Having received mixed to negative reviews upon their initial releases,a few horrorfilmsfrom the 2000s are worth taking another look at.The 2000s prompted some memorable horror protagonistsandhorror sequels, but a few films took a bit longer to find their audience.Films likeCloverfieldandDrag Me to Hellare widely discussed entries from the 2000s that have only continued to grow in popularity, while films likeThirteen GhostsandSlithertook longer to earn respect.
In a genre with rich, inventive storytelling and special effects, it’s only understandable that certain films were widely dismissed when they first hit theaters. A few of the films have earned massive cult followings, while others are on their way to achieving a similar status. Withenough time having passed since they were first released, there’s something to enjoy in each of these horror films initially marked as a failure.
The Wicker Man
Cast
The Wicker Man is a horror thriller directed by Neil LaBute, starring Nicolas Cage as Edward Woodward, a police officer who travels to a remote island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. As he delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a sinister plot involving a pagan cult.
To many, 2006’sThe Wicker Manremains inferior to the originalfrom 1973, directed by Robin Hardy. Still, there are qualities to the Nicolas Cage remake that are worth returning to. Like the original,The Wicker Manremake follows the journey of a police officer visiting an island where unexpected sinister behavior occurs among its residents.The glaring issue withThe Wicker Manwas the minimal amount of scarestaken over by seemingly unintentional humor.
According to Cage in a 2022 interview withIndieWire, it was intentional as both he and the film’s writer and director were aware ofThe Wicker Man’s absurdities. There haven’t been any major retrospectives done onThe Wicker Manas it has continued to be a laughingstock online through the use of memes. Regardless of whether the humor in the film was truly intentional, as Cage said, it’s an entertaining part ofThe Wicker Manthat makes for a fun revisit.
Pandorum
Pandorum is a science fiction thriller directed by Christian Alvart, released in 2009. The film follows two crew members who awaken on a seemingly deserted spaceship with no memory of their identities or mission, only to find they are not alone and must confront a terrifying reality.
Pandorumstars Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster as two astronauts who wake up in a hypersleep chamber only to discoverthey’re aboard a ship with cannibalistic mutants.The name of the film comes from a term used to describe the effects of being out in deep space, such as paranoia and delirium.Pandorum’s derivative plot was its main downfall, according to critics.
There are numerous sci-fi horror films inspired by classics in the horror genre, but there must be a solid amount of originality to appeal to audiences. Unfortunately,Pandorumdoesn’t have the originality needed to be a hit. Viewed as abad rip-off ofAlien,Pandorumstill earned some praise for its set design and interesting characters. The psychological aspects of the film are enough to warrant a revisit, as sci-fi enthusiasts are sure to find joy in the film.
The Ruins
The Ruins is a horror film directed by Carter Smith, centering on a group of friends who encounter terrifying forces at an ancient archaeological dig in Mexico. As they attempt to escape, they realize the ruins harbor a sinister presence. The film stars Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, and Laura Ramsey, and is based on the novel by Scott Smith.
The Ben Stiller-produced filmThe Ruinshad a script that was too lackluster and predictable to impress critics.The Ruins,based on screenwriter Scott Smith’s book of the same name, follows two couples visiting a remote Mayan ruin on a vacation that turns deadly after they come across carnivorous vines. The design of the hungry plants was a top priority during production.
The Ruinsdirector Carter Smith stressed the importance of the audience buying into the threat the vines possess for the movie to work. Luckily, as many critics noted in their mixed reviews,the quality of the special effects is impressiveand would be enough to encourage a revisiting of the film. Additionally, for horror fans with strong stomachs, there are a number of gory scenes throughoutThe Ruinsas its scenery gradually becomes a greater threat.
The Midnight Meat Train
The Midnight Meat Train follows photographer Leon Kauffman’s investigation into a series of gruesome murders that all occur on late-night subway trains. Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura and based on a short story by Clive Barker, the film stars Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb, and Vinnie Jones. As Leon delves deeper, he confronts both a terrifying conspiracy and his own descent into darkness.
Clive Barker’s stories have been adapted into filmnumerous times, most notablyHellraiserandCandyman. In 2008, a short story of Barker’s was made intoThe Midnight Meat Trainstarring Bradley Cooper as the film’s photographer hunting an infamous serial killer taking victims aboard the subway. Upon its initial release,The Midnight Meat Trainearned mixed reviews, with the biggest issues being the film’s weak narrative and formulaic scare tactics.
WhileThe Midnight Meat Trainmight have yet to be deemed a cult classic, it’s definitely worthy of another watch. There is a good mix of thrills and scares andCooper gives one of his best performances in the horror genre.Starting as an ordinary serial killer film,The Midnight Meat Trainquickly gains momentum with its memorable twists that keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Thirteen Ghosts
Thirteen Ghosts is a horror film directed by Steve Beck. The story revolves around a family that inherits a mysterious mansion from a deceased relative. Inside the house, they discover a complex machine designed to open the eye of hell, while being haunted by twelve volatile spirits. The cast includes Tony Shalhoub, Embeth Davidtz, and Matthew Lillard, who must navigate the perilous environment to save themselves.
AmongRoger Ebert’s most hated horror filmsisThirteen Ghosts. The film is a remake of William Castle’s13 Ghostsand follows the Cyrus family as they attempt to escape the wrath of ghosts trapped inside their mansion.Thirteen Ghostswasn’t a complete failure at the box office, but the film did earn mostly negative reviews fromcritics who said the film wasn’t as scary as it could have been.
