The 2000s were an underrated decade forhorror movies, laden withmany hidden gems that still don’t get enough recognitionas the classics they are to this day. Many long-running horror franchises, liketheSawfilmsor theFinal Destinationseries, got their start in the 2000s, kicking off entirely new subgenres of scary movie. But for every wildly successful chiller to release during the turn of the century, a handful of other just as brilliant films have been sadly left overlooked in the modern day.
The 2000s were more than justrecycled horror sequel ideasand borderline snuff films. The genre actually had a shockingly wide range of niche horror premises, from supernatural psychological thrillers to straightforward slashers. In fact, it could be argued that the reason so many great horror films from the decade have gone relatively unseen is because of the sheer variety in quality the time period had to offer, drowning out all but the most recognizable or critically-acclaimed spooky fare.
Frailty
Cast
Frailty is a psychological horror-thriller directed by and starring Bill Paxton. The film centers on a man’s confession to an FBI agent about his father’s disturbing religious visions, which led to a series of murders, as the family became entangled in a mission to rid the world of supposed demons.
Bill Paxton might be more famous for appearing in disaster movies likeTitanicandTwister,though he has had public brushes with horror thanks to hisAlienscharacter. For his directorial debut, Paxton opted to delve into the genre once again withFrailty, a criminally underratedpsychological thriller steeped in the early 2000s. With a narrative split between multiple timelines, the film slowly unravels the story ofa pair of brothers asked to commit horrific murders by their fatherin the name of divine intervention.
Paxton himself co-stars alongside Matthew McConaughey for a double shot of unorthodox name recognition for a horror film.
Paxton himself co-stars alongside Matthew McConaughey for a double shot of unorthodox name recognition for a horror film. The two work shockingly well together, maintaining the tension of the mystery, and the uncertainty if deep-set psychosis or genuine supernatural phenomena is at the root of all the violence is an engaging prompt. The final twist reveal brings the messy tale to a satisfying conclusion for those willing to search for the relatively unheard of religious thriller.
Pulse
Pulse is a Japanese horror film directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, released in 2001. Set in Tokyo, it explores themes of loneliness and the intersection of life and death as inhabitants face a mysterious presence linked to the afterlife, highlighting the pervasive alienation within a modern urban landscape.
Gore Verbinski’s remake of a Japanese horror classic withThe Ringmay be one of the all-time greatest horror movies of the decade, but its success had the unfortunate side effect of overshadowing a new phenomenal Japanese horror film the year prior. The techno-horror masterwork wasone of the first scary movies to weaponize the nascent internet, telling the story of a series of malevolent spirits that spread via gruesome images on the world-wide web. The narrative is split between two storylines that eventually converge.
Pulseis an interesting response to the burgeoning Japanese crisis ofhikikomori, or social withdrawal, that had only just begun to be framed as a true crisis at the time of its release. Its themes of depression, social isolation, and the dangers of technology have only gotten more relevant in the decades since its release. It’s a shame the American remake only five years later wasn’t able to capture the same sense of slow-burn dread as the original.
Dead Silence
Dead Silence follows Jamie Ashen as he returns to his hometown to investigate his wife’s murder, connected to a ventriloquist dummy and the legend of Mary Shaw. His search leads him to Raven’s Fair, where the mysterious and eerie past of the town unravels.
Today,James Wan’s filmographymight be better known for aquatic superhero movies,Saw, and theConjuringseries, but one of his best films was quietly released in the mid 2000s. EnterDead Silence,a supernatural ghost storythat centers on a young widower who returns to his hometown to find answers regarding his wife’s mysterious death. His research eventually puts him in peril, crossing paths with the angry wraith of an outcast ventriloquist bent on taking revenge on those who supposedly wronged her in life.
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Ventriloquist dummies are endlessly creepy, and it’s a shock that they haven’t been used in more horror films.Dead Silencegets a lot of mileage out of their cold, dead eyes and unsettling hinged mouths while also presenting some unique creature design for its spectral antagonist.Playing with sound, voice imitation, and puppetry,Dead Silencewas unfairly lambastedat the time of its release only to gain a moderate cult following years later, still not fully indicative of its creativity.
Bug
Bug (2007): Bug follows Agnes, a waitress living in a remote and deteriorating motel in Oklahoma, who forms an unusual connection with Peter, a mysterious man. Together, they navigate a world of paranoia and fear, descending into an increasingly disturbing psychological environment.
The early 2000s were truly the decade that psychological horror films hit their stride, as demonstrated by underground hits like the movieBug.Based on a stage play, the film follows the premise of a young woman working as a waitress who allows a wandering vagabond to stay with her, only to learnhe is plagued by delusions that tiny insects are after him. As time progresses, uncertain events and strange goings-on cast doubt on whether the man is dreaming up his afflictions or not.
Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon put in two phenomenal performances that heavily carry the burden of selling the strange premise, allowing the viewer to unflinchingly accept the film’s bizarre world.Bugthrives in uncertainty, never allowing audiences to grasp on to anything solid for too long before upheaving the status quo once again. If there’s one horror movie that brilliantly captures the most alarming aspects of paranoia and psychosis, it’s 2006’sBug.
Dog Soldiers
Dog Soldiers is a 2002 British horror film directed by Neil Marshall. It follows a squad of British soldiers conducting a training mission in the Scottish Highlands who encounter a pack of werewolves. As they fight for survival, the soldiers must confront their fears and utilize their combat training to withstand the relentless onslaught. The film stars Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, and Liam Cunningham.
Compared to the likes of vampires, thewerewolf horror movie subgenredidn’t get as much action for a long time, though Leigh Whannell’sWolf Manand Robert Eggers upcoming lycanthropic adventure have been revitalizing it. It fell down to movies likeDog Soldiersto keep the monsters healthy in the pop culture zeitgeist, doing so in a particularly creative fashion. The English film centers on a squadron ofsoldiers on a training exercise in the Scottish highlandswho are set upon by a vicious pack of werewolves, suddenly plunged into a fight for their lives.
Dog Soldiersis quite the well-rounded horror movie. In addition tothrilling scares and impressive creature designs,Dog Soldiersfunctions a little bit more likeAlienscompared to the standardAlienof other werewolf movies, full of hilarious jokes and exciting action sequences as well. The movie has since gained a quiet popularity as a great “party” horror movie, but is still far from the recognition it deserves.
May
May is a psychological horror film released in 2003, following a socially awkward veterinary assistant with a lazy eye. Her obsession with perfection leads to a descent into depravity after developing a fixation on a boy with perfect hