Having received mixed to negative reviews upon their initial releases, some horror films from the 2000s are worth taking another look at. The 2000s spawned some memorable horror leads and horror sequels, but some films took a little longer. in finding your audience. movies like clover field and drag me to hell There are widely discussed entries from the 2000s that have only continued to grow in popularity, while films like thirteen ghosts and Slide It took longer to earn respect.
In a genre with rich, inventive storytelling and special effects, it’s understandable that certain films were widely dismissed when they first hit theaters. Some of the films have gained a large cult following, while others are on their way to achieving a similar status. With enough time having passed since their release, there is something to enjoy in each of these horror films initially marked as a failure.
10 Great Horror Movies Related to Bad Rotten Tomatoes Scores
From ’90s monster movies to underrated horror sequels, many great horror movies have Rotten Tomatoes scores that don’t reflect their quality.
10 The Wicker Man (2006)
Directed by Neil LaBute
For many, 2006 The wicker man remains inferior to the 1973 original, directed by Robin Hardy. Still, there are qualities in Nicolas Cage’s new version that are worth returning to. Like the original, The wicker man The remake follows the journey of a police officer who visits an island where unexpected sinister behavior occurs among its residents. The obvious problem with The wicker man It was the minimum amount of scares assumed by the seemingly involuntary humor.
According to Cage in a 2022 interview with IndieWirewas intentional since both he and the film’s writer and director were aware of The wicker manThe absurdities. There have been no major retrospectives on The wicker man as he has continued to be a laughingstock online through the use of memes. Regardless of whether the humor in the film was actually intentional, as Cage said, it’s an entertaining part of The wicker man that makes for a fun visit.
9Pandorum (2009)
Directed by Christian Alvart.
Pandorum It stars Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster as two astronauts who wake up in a hypersleep chamber only to discover that they are aboard a ship with cannibalistic mutants. The film’s name comes from a term used to describe the effects of being in deep space, such as paranoia and delirium. PandorumThe derivative plot was its main downfall, according to critics. There are numerous sci-fi horror films inspired by classics of the horror genre, but there must be a great deal of originality to attract audiences.
Unfortunately, Pandorum It doesn’t have the originality necessary to be a success. Considered a bad scam Foreign, Pandorum It still garnered some praise for its scenery and interesting characters. The psychological aspects of the film are enough to warrant a review, as sci-fi enthusiasts are sure to find joy in it.
8 The Ruins (2008)
Directed by Carter Smith
The film produced by Ben Stiller the ruins It had a script that was too mediocre and predictable to impress critics. the ruinsBased on the book of the same name by screenwriter Scott Smith, it follows two couples who visit a remote Mayan ruin during a vacation that turns deadly after they encounter carnivorous vines. The design of the hungry plants was a top priority during production.
the ruins Director Carter Smith stressed the importance of audiences understanding the threat the vines pose for the film to work. Fortunately, as many critics noted in their mixed reviews, the quality of the special effects is impressive and would be enough to encourage reviewing the film. Plus, for horror fans with strong stomachs, there are a number of gory scenes throughout. the ruins as their landscape gradually becomes a greater threat.
7 Midnight Meat Train (2008)
Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura
Clive Barker’s stories have been adapted to film on numerous occasions, most notably hellraiser and The candy man. In 2008, it was made into a short story by Barker. The Midnight Meat Train Starring Bradley Cooper as the film’s photographer who hunts down an infamous serial killer who brings victims aboard the subway. After its initial launch, The Midnight Meat Train It earned mixed reviews, with the biggest problems being the film’s weak narrative and formulaic scare tactics.
While The Midnight Meat Train It may not have been considered a cult classic yet, but it’s definitely worthy of another watch. There’s a good mix of thrills and scares and Cooper gives one of his best performances in the horror genre. Starting out as an ordinary movie about a serial killer, The Midnight Meat Train It quickly gains momentum with its memorable twists that keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
6 Thirteen Ghosts (2001)
Directed by Steve Beck
Among Roger Ebert’s most hated horror films is thirteen ghosts. The film is a remake of William Castle. 13 ghosts and follows the Cyrus family as they try to escape the wrath of the ghosts trapped inside their mansion. thirteen ghosts It wasn’t a complete failure at the box office, but the film earned mostly negative reviews from critics who said it wasn’t as scary as it could have been.