Despite there being elaborate backstories to the titularspirits inThirteen Ghosts, a few critics, like Ebert, felt as though the film’s characters weren’t compelling enough. However,there is still plenty to enjoy aboutThirteen Ghostsupon revisiting the film. The production design is eye-catching and the aforementioned backstories and physical appearance of the ghosts are well-thought-out and unique.
Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatcher, directed by Lawrence Kasdan, follows four childhood friends whose lives changed after an encounter with a mysterious force. On a hunting trip in Maine, they face both a malevolent alien presence and a ruthless military operative, testing their supernatural gifts and friendship. Released in 2003, the film is based on Stephen King’s novel.
Dreamcatcherhas an impressive lineup of a cast with actors like Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, Thomas Jane, and Morgan Freeman. However, their star power wasn’t enough to save the film.Criticized by Stephen Kinghimself,Dreamcatcherbombed at the box officeand was negatively reviewed by critics. Based on King’s 2001 novel,Dreamcatcherfollows four friends who come across parasitic aliens.
The first portion ofDreamcatcherstarts strong, but the film soon turns into something that has left many feeling unimpressed. A handful ofDreamcatcher’s reviews were disappointed with the film’s prioritization of special effects and visuals over storytelling. The visual elements of the film are worth checking out and, though the film is not meant to be humorous, audiences can still get through the errors ofDreamcatcherwhen viewing them as silly entertainment.
Ghosts of Mars
Ghosts of Mars is a science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter. Set in 2176 on a colonized Mars, the story follows police officers led by Melanie Ballard (Natasha Henstridge) who are tasked with transporting a dangerous prisoner, Desolation Williams (Ice Cube). They soon discover that the mining operations have unearthed an ancient Martian civilization, leading to a deadly confrontation with spirit-possessed colonists.
John Carpenter is considered to be one of the best horror directors — dubbed the master of horror —, but even he has had a few failures. Carpenter’sGhosts of Marsperformed poorly at the box office but has gained a cult following, earning praise from critics and audiences alike.Ghosts of Marsis 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 Marswas messy and tended to be more campy rather than scary. However, enough time has passed for audiences to understand thatGhosts of Marsisn’t nightmare-inducing and lots of fun can be had with the film. The heavy metal soundtrack and action scenes inGhosts of Marsgo hand in hand and are the few parts of the film that have been rewarded with praise.
Jennifer’s Body
Directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Diablo Cody, Jennifer’s Body is a horror-comedy film starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. When a newly possessed high school cheerleader (Fox) turns into a succubus specializing in seducing and killing her male classmates, her best friend (Seyfried) is the only thing that stands in the way of her sultry killing spree.
Critical scoring ofJennifer’s Bodyhasn’t changed much since the late 2000s, but the dark comedy horror film has been considered a cult film in recent years. The film starsMegan Fox as its titular demonically possessed high schoolerwho devours the flesh of her male classmates for fuel.Jennifer’s Bodydidn’t completely bomb at the box office, but it didn’t do too well either.
A partial explanation for the mediocre response toJennifer’s Bodyhas to do with its marketing. Labeled as a horror film,audiences were anticipating a high number of scares, and potentially a large kill count. But what makesJennifer’s Bodyworthy of revisiting — and to explain the reasons for its newfound cult film status — is its dark, clever humor, a memorablehorror performance by Megan Fox, and its once unremarked feminist themes.
Constantine
Constantine follows John Constantine, a chain-smoking occult detective who has journeyed to Hell and back. Released in 2005, the film pairs him with a policewoman to investigate her twin sister’s mysterious suicide, taking them into a hidden world of demons and angels in modern Los Angeles.
Though it may not beKeanu Reeves' best horror film, the DC Comics-inspiredConstantinehas garnered a cult following in the years since its mid-2000s release. Combining elements of both the horror and thriller genres,Constantinefollows the adventures of its titular occult detective who can travel back and forth between Earth and Hell.Constantinediffers a bit from its comic book roots, butwhat the film truly lacked for many was direction and style.
Constantinehad a darker tone than most superhero movies, but there was still a noticeable liveliness missing from the film.Constantinecame out just a few years after the thirdMatrixmovie, thus prompting many to compare Reeves' performances. However, John Constantine is one ofReeves' best charactersas the actor effortlessly slips into the role, providing a natural charm that helped grow a cult following.
Slither
Written and directed by James Gunn, Slither tells the story of a small town that gets invaded by an alien mind-controlling parasite. Starring Nathan Fillion as Police Chief Bill Pardy, Elizabeth Banks as Starla Grant, and Michael Rooker as Grant Grant, the 2006 horror comedy marks James Gunn’s directorial debut.
Grossing $3 million short of its budget,Slitherwas a failure at the box office. Still, critics and audiences have grown to admire the sci-fi horror film. Starring notable actors like Nathan Fillion, Michael Rooker, and Elizabeth Banks,Slitheris set in a town that’s overtaken by a deadly parasite, putting a unique spin on the zombie film genre. There are plenty of comedic moments throughout the film and where other horror comedies tend to concentrate too heavily on one genre over the other,Slitherstrikes the ideal balance.
Slithershares a similar plot withNight of the Creeps, and there is an endless number of references to classics within the horror genre, which makes for a fun viewing experience. However,that’s not to saySlitherwon’t cause chills.The special effects of the infected humans are delightfully gross.
10 Great Horror Movies With Bad Rotten Tomatoes Scores
From ’90s monster movies to underrated slasher sequels, many great horror movies have Rotten Tomatoes scores that don’t reflect their quality.
