8 underrated horror sequels that are better than you remember
Here are eight of the best horror sequels that deserve more love! From A Nightmare on Elm Street to Leprechaun, we know you'll enjoy revisiting these scary franchise entries!
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Are these horror sequels better than the original?
While you can debate how they rank all day long, one thing is for certain: These eight movies take the ball and run with it. Sometimes, though, the best horror sequels get left behind by the history books, and we forget about them when coming up with lists of the greatest scary movies. And while not all horror movie sequels improve on the original, we can still celebrate the ones that do a great job at adding some new ideas and keeping things fresh.
Why Horror Sequels Often Get Overlooked
The best horror franchises are made up of movies that build upon each other, taking an idea and stretching it out. Top horror movie sequels explore questions the original left unanswered. Critics usually dislike any movie with a number affixed to the end, which is a shame. Just because a movie comes along later in a franchise doesn't mean it automatically deserves to be overlooked.
So, let's take a look at some of the top horror sequels that are better than you think!
1. Psycho II (1983): A Psychological Thriller That Surpassed Expectations
Why it's underrated
The original Psycho was lightning in a bottle that changed the horror industry when it premiered in 1960. The movie was so groundbreaking that a sequel seemed impossible. How could a second visit to the Bates Motel possibly live up to Alfred Hitchcock's terrifying masterpiece? The cards were stacked against Psycho II. However, this psychological horror sequel isn't just a cash grab— it's smart, suspenseful, and genuinely scary. It even improves on some aspects of its predecessor.
A Film Ahead of Its Time
When Psycho II was released in 1983, horror sequels were almost resoundingly boring and formulaic. For example, both Jaws 3D and Amityville Horror 3D also came out that same year.
But Psycho II, with its sophisticated script, took the original movie's legacy seriously and built upon its predecessor in a meaningful way. Psycho may have all the memorable, often-parodied moments, but Psycho II beats it in terms of psychological depth.
2. Friday the 13th Part VI (1986): A Fun Thrill Ride Well Worth Your Time
Why it's underrated
By the time a franchise hits its sixth installment, most of the time, the creators have run out of ideas. Theatergoers may have had that in mind in 1986, especially following the disastrous Friday the 13th Part V. However, that doesn't keep Jason Lives from being one of the most fun, inventive sequels in horror movie history. The original gets all the accolades. Part III introduces the iconography that would usher in the rest of the franchise. Part IV is the scariest. But, Part VI, with its playful, gothic tone and winking in-jokes, is by far the most fun Friday.
Meta way before Scream
Friday Part VI could've been just another dull entry in a formulaic franchise. Instead, it chose to look inward, understanding what it is and what it means to be a sequel in a long-running series. There are nods not just to Friday the 13th history, but to horror history as a whole. Names like Cunningham, Carpenter, and Craven allude to its place in the annals of scary movies, while a grocery store called "Karloff's" tells us this is a Frankenstein Friday for the ages, complete with a lightning resurrection!
3. Exorcist III (1990): Demon King of All Jump Scares
Why it's underrated
The Exorcist was an incredible success, both critically and financially. While its first sequel failed to capture what made the original special, the third movie goes in a different direction. By shifting the focus away from Regan MacNeil, author and director William Peter Blatty opens up the narrative to explore the mythos and lore of Pazuzu, and how a series of murders may be linked to Father Karras' death in the 1973 Exorcist. This third entry in the series succeeds explicitly because it doesn't attempt to recapture the original.
The Jump Scare
Filmmakers have lots of tricks to keep us on the edge of our seats. They can use atmosphere, music, and acting choices to elicit screams. But no technique is as immediate as the jump scare, and no jump scare has ever been as frightening as the one in Exorcist III. There's only one in the entire film, and it's so jarring that it goes down as a textbook example. A static wide shot establishes a hospital corridor while a nurse in a red jacket enters and exits. She locks a door behind her, and the camera stays disquietingly still. Then, suddenly, the frame slams forward as some ghostly robed figure exits from the just-locked door with a pair of shears aimed at the nurse's neck!
4. Critters 2 (1988): A Big Ball of Fun
Why it's underrated
The Critters franchise is pretty easy to dismiss. Its detractors are happy to write these movies off as derivative, supposedly ripping off the much bigger Gremlins franchise. But that's where they're wrong. Nobody has a copyright on "Little Scary Guys Running Around Causing Mayhem." And while the original Critters is great on its own, this is the rare sequel that genuinely improves on every aspect. It knows you might not have seen the original, so it does a great job of re-establishing the lore, all while keeping the tone compelling. Genre luminary Mick Garris (Masters of Horror, Hocus Pocus) is already at his best, right out of the gate with this, his debut picture.
