The horror community is generally a place of inclusion that’s open to experimentation. One day, we’re questioning our core beliefs while watching elevated films from A24, and then we’re reveling in the spectacle of Roger Corman the next. Wherever you stand on the spectrum, the horror genre has something for all tastes. But celebrating all the sub-genres comes at a price. Too often, a curious horror fan falls victim to overrated horror.
Let’s not get confused here: Overrated horror doesn’t always mean bad horror.
It just means there can be better choices down the road less traveled.
Sure, wonky student films or campy grindhouse might not be for everyone, but even the classics can be a little tiring. So, we want to look at some movies that may have been rented a few too many times.
This is Overcooked and Over-Served: The Perils of Overrated Horror!
Ghost Ship (2002)
A marine salvage crew stumbles upon an ocean liner floating adrift that has been missing since the early ’60s. While investigating the seemingly empty ship (and looking for treasure), the crew realizes they are not alone.
Thanks to YouTube and the meme generation, Ghost Ship has been rewarded with some sort of cult status. But there isn’t a single scene anyone can remember outside of its “iconic” opening. Sure, the idea of 100 people getting cut in half by steel cable sounds cool and makes for fun gifs. But it’s nowhere near as interesting as the nostalgia goggles lead you to believe.
It’s basically a standard haunted house story taking place on the open seas. You’ve seen it before, even if you haven’t seen this particular movie.
Thirteen Ghosts (2001)
Speaking of nostalgia goggles, the 2001 remake of Thirteen Ghosts doesn’t offer up as much fun as the fanfare suggested. A lower-income family inherits a fancy futuristic home from an estranged uncle who died. However, beneath the gloss and steampunk aesthetic lies a sinister plot involving a supernatural puzzle and a group of ghoulish ghosts imprisoned in the basement, waiting to be released.
I love the cool monster designs and the wonderfully hammy Matthew Lillard. Sadly, Thirteen Ghosts is corny, contrived, and plagued with some of the worst editing in film history. There are more plot holes than plot twists in the two-hour runtime. The movie feels like an underdeveloped set of skits you watch while waiting in line to board an amusement part attraction.
Wolf Creek (2005)
As discussed on the Obligatory Spooky Episode of Crushed Monocle Podcast, horror was in a weird state of growing pains in the 2000s. Swapping out self-awareness for “torture porn” as the latest fad, Wolf Creek arrived in theaters. A small group of friends touring the Australian outback have car trouble and are aided by a charismatic yet minimalist Mick Taylor. But when Taylor reveals himself as a sadistic, xenophobic serial killer, their vacation becomes survival.
Despite the tried and true tropes in its premise and loosely inspired by true events, Wolf Creek is equal parts generic and exhausting. I actually dig the documentary-flavored cinematography. And Taylor is fun to watch: Think Steve Irwin portrayed by Bill Mosely. But neither is enough to carry the film beyond anything as a one-time viewing. I honestly can’t believe a film this dull launched a franchise.
Hereditary (2018)
When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to slowly unravel the sinister secrets of their ancestry while outrunning the mysterious evil they’ve inherited.
Hereditary is a beautifully shot, well-acted film from start to finish. It also isn’t afraid to go to extremely dark places many mainstream films merely flirt with. In fact, I think the first half of the film is an excellent story about a family facing mortality and coping with grief.
Unfortunately, it’s squandered by its haphazard third act and convoluted ending. While a film like The Sixth Sense is elevated by its twist ending, Hereditary makes me wish I didn’t even start it.
The Omen (1976)
An American diplomat and his wife adopt a newborn who eventually may or may not be Satan incarnated. That’s it. That’s pretty much the entire plot of The Omen. It’s clearly hoping to cash in on the success of The Exorcist. They’re trying to tell a simple story of good versus evil with some sophistication. Unfortunately, the execution falls flat. For the “good” in this film, a couple of parents behave like any other concerned parent would in the situation. And the evil is, well, questionable.
That’s the thing with The Omen. It feels like it was written for the ending to be left up to interpretation, but the actual presentation is deliberate. All of the mysterious deaths that seemingly happen around the child could be considered bad timing or horrible coincidences. If that were the case, the tension might be a little more valid. But by the time the third act arrives, the parents find out the kid really is Satan long after the audience knows.