Even though there are elaborate backstories for the titular spirits in thirteen ghostssome critics, such as Ebert, felt that the film’s characters were not compelling enough. However, there is still much to enjoy thirteen ghosts when revisiting the movie. The production design is striking and the aforementioned backstories and physical appearance of the ghosts are well thought out and unique.
5 Dreamcatchers (2003)
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan.
dream catcher has an impressive cast lineup with actors like Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, Thomas Jane and Morgan Freeman. However, his star power wasn’t enough to save the film. Criticized by Stephen King himself, dream catcher It bombed at the box office and received negative reviews from critics. Based on King’s 2001 novel, dream catcher follows four friends who encounter parasitic aliens.
The first portion of dream catcher It starts off strong, but the film soon turns into something that hasn’t left many impressed. Handful of dream catcherReviews were disappointed by the film’s priority on special effects and visuals over storytelling. The visual elements of the film are worth a look and although the film is not intended to be humorous, audiences can still get over the mistakes of dream catcher seeing them as silly entertainment.
4 Ghosts from Mars (2001)
Directed by John Carpenter
John Carpenter is considered one of the best horror directors, dubbed the master of horror, but even he has had some flops. carpenter Ghosts of Mars It performed poorly at the box office, but gained a cult following and praise from critics and audiences alike. Ghosts of Mars is set on a colonized version of the title planet and depicts a battle between humans and an ancient Martian civilization.
In the eyes of many, Ghosts of Mars It was messy and tended to be more cheesy rather than scary. However, enough time has passed for the public to understand that Ghosts of Mars It’s not a nightmare and you can have a lot of fun with the movie. The heavy metal soundtrack and action scenes in Ghosts of Mars They go hand in hand and are the few parts of the film that have been rewarded with praise.
3 Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Directed by Karyn Kusama
Critical score of Jennifer’s body Not much has changed since the late 2000s, but the black comedy horror film has been considered a cult film in recent years. The film stars Megan Fox as its titular character, a demon-possessed high school student who devours the flesh of her male classmates for fuel. Jennifer’s body It wasn’t a total failure at the box office, but it didn’t do very well either.
A partial explanation for the lackluster response to Jennifer’s body It has to do with your marketing. Labeled as a horror film, audiences anticipated a lot of scares and potentially a lot of deaths. But what does Jennifer’s body Worth revisiting, and explaining the reasons for its newfound cult film status, is its dark, clever humor, a memorable horror performance from Megan Fox, and its once-overlooked feminist themes.
2 Constantine (2005)
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Although it may not be Keanu Reeves’ best horror film, inspired by DC Comics Constantine has gained a cult following in the years since its release in the mid-2000s. Combining elements of the horror and thriller genres, Constantine follows the adventures of its titular occult detective who can travel back and forth between Earth and Hell. Constantine It’s a bit of a departure from its comic book roots, but what the film really lacked for many was direction and style.
Constantine It had a darker tone than most superhero movies, but there was still a noticeable liveliness missing from the film. Constantine It came out just a few years after the third Matrix film, leading many to compare Reeves’ performances. However, John Constantine is one of Reeves’ best characters, as the actor takes on the role effortlessly, bringing a natural charm that helped build a cult following.
1 Sliding (2006)
Directed by James Gunn
Coming in at $3 million under budget, Slide It was a failure at the box office. Still, critics and audiences have come to admire the sci-fi horror film. Starring notable actors such as Nathan Fillion, Michael Rooker and Elizabeth Banks, Slide is set in a city that is invaded by a deadly parasite, putting a unique spin on the zombie film genre. There are many comedic moments throughout the film and other horror comedies tend to focus too much on one genre over the other. Slide achieves the ideal balance.
Slide shares a similar plot with night of chillsand there are endless references to classics within the horror genre, which makes it a fun viewing experience. However, that does not mean Slide It won’t cause chills. The special effects of the infected humans are deliciously gross.