The last 25 years were an enjoyable time to be a horror movie fan. From the dawn of the new century to the present 2020s, the horror genre has and continues to produce truly remarkable and terrifying content.These recent years have seen many highlights, from game-changers likeSawto innovative modern masterpieces likeGet Out. Indeed, the last few decades have been significant for horror cinema.
Unfortunately, the new century had its fair share of disasters.The following ten entries are horror films from the last 25 years that have left a notable stain on the horror genre.They’re remarkably terrible, lacking any genuine scares or compelling stories. Some are downright laughable; others are straight-up atrocious, devoid of anything worth watching. They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to horror movies over the last few decades.
10’The Open House' (2018)
Directed by Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote
Starting off this list is 2018’sThe Open House, directed byMatt AngelandSuzanne Cooteand starringDylan MinnetteandPiercey Dalton. What could bea contender for one of the most boring horror movies of all time, this is a dull film that follows a single mother and her son as their stay in a new home gets plagued by strange occurrences, and they slowly learn that something or someone is lurking in the house.
Bland, forgettable, and ultimately pointless, thislackluster Netflix original movietries and fails so miserably to be a suspenseful and gripping horror thriller.Any suspense and build-up has only led to an incredibly underwhelming letdown that only seems to take the viewers out of the film if the rest of the story hadn’t already done that earlier.The Open Houseis not scary, suspenseful, or engaging. Unfortunately, it features dull performances and wastes a likely good and thrilling premise and an hour and 34-minute snoozefest.
The Open House
WATCH ON NETFLIX
9’The Wicker Man' (2006)
Directed by Niel LaBute
As far as terrible horror movie remakes go, few are as iconic and laughable asNiel LaBute’s 2006 retelling ofThe Wicker Man. An obviously failed attempt to capture the chilling suspense and mystery ofRobin Hardy’s 1973 original, this aggressively bad but hilariously acted remake seesNicolas Cageat his scene-chewing best as a Police officer who investigates a young girl’s disappearance at a mysterious island community.
Perhapsone of the worst horror movies of the 2000s, this 2006 version ofThe Wicker Manis an infamous blunder that is nowhere near the level of its predecessor.A lot of its failure stems from the uninspiring writing to the wooden dialog, but also from casting Cage, whose performance and actions in the film come across as more comedic than compelling.He’s why this film is so memorable these days, but he is one of the leading causes of this film’s infamy. LaBute’s The Wicker Man is an overall mess that, at times, feels like it’s insulting to the original. Its only saving grace is that it’s at least enjoyably bad.
The Wicker Man
A police officer embarks on a journey to a secluded island to solve the case of a missing girl, only to find himself in the midst of an eerie and secretive community. The island’s inhabitants, with their peculiar traditions and rituals, hinder his investigation, leading to a series of bizarre and unsettling encounters. As he gets closer to the truth, he uncovers a chilling conspiracy that puts him in grave danger. The film blends suspense and horror, presenting a gripping narrative that explores themes of isolation, belief, and the harrowing depths of human nature.
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8’The Exorcist: Believer' (2023)
Directed by David Gordon Green
The Exorcist Believeris arguably one of the most frustrating, most egregious messes in recent years.A poorly written cash grabtrying to milk what’s left of the unnecessaryExorcistfranchise, it’s a mediocre story about two families who struggle to help each of their young daughters after being taken over by a malevolent demon while they are lost in the woods for a few days.
What could have been a fresh reboot to an already dead horror franchise,Exorcist Believer, was a massive letdown that offered nothing new or exciting to the series. It honestly makesThe Exorcist II: The Hereticlook slightly better by comparison. At least, that is at times laughably bad, whereas this one is boring, unoriginal, and unnecessary. With the prospects ofan Exorcist Believer trilogy still in the works at Blumhouse, this underwhelming first entry was dead on arrival and didn’t make a great first impression.
The Exorcist: Believer
When two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, the father of one girl seeks out Chris MacNeil, who’s been forever altered by what happened to her daughter fifty years ago.
7’Slender Man' (2018)
Directed by Sylvain White
There is one modern horror these days that is so incredibly dull and not the least bit original, and that’s 2018’sSlender Man. Directed bySylvain Whiteand based on the popular internet creepypasta of the same name, this generic teen horror flick follows several friends who unwisely summon the sinister entity, the Slender Man.
This uninspiring, bland mess is one of theworst horror movies of the 2010s. The plot is forgettable, the acting is lazy, and the whole film feels like it was just made to cash in on a notable internet legend.Slender Manhas nothing to offer except cheap scares and unremarkable storytelling. It’s one film that most horror fans should honestly just avoid.
Slender Man
6’BloodRayne' (2005)
Directed by Uwe Boll
It seems no one can talk about the worst horror movies these days without talking about a fewUwe Bollmovies. Indeed,this German filmmaker has garnered considerable infamyas a terrible filmmaker, one whose notably had some stinkers throughout his career. One of the few to make it on this list isBloodRayne, a 2005 vampire action film starring Academy Award winnerBen KingslyandTerminator 3starKristanna Loken.