For me, The Omen isn’t a bad film. It’s just kind of – for the lack of a better word – soulless.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Okay, so this won’t be an actual a hot take since there probably isn’t a horror film as polarizing as The Blair Witch Project. Say what you want about the actual movie itself, but there’s no denying it’s the perfect example of the powers of good marketing.
When this movie came out, the internet wasn’t the powerhouse it is today, and some folks actually thought this movie was a documentary. Even thought it’s now one of the most overrated horror movies of all time, I wish we could go back to that kind of naivete we felt at the time of its release.
Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
Let’s get this out the way really quick: Most films don’t need to be remade. This should go double for any George A. Romero film. So by very obvious default, Zack Snyder’s remake of Dawn Of The Dead was set up for failure. Or was it?
As his directorial debut, this film skyrocketed Snyder into the pop culture lexicon. For better or worse. It was also written by comic book film golden child, James Gunn. Make of that what you will.
Just like the original, a ragtag group of misfits hole up in a shopping mall during the zombie apocalypse. But where Romero’s 1978 masterpiece was a bleak commentary on consumerism and the warnings of excess, Snyder’s version is the epitome of consumerism and excess.
While the action sequences are often intense and look super cool, there is zero heart, soul, or brains in Dawn Of The Dead. It’s complete sensory overload that feels like an extended cutscene from a 2004 Xbox game. In fact, any version of Capcom’s Dead Rising game is a better time.
IT (1990 – 2017 – 2019)
I don’t care if we’re talking about the TV mini-series from 1990 or the two-part adaption from 2017 and 2019. IT is a terrible exercise in adapting a mediocre story with various degrees of budget and nostalgia. As an avid Stephen King fan and an even bigger fan of the horror genre, I have no problem saying that the original novel was a convoluted mess.
If I had to pick a “best” version, I’d lean toward the 1990 mini-series. That one may be a TV affair, but the cast is much better. It also doesn’t feel as pretentious as the modern adaption.
While we’re on the topic, isn’t it annoying when people refer to the Pennywise character as “It The Clown”? Worse yet, you probably have IT to thank for the overcooked trope of being afraid of clowns. If you ask 10 random people about clowns, I bet at least 8 of them will tell you they have a clown phobia. You can directly blame this slice of overrated horror.
Friday The 13th (1980)
I know what you’re thinking. This guy devoted the entire year of 2020 writing essays about the making of each and every installment in the Friday The 13th franchise. And he thinks this film is overrated? And you would be correct!
Check out the Crystal Lake Confessional series here.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t outright hate the original. It can be part of a fun marathon. But outside of kick-starting the slasher craze and birthing my favorite horror icon, Friday The 13th is not only an overrated horror movie, but it’s also not a very good movie, period.
The acting is wooden, the scares are lame, the premise is generic, and the pacing is god-awful. Don’t get me wrong, I love Betsy Palmer’s unhinged third act, and Adrienne King is great. Unfortunately, this is probably the only franchise in the history of film-making where the first is clearly the worst.
The Exorcist (1973)
I’m going to say it. The Exorcist is an overrated horror movie. Before you come to my house with a lynch-mob, have a closer look at my take. I said it’s an overrated horror movie. I still believe it’s one of the greatest films of all time. Its impact on the film industry is still being felt today. But as a horror movie? Well, as of writing this piece, it’s no longer the juggernaut it once was.
If anything, The Exorcist works better as a psychological drama.
It is worth noting that the film came from a time when something bigger than its audience posed a greater threat. As the story develops, a single parent exhausts every possibility to help her young daughter. Watching her daughter’s health deteriorates, it becomes apparent she’s possessed by an unseen demon.
In real life, America was just coming to the end of the Vietnam War. Tuning into music and movies was the best way to tune out the trauma of those horrors. Pinning the “evil” on something supernatural or theological meant the audience had an easier choice between good and evil. Heavy metal and televangelism aside, the choice between Satan and Jesus is kind of a no-brainer in the grand scheme of things.
To me, the most riveting element of The Exorcist isn’t the gross-out antics of the final act. It’s the story of survival and the struggle of faith. There’s something heartbreaking about a mother powerlessly watching her child experiencing such mortal terror.
Fifty years later, the horror is still there, but it’s clearly not as interesting as the psychological element.
The Exorcist is less of a horror movie but a story of resilience, and bravery. Most importantly, it faces the weight of choosing to fight the darkness of evil with the light of the good.
Don’t forget to check out all of the various horror-related features from Bearded Gentlemen Music here!