Compared to other genres, horror movies are able to get away with being quite cheesy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean their stories are bad. Ever since their rise to popularity, horror movies have never shied away from campy fun, with the best horror comedies in particular relying heavily on a healthy dosage of shlock to sustain themselves. That being said, tongue-in-cheek fun doesn’t exclude a satisfying narrative, and a given horror film can be at once relentlessly cheesy and genuinely intriguing.
It’s difficult to identify what exactly makes a horror movie cheesy, but silly situations and a reliance on time-honored tropes is a good place to start. Few other genres fall prey to the same set of similar conventions as horror movies do, and when playing with these tropes and directly acknowledging them, some films can actually enhance their stories. Even if they might not be considered genuinely terrifying dramatic films, cheesy horror movies can still offer plenty of riveting drama.
10 Barbarian
Released In 2022
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10/10 Barbarian R
In Barabarian, Tess (Georgina Campbell) travels to Detroit for a job interview, booking an Airbnb to stay at. When she discovers the rental is currently occupied by a man named Keith (Bill Skarsgard), who also supposedly booked the property, Tess agrees to stay the night while they sort things out. However, her reservations for Keith are the least of her worries – as she soon discovers the home is not what it seems.
Director Zach Cregger Release Date September 9, 2022 Writers Zach Cregger Cast Bill Skarsgard , Georgina Campbell , Justin Long , Richard Brake , Kurt Braunohler , Matthew Patrick Davis Runtime 102 minutes
Stunning audiences with its streaming release, Barbarian pulled off one of the most deceitful movie ad campaigns of all time. With trailers that gave very little away, Barbarian presents itself as a thriller that follows a hopeful job hunter who is forced to share her Detroit Air BnB with a mysterious stranger after they are accidentally double booked.
The horror from within the house that eventually catches up to both parties is quite out-of-left field, making for a terrifying shock. Where Barbarian gets cheesy is its sudden cut to a new character after the first act ends, taking its time telling a meandering story about a Hollywood hot-shot who is brought down by serious sexual assault allegations that eventually makes its way back to the cliffhanger from earlier.
Barbarian
tackles topics like cancel culture, trauma, and poverty with surprising deft, and keeps its narrative thread engaging no matter how bizarre of a path it may take.
The comedy of it’s hilariously unlikable new protagonist and the absurdity of its overarching monster make for a decidedly campy time. That being said, Barbarian tackles topics like cancel culture, trauma, and poverty with surprising deft, and keeps its narrative thread engaging no matter how bizarre of a path it may take.
9 The Lost Boys
Released In 1987
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8/10 10/10 The Lost Boys R
The Lost Boys follows Michael Emerson (Jason Patric) and his younger brother Sam (Corey Haim) after they move to the small California beach town of Santa Carla only to discover that it is overrun with teenage vampires. When Michael falls victim to the titular gang and joins their ranks, Sam enlists the help of young vampire hunters the Frog brothers (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) in order to save his brother from head vampire David (Kiefer Sutherland).
Director Joel Schumacher Release Date July 31, 1987 Writers James Jeremias , Jan Fischer , Jeffrey Boam Cast Corey Feldman , Kiefer Sutherland , Jason Patric , Jami Gertz , Corey Haim Runtime 97 minutes
Far from the typical cape-wearing vampires that haunt gothic castles, The Lost Boys updated the vampire mythos in some clever ways that have endured far into the modern era. The plot fixates on a duo of teen siblings who find themselves in a remote California town after their parents get divorced, only to realize that the area is a hotbed of vampire activity.
It isn’t long before the two are sucked into the orbit of a ferocious motorcycle gang of vampire youths, reveling eternally as teen troublemakers. As audacious as the action beats and jagged 80s haircuts of The Lost Boys are, there’s a clear beating heart to the story beneath the flashy set dressing that sets it apart.
Evoking the name of Peter Pan’s group of forever-immature merry men, the story examines the dangers of never growing up, via vampire-inflicted curse or otherwise. Relentlessly cheesy as its one-liners and wardrobe choices may be, The Lost Boys is a story that’s well worth telling.