Spectacular Special effects
The creature effects are the star of the show here. The Crites (as those little guys are named) are brought to life by the magnificent work of the Chiodo Brothers. They designed the special critter effects in the first movie, and in this one, they return, creating over 50 puppets for the story. You can tell that the Chiodos were given more to do this time around. The powers that be rightly put their money on the critters for this one, and the gamble pays off. That’s exactly what the audience for a movie like this wants. So we get everything bigger and better. There are more Crites, they’re more articulate, and they do some spectacularly violent stuff.
5. Halloween H20 (1998): A Fitting Tribute 20 Years On
Why it's underrated
Not all slasher sequels are created equally. Some get bogged down in their history, and some ignore continuity altogether. H20 splits the difference, paying proper homage to the original Halloween (1978) while ignoring a lot about what made the later movies confusing and dissatisfying. What we're left with is a sequel that stays scary and consistent in its storytelling. It's a Halloween for the post-Scream world, in which the characters are aware of the tropes and cliches in horror movies.
Kevin Williamson brings Michael back from the dead
While it would become par for the course in later entries, writer Kevin Williamson did the unthinkable by eschewing a significant chunk of the Halloween franchise. Now, the story could go on without being needlessly tied to the so-called "Thorn Timeline," which took the series away from what made it scary in the first place. Instead, the I Know What You Did Last Summer scribe updated the scares from the original to bring Halloween full circle, and resurrected what made it great in the first place.
6. Leprechaun 4 (1996): In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream (With Laughter)
Why it's Underrated
Ok, so maybe "underrated" isn't the right word for this. Maybe this is more of a "so bad it's good" kind of sequel. But come on, you have to give it to the Leprechaun franchise for beating Jason to space by three whole years. This is one inventive flick, and while it may not be one of the best horror movie sequels, it's certainly one of the most entertaining. The Alien homage is worth the price of admission alone. Except, there never really was a price of admission. This thing went straight to video.
Praise for Warwick Davis
Say what you will about any of the Leprechaun movies. Sure, the special effects might not be great. Yes, the storyline gets pretty muddied, and the narrative never bothers being cohesive or coherent. But the one thing that's never lacking is series star Warwick Davis. Whatever is going on around him, Davis gives it his best, and it's his commitment to the craft that keeps audiences returning to this franchise again and again. Add in some zany outer space nonsense, and you've got yourself a very silly, fun time!
7. Curse of Chucky (2013): The Good Guy is Back for Gothic Grand Guignol
Why it's underrated
There's something to love in every Chucky movie, but for a lot of fans, Seed of Chucky left something to be desired. While that film was a fun look at Hollywood and an even better introduction for Glen/Glenda, one of the series' most indelible characters, it wasn't very scary. That's why, nine years later, Seed of Chucky really hit the spot. Chucky's sixth movie wasn't just a back-to-basics entry, it was a complete reinvention. The killer doll was back, and scarier than ever.
Haunted House
When people criticize Chucky in the Child's Play franchise, they frequently say, "Well, just kick him!" Curse of Chucky addresses this by introducing a paraplegic protagonist, Nica. From there, the movie sets up a horrifying haunted house for the ages. Instead of just another slasher movie, Curse of Chucky feels like an old Universal movie, like The Old Dark House. It's all atmosphere, suspense, and misdirection, and makes for a standout in the long-running franchise.
8. Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994): The Snake Eats its Tail
Why it's underrated
How do you keep Freddy Krueger scary a decade on and seven movies in? Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare made a joke of the onscreen icon, turning one of horror's best baddies into a comic book quip machine. While that change happened gradually from #4 onward, there's nothing funny about New Nightmare. This time, Freddy was out in the real world, hunting actress Heather Lagenkamp and killing off some of the people that brought him to the screen in the first place.
Scream before Scream
A few years later, director Wes Craven would have a career renaissance— and single-handedly jumpstart a slasher resurgence— with Scream. Think of New Nightmare as his proving ground. This is "meta" before it became a popular buzzword in online horror communities. New Nightmare separated horror movies from the real world. Freddy wasn't just a movie nightmare anymore. This is how you inject a franchise with fresh ideas and rejuvenate a long-stale icon, creating some of the series' best scares in the process.
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