entire David Gordon Green trilogy, what Ends says about grief and the evil that can stem from it is actually quite compelling. How Corey thematically connects to Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael is something to behold. Especially when you add in Carpenter’s incredible score that put a bloody epic bow on this franchise (for now). Enough time has passed since this film’s release to give it another chance. Ends is truly one of the unique uses of Michael Myers, and it’s something – because of the divisiveness – we’ll probably never see again from Halloween.
7
Hell of a Summer (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 49%
The summer camp subsection of the slasher sub-genre has been littered with classics. This includes the Friday the 13th franchise, Sleepaway Camp, The Burning and Fear Street: 1978. That’s why the reaction to Finn Wolfhard’s (Stranger Things) directorial debut was a bit baffling. This is possibly the most straightforward film on this list. It’s simply an extremely fun and bloody horror comedy slasher that pays homage to the staples mentioned above. The ensemble cast, which features Wolfhard, co-director Billy Byrk, Fred Hechinger and Abby Quinn, is electric to say the least.
You can feel Wolfhard and Byrk had a blast making this film. Almost like they went to summer camp themselves to bring it to life. The film itself is very Gen Z with its humor and the way dialogue is delivered, but that’s just because it was made by very young film fans. Hell of a Summer gives us a glimpse into the possible future for the slasher whodunnit. Like Scream, Freaky and Ready or Not before, it’s a breath of fresh air that puts a devilishly twisty stamp on a crowded sub-genre.
6
Valentine (2001)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 11%
In the vein of My Bloody Valentine, Valentine was a teen-centric murder mystery whodunnit slasher that was released in the wake of Scream’s reign. Like most films that fit this “clone” mold, it was highly criticized for the comparison. That said, 25 years later, Valentine has been reapprised as one of the best examples of the sub-genre in the 2000s. It’s all-star cast of Denise Richards (Wild Things), David Boreanaz (Bones), Marley Shelton (Scream 4) and Katherine Heigl (Rosewell) brought a lot of quirky energy to this slasher, while the Cupid baby face killer gets a lot of miles out of the Valentine’s Day gimmick.
Director Jamie Blanks also instills a subtle romantic creepiness to this lovely nightmare that rivals some of its more popular contemporaries. This didn’t revolutionize the sub-genre. Valentine was simply a well executed Scooby-Doo-like mystery acting as a cross between Prom Night and Scream. Also, given the festive backdrop, it’s an easy seasonal recommendation to slot in between both My Bloody Valentine films and Heart Eyes.
5
Urban Legend (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 31%
The second Jamie Blanks-directed slasher on this list, Urban Legend, is another often forgotten Scream-like 90s whodunnit. However, unlike most of its competition at the time, this killing spree had an extremely fun hook in its namesake. It’s a real crash course in horror and the origins of storytelling passed through the generations. It just so happens to be packaged as a thrilling slasher full of memorable kills and another cast of genre legends that features Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street) and Brad Dourif (Chucky). They act alongside an insane ensemble of future stars like Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville), Jared Leto (American Psycho), Rebecca Gayheart (Scream 2), Tara Reid, Danielle Harris (Halloween 4) and Joshua Jackson.
At the end of the day, Urban Legend is everything you would want in a slasher of that era. The creative kills, twisty mystery and high stacks thrills are all there. Most of our favorite horror killers, like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees, are rooted in Urban Legends after all. While this killer’s blue parka and axe don’t exactly match the film’s overall energy, Urban Legend‘s 31% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s a crime. So go buy the Scream Factory Blu-ray that was released a few years ago for the film and just enjoy the ride.
4
Scooby-Doo (2002)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 32%
In terms of relevance and continued pop culture conversation, Scooby-Doo (2002) is the most iconic film on this list. The ensemble cast of Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini and Matthew Lillard is widely considered to be some of the best adaptive work on film. Writer James Gunn and director Raja Gosnell nailed the spirit of the original cartoon while also updating it for a slightly more mature 2000s audience. This is ultimately a kids’ movie, but it’s no secret that this was originally intended to be a rated-R film. That DNA is still seen throughout and there are moments that wouldn’t fly in a PG film today.
For people that grew up on the film and its equally great sequel, that’s only added to this adaptation’s legend. Despite its 32% critic rating, Scooby-Doo remains a wonderfully creative horror comedy genre gateway film for kids. Spooky Island is one of the more recognizable locations in 21st century filmmaking and Lillard still voices Shaggy to this day. That doesn’t sound so rotten. Especially the more times you watch and quote this bizarre masterpiece of a film.
3
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 36%
Don’t let that score fool you. This is how you do a reboot. I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is the new template because its characters feel fresh, its love for the franchise is more than just Stab window dressing, and it takes a genuine risk in its killer reveal. Ray (Prinze Jr.) ending up being one of the Fisherman Killers not only makes sense, it gives one of the horror genre’s brightest stars shockingly fun material to work with. It’s something the Scream franchise should take note of. Director and co-writer Jennifer Kaylin Robinson‘s massive hail-mary paid off big time to turn this Scream imitator into something that rivals its biggest competition.
On top of Prinze Jr’s villainous turn and Jennifer Love Hewitt’s final girl return, the new cast is one for the ages. Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Chase Sui Wonders (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid), Tyriq Withers (Him) and Sarah Pidgeon’s (Love Story) chemistry is oddly lovable. Their line deliveries will have you in stitches, the mystery is laced with blood-soaked goodness and the franchise’s mix of sun-soaked horror and gothic thrills has never been this good. It’s the rare sequel/reboot that out does the original in every regard. Sorry Kevin Williamson!
2
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%
We all have that one horror-loving friend that has said, “If it was just called Season of the Witch and not Halloween III, it would have been deemed an instant classic”. Whether you believe that overstated comment or not, Halloween III: Season of the Witch has become a cult classic over 40 years later despite its namesake. The lack of Michael Myers doomed this film’s box office, but this shot at turning Halloween into an anthology makes it one of the most fascinating “sequels” in existence. From the legendary performances from Tom Atkins (The Fog) and Dan O’Herlihy to the tense direction from Tommy Lee Wallace (IT) to Carpenter’s brilliantly unsettling musical score, this is the only film in the franchise that rivals the original Halloween.
Blending witchcraft with modern technology and fearmongering media tactics is a story that’s oddly getting more relevant by the day. The ending will also leave its deadly marks as this is one of the few horror films where no one is safe, not even children. Now “STOP IT” and pop in this seasonal treat. Halloween III has gotten a lot of love over the years with multiple 4K releases from Scream Factory. This includes a haunting steelbook released late last year.
1
Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
Rotten Tomato Score: 52%
Lisa Frankenstein, like writer Diablo Cody’s Jennifer’s Body, is destined to become a cult classic in the next decade. The second film on this list starring Kathryn Newton, this is by far her showcase performance in horror up to this point. Her combination of teenage angst and gothic twinkle is awards-worthy. The coming-of-age horror comedy story that Cody, Newton and director Zelda Williams craft is so emotionally rich. It’s a loose Frankenstein adaption that honors both horror and film history with an apologetic romantic flair. There needs to be more epic romances in horror and Lisa Frankenstein gives you one hell of a sad genre rock concert. Not to mention Newton’s chemistry with Cole Sprouse (Riverdale) is electric.
The tragedy that blossoms through their committed performances will make you think about this quirky adaptation long after the credits roll. It’s a perfect encapsulation of high school life, horrific romantic fails and the absurd drama that runs through a young person’s mind on a daily basis. Lisa Frankenstein has original ideas that are full of memorable storytelling techniques. Styles that never take its concept too seriously, but ones that also treat the themes they’re prescribing to its audience as life and death. Something that Lisa Swallows aka Lisa Frankenstein would do. It proves that a box office failure of a film is only temporary. The quality of what it’s actually saying and how the art executes it is forever.