8 Fright Night
Released In 1985
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8.5/10 Fright Night R
When teenage Charley Brewster discovers that the newcomer in his neighborhood is a vampire, he turns to actor Peter Vincent, who played a vampire hunter in a television horror show, for help dealing with his undead neighbor Jerry’s thirst for blood.
Director Tom Holland Release Date August 2, 1985 Writers Tom Holland Cast Roddy McDowall , William Ragsdale , Amanda Bearse , Chris Sarandon , Stephen Geoffreys , Jonathan Stark Runtime 106 minutes
Another vampire adventure of the mid 80s, Fright Night is a cult classic that has since spawned its own modestly successful media franchise. The movie centers on a teen boy who becomes aware that his next-door neighbor is a bloodthirsty vampire, though he isn’t able to prove his outlandish claim without any hard evidence.
Seeking the expertise of a TV actor known for playing a vampire hunter, the plucky protagonist takes it upon himself to stop the incursion of undead bloodsuckers on his slice of suburbia before it’s too late. Even if Fright Night may have one of the scariest movie depictions of vampires around, there’s no denying that the setup of a teen protagonist with his idolized vampire hunting mentor is oozing with cheese.
The film’s practical effects, as impressive as they are, remain an endearing keepsake of a time gone by. That being said, Jerry Dandridge works as a genuinely horrifying creature of the night that blends eerily well into simple suburban society, acting as a reflection of the very real human monsters hiding in such idyllic worlds in real life.
7 Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
Released In 2019
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7/10 8/10 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark PG-13
Based on the anthology series by Alvin Schwartz, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark adapts several of Schwartz’s stories into one cohesive narrative, telling the story of a group of teens in rural Pennslyvania who are tormented by a series of increasingly terrifying supernatural monsters that seems to be coming from a book the teens stumble across. The film stars, Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, and Austin Abrams.
Director André Øvredal Release Date August 9, 2019 Writers Dan Hageman , Kevin Hageman , John August , Patrick Melton , Guillermo del Toro , Marcus Dunstan Cast Austin Zajur , Gil Bellows , Michael Garza , Kathleen Pollard , Zoe Margaret Colletti , Dean Norris , Gabriel Rush Runtime 108minutes
Based on the horror children’s books of the same name that traumatized a generation with their terrifying illustrations, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a pseudo-anthology film that brings the chilling tales of the anthology series to life. Set in the late 60s, the movie plunges a group of teenagers into a nightmare when they incur the wrath of a witch’s ghost by disturbing her family’s haunted house, stealing her beloved storybook.
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When the tome’s stories begin coming to life, the group has limited time to figure out a way to break the curse before vanishing. Some of the scares and individual stories shown off in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark might be pretty by-the-numbers horror fare, but that doesn’t stop them from being spine-tinglingly unsettling thanks to the incredible art design that lovingly brings the original books’ illustrations to life.
The actual lore the film creates explaining the stories’ author is quite clever, and the time-traveling method the plucky teen protagonists are ultimately able to uncover the mystery is creative genius. Even if it might not be the most thrilling horror movie, the anthology adaptation is worth watching for the plot alone.
6 Army Of Darkness
Released In 1992
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8/10 8/10 Army of Darkness R
The third film in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness, is a horror comedy film that sees Bruce Campbell return to the role of Ash Williams. Sucked out of his timeline and tossed to 1300 A.D., Ash is found and thrown in a pit after he is believed to be a spy against King Arthur. After proving himself and slaying a supernatural Deadite creature, Ash is freed and told to return home; he must find the Necronomicon and dance with the dead again.
Director Sam Raimi Release Date February 19, 1993 Writers Sam Raimi , Ivan Raimi Cast Bruce Campbell , Ian Abercrombie , Embeth Davidtz , Marcus Gilbert , Richard Grove Runtime 81 minutes
The last film in Sam Raimi’s original trilogy of Evil Dead movies, Army of Darkness was the natural conclusion to the series’ gradual shift from straight-laced slasher horror to hilariously gory slapstick comedy. After being flung through a portal at the end of Evil Dead 2, Ash Williams is trapped in the Middle Ages, only to discover that the insidious Deadites have infested this time period, as well.
Using his modern-day knowledge of science, Ash helps his new medieval comrades fend off the titular army of the dead. Army of Darkness is almost more like an especially bloody episode of Tom & Jerry than a traditional horror movie, squeezing screams and laughs out of its absurd supernatural encounters.