BloodRayneis one of Boll’s many spectacularly atrocious attempts at adapting popular video game titles.It has most of what audiences expect from Boll’s films: poor acting, laughable dialog, and incredibly fake-looking CGI effects.It’s a blast to enjoy, as it gets more comedic with every rewatch. Not one performance feels genuine, nor does one effect look believable.It’s a schlocky, unintentionally funny mess that stands out for how enjoyably bad it is.
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5’Alone in the Dark' (2005)
Continuing withanother of Boll’s masterpieces,Alone in the Darkis a 2005 action horror film starringChristian SlaterandTara Reid. Loosely based on the 1992 video game, it sees Slater as a capable paranormal detective who must race against time to stop an ancient demonic species from taking over the world.
Alone in the Darkis perhaps Boll’s most infamous and extraordinary blunder. It’s incredible how nothing goes right with this movie.The effects are beyond mediocre and the acting is spectacularly flat, and the entire plot makes no sense from beginning to end. It’s definitely a terrible mess, but one that’s surprisingly intriguing and worth watching just to see how abysmal it can be.Only one other Boll movie is worse than this, butAlone in the Darkis an infamous disaster and synonymous with his career.
Alone in the Dark
A horror-action film featuring Edward Carnby, a detective with a focus on the paranormal. The plot revolves around ancient artifacts discovered from a long-lost civilization that trigger a series of terrifying events. Partnering with archaeologist Aline Cedrac, Carnby faces off against otherworldly forces and dark creatures unleashed by the artifacts. The duo must race against time to decipher the hidden truths and stop the supernatural threats from plunging the world into chaos. The movie blends mystery, horror, and fast-paced action, showcasing the battle between modern science and ancient evil.
4’Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey' (2023)
Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield
A top contender for one of theworst horror movies of the 2020s so farisRhys Frake-Waterfield’sWinnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. This lazily acted, poorly made slasher flick was supposed to be a darker, possibly enjoyable, horror parody ofA. A. Milne’s classic kids' story,Winnie-the-Pooh, but instead fell flat on arrival, becoming an atrocious mess that failed to satisfy audiences.
Blood and Honeyhad the potential to excite and amaze viewers with a dark and twisted retelling of a beloved lighthearted story, but fumbled so spectacularly in its execution.Everything, from the dull sets, the stilled dialog, and the atrocious animal costumes makes this unfortunate misfire an unpleasant watching experience.It’s not scary or tries to be at least cheesy. It’s just a failed mess that stands as one of the worst movies of the century despite how recently it came out.
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey
After Christopher Robin abandons them for college, Pooh and Piglet embark on a bloody rampage as they search for a new source of food.
3’The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence)' (2015)
Directed by Tom Six
When it was released in 2009,The Human Centipedebecame one of the most shocking, grotesque horror movies of all time. Though not a big hit with critics, it was a notable stand-out that pushed the limits of showing body horror and became remarkable because of its sheer grossness. The same was not the case for its unnecessary sequels, both absurd catastrophes. The worst wasThe Human Centipede III (Final Sequence), directed by Tom Six. It’s a bizarre tale that follows a deranged prison warden who uses his 500 prisoners to create an enormous human centipede.
The Human Centipede IIIis an obnoxious sequel that fails to have any reason for existing other than continuing to more shocking acts of violence and depravity than its predecessors. It’s atrociously acted, badly written, and painfully makes no sense with its absurd plot.This entire film is a completely bonkers and disgusting trainwreck that honestly feels mentally taxing just to watch.
The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence)
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Returning one last time to another Uwe Boll movie, this time it’s his 2003 zombie horror filmHouse of the Dead. Once again, loosely based on another popular videogame title, this hilariously bad disaster is one of and perhaps Boll’s worst movies ever. It’s a nonsensical mess that follows several survivors as they attempt to escape a zombie-infested island.
House of the Deadhas earned an infamous reputation for how monumentally terrible it is. It’s undoubtedlyone of the worst zombie movies ever produced, devoid of thrills or decent action. The performances are laughable, the fight scenes are all over the place, and the characters make incredibly dumb, illogical decisions.It represents some of the worst aspects of Boll’s filmmaking, resulting in a film that’s incoherent and terrible from start to finish.While it’s undeniably one of the worst of the last several decades, it’s almost worth watching just to experience its dumbness.
House of the Dead
1’Birdemic: Shock and Terror' (2010)
Directed by James Nguyen
At number one is a so-bad-it’s-good classic that is so aggressively terrible that it’s honestly worth a watch. Indeed,Birdemic: Shock and Terrortakes its place as the worst horror movie of the last 25 years. An obvious ripoff ofAlfred Hitchock’sThe Birds, it tells of a California community plagued by a series of deadly bird attacks.
Though it ranks asone of the worst horror movies of all time, this shlocky masterpiece stands out spectacularly because of how mediocre it is.It’s clearly poorly directed, badly edited, laughably acted, and is choke-full of incredibly unconvincing-looking special effects. Birdemic is admittedly bad, but at least it was never trying to be anything else and can be seen as quite entertaining.
Birdemic: Shock and Terror
A horde of mutated birds descends upon the quiet town of Half Moon Bay, California. As the death toll rises, two citizens manage to fight back, but will they survive Birdemic?
