Top 10 Tuesday: Overrated Modern Horror Films

Before the death threats get sent please keep in mind labeling these films “overrated” is not considering them awful films, well most of them at least, but the hype is just annoying. When you see that some of these films top other horror films that laid the foundation for our beloved genre it reaches a point of disrespect. Maybe it’s the discontent and bitterness that comes with age, but this list is without apology. A lack of agreement is expected, but that’s why this is just purely subjective.

  1. IT: Part 1 (2017)

This was a difficult decision but it must be done. This movie was not terrible, but it seemed the money and appeal became more important than the potential this film contained. It could have been one of the best horror movies ever but fell short by dismantling the content that made the novel so great. It is still entertaining, but was the anticipation worth it? That’s your call… Hopefully part 2 will be a redeemer.

  1. The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

This film just became so dated through the years. The more one descends into the horror genre it becomes more apparent that this film is not really even a horror movie. Once again, as entertaining as it can be at times with the stylish exploitation cinematic technique, humorous dialogue, and 70’s soundtrack; how many times can one watch this movie and say this is your favorite horror movie? ….Anybody?

  1. Paranormal Activity (2007)

This first viewing in theaters was fun, but it’s obvious why it makes this list. The film is the most commercial of the found-footage genre birthing a whole series of films. Are they the worst films ever made? Not really, “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” was actually enjoyable because it was a different perspective on the original storyline. Let’s be honest, there is so much more out there that contributes to the genre, especially found-footage horror.

  1. The Conjuring (2013)

This film is just too polished. It’s stylish, creepy, and pays homage to classic horror with much respect, but maybe that’s why the film appears on this list. Although we do get some really frightening moments….without appropriating those classic horror techniques the film would just be another scary movie.

  1. The VVitch (2015)

The themes of this film alone are among the best to utilize along with its sinister score that made it even more haunting. Once again, a difficult decision… The VVitch was not entertaining in the sense that it was fun to watch. The seventeenth-century dialogue combined with the fact that it burned slower than a Cuban cigar made you want to just get to the end, which was one of the scariest parts of the entire film.

  1. It Follows (2014)

From the beginning, the film seemed promising. The 80’s synth soundtrack was cool, the plot set up was fresh, and some of the embodiment’s of the following entity were really creepy, but then where else can the film go? As it trails closer towards the end of the film things get really dumb especially in the final moments. The ending was a letdown and seemed reminiscent of the “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” episode “The Corpse” which was honestly a lot scarier.

  1. Hostel (2005)

To some, this is the epitome of gory… until one realizes that if you want vile and nasty there are so many more movies that can achieve the overall goal of this film with better storylines and more enjoyable to watch. The film had some nasty scenes, but why watch this when you have so many video nasties out there?

  1. Saw (2004)

What a hit this film was at the time of release, but was it ever really that good? Besides Billy the puppet, which is only slightly disturbing, it was not that scary. It was just another cash prize for Hollywood to bank on horror in the early 2000’s. Everything about this movie is just overrated so let’s not waste time digging too deep into this one.

  1. Mother! (2017)

This film seemed propitious from the trailer but after viewing you discern that was just to get a ticket sale. The film was marketed as a creepy house film and that could have easily been the expectation since it was a Darren Aronofsky film (Pi was awesome). The artsy surreal approach is great and we can say it had some ruthless scenes but regardless of those scholarly interpretations, there is only one true conclusion that can be made: This is the most pretentious garbage masked as a horror film ever made!

  1. Get Out (2017)

Some of you are thinking terrible things, but keep in mind this is just an opinion… This film was good with the even blend of horror and comedy. It evokes an almost twilight zone presence because this reality was so familiar but things could not be what they seemed. The sunken place was great, as was the character development, and it was perfect social commentary for the current state of America. But here’s what a horror fan must ask themselves: Is this the most important horror film ever made? Let’s just leave it at that…

Which modern Horror film do YOU think is overrated?
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