But the story of a time-displaced man doing what he can to save a population that fears and initially rejects him is quite gripping, not to mention the addition of a new love interest after the demise of Ash’s girlfriend in the previous film. Still an iconic horror entry for good reason, Army of Darkness‘ narrative remains gripping despite how nonsensical it gets.
5 Freaky
Released In 2020
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8/10 9/10 Freaky R
Freaky is a film directed by Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day 2U) and centers around a young girl in high school that swaps bodies with a deranged serial killer. When four teenagers are found dead, the Blissfield Butcher’s re-emergence has made the town somewhat on alert. While waiting for her ride home at the end of a football game, Millie Kessler is attacked by the butcher with a mysterious dagger called La Dola, which then swaps the two into one another’s bodies in a Freaky Friday-like fashion. Millie discovers that to get back to her original body, she needs to get her friends and family to believe that their bodies have swapped – and she needs to reverse the ritual in twenty-four hours, or the switch will remain permanent.
Director Christopher Landon Release Date November 13, 2020 Writers Michael Kennedy , Christopher Landon Cast Misha Osherovich , Vince Vaughn , Celeste O’Connor , Kathryn Newton , Uriah Shelton , Dana Drori , Alan Ruck , Katie Finneran Runtime 102 Minutes
At this point in the modern day and age, nearly every fantastical premise to a non-horror movie has been recreated with a scary slant to it. Enter 2020’s Freaky, whose title plays on its clear inspiration from the comedy classic Freaky Friday. Rather than swapping bodies with her troubled mother, this film sees its teen girl protagonist trade places with a legendary serial killer that has stalked her town for ages thanks to the efforts of a mysterious magical dagger.
Freaky is carried by the incredible performances of Vincent Vaughn and Kathryn Newton, who both pull double-duty roles as the terrifying Butcher and the timid Millie. The horror comedy knowingly plays with slasher movie conventions to great effect, being at once cheesy and heartwarming as Millie learns to overcome her anxious nature. Even if it’s light on actual scares, Freaky is novel enough to be well-worth a watch.
4 Happy Death Day
Released In 2017
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6/10 Happy Death Day PG-13
Happy Death Day is a horror-comedy film directed by Christopher Landon. Released in 2017, it follows college student Tree Gelbman, played by Jessica Rothe, who is forced to relive the day of her murder repeatedly until she can identify her killer and stop her death. The film blends elements of slasher horror with dark humor, creating a unique entry in the genre.
Director Christopher Landon Release Date October 13, 2017 Writers Christopher Landon , Scott Lobdell Cast Jessica Rothe , Israel Broussard , Ruby Modine , Rachel Matthews , Billy Slaughter , Charles Aitken , Jimmy Gonzales , Jason Bayle , Rob Mello , Phi Vu , Caleb Spillyards , Laura Clifton , Cariella Smith , Tran Tran , Blaine Kern III , Dane Rhodes , Tenea Intriago , Missy Yager , Rachel Black , Donna DuPlantier , GiGi Erneta , Ramsey Anderson , Brady Lewis Runtime 96 minutes Expand
Rather than parodying Freaky Friday, Happy Death Day is one of the latest in a long line of movies that copy Groundhog’s Day. A ditzy college party girl is forced to re-live her death over and over again when an ominous baby-masked killer finds and murders her in increasingly creative ways, only for her to wake up and live the same day again. In order to stand any hope of escaping the loop, she must find her masked attacker’s secret identity.
Thought it might not be too scary,
Happy Death Day
had an engaging enough plot to summon a sequel,
Happy Death Day 2U.
Happy Death Day is quite fun and upbeat for a horror movie, made almost lighthearted by the fact that none of its deaths are immediately permanent. Still, the timewinding story within is quite smart, baiting the audience with who the mysterious masked slasher villain’s identity could be before revealing a shocking truth. Thought it might not be too scary, Happy Death Day had an engaging enough plot to summon a sequel, Happy Death Day 2U.
3 Cube
Released In 1997
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7/10 Cube R
Directed by Vincenzo Natali, Cube is a 1997 Science Fiction and Horror film starring Nicky Guadagni, Nicole de Boer, David Hewlett, and Andrew Miller. The plot sees a group of people mysteriously waking up in a cube-shaped room, only to realize they are trapped in a labyrinth of cubes, some of which feature deadly traps.
Director Vincenzo Natali Release Date September 11, 1998 Writers Vincenzo Natali , Graeme Manson , André Bijelic Cast Nicole de Boer , David Hewlett , Andrew Miller , Julian Richings , Maurice Dean Wint Runtime 90 minutes
An eerie artifact of early 2000s ingenuity, Cube is a clever bottle movie that evokes the torture of Saw long before James Wan’s famed slasher series began. True to its name, the film begins with a group of strangers waking up in a strange enclosed cubic room, surrounded by similar rooms that shift across one another.
Soon learning that many of the rooms contain deadly traps, the group has to survive infighting and external dangers to make it to the edge of the gargantuan facility in one piece. Cube‘s legacy sequels may not have impressed with the new direction the story went in, but the original film remains an intriguing, if palpably cheesy, horror movie.
The creative traps of the titular torture chamber keep things fresh while the gripping, if predictable, degradation of the group’s loyalties unfolds. The overarching mystery of the Cube’s construction is quite gripping before the disappointing answers of the sequels were revealed.
2 Willy’s Wonderland
Released In 2021
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4/10 Willy’s Wonderland r
Willy’s Wonderland is a 2021 horror film starring Nicolas Cage. Cage plays The Janitor, who is tasked with cleaning up Willy’s Wonderland. What seems like a relatively easy job becomes a nightmare when the animatronic animals become possessed and attack the Janitor. Kevin Lewis directed the film, which got mixed reviews upon release.
Director Kevin Lewis Release Date February 12, 2021 Writers Kevin Lewis Cast Nicolas Cage Runtime 97minutes
If there’s one actor that excels at marrying horror movies with unbridled cheesiness, it’s Nicolas Cage. Just before the Five Nights at Freddy‘s movie could release, Willy’s Wonderland took the same concept and ran quite far with it, arguably being scarier than the more name-brand mascot horror movie.
The film posits Cage as a silent protagonist who wordlessly accepts a job cleaning up a run-down children’s entertainment restaurant, only to find himself face-to-face with the deadly animatronic monsters haunting the location. As far as Nicolas Cage horror movies go, Willy’s Wonderland is dripping with cheese, from the hacky performances of the supporting cast to the by-the-numbers horror tropes that kill them off one by one.
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Yet Cage is amazing as the film’s silent hero, wordlessly beating down the cuddly robotic creatures with no remorse. The idea of a horror threat holding an entire town hostage that the film presents is intriguing if nothing else, and Willie’s Wonderland serves its purpose as a shlocky, but enjoyable splatter film.
1 Cabin In The Woods
Released In 2011
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7/10 8/10 The Cabin in the Woods R
The Cabin in the Woods strictly follows the traditional slasher movie dynamic: a group of teens heads to a remote location for the weekend only to find themselves beset by monsters. However, what they don’t know is that the inevitable horrors they will face have all been arranged by a mysterious team watching from a facility deep underground.
Director Drew Goddard Release Date April 13, 2012 Writers Drew Goddard , Joss Whedon Cast Richard Jenkins , Fran Kranz , Chris Hemsworth , Bradley Whitford , Kristen Connolly Runtime 95 minutes
If cheesiness in horror movies is a result of time-honored clichés, no film is more of a love letter to cheesy scares than Cabin in the Woods. The genre-dissecting movie starts off with a fairly simple setup, spinning a yarn of five college-age friends who abscond to the titular cabin in the woods only to be killed off one after another by a terrifying slew of undead slashers.
But the cabin soon proves to be more than it seems as the kids discover that their demises were carefully crafted from the beginning. Cabin in the Woods is known for its explosive final act, in which a deluge of recognizable horror movie monsters rise from the calculated violence of the cabin to wreak havoc on their masters.
Creating a clever explanation for every horror movie trope it engages with, the film is a true triumph of fandom, exploring everything that makes scary movies work while breaking down what purpose they actually serve. Intelligently acknowledging every well-worn genre convention with a creative story, Cabin in the Woods is like a cheesy horror movie thesis statement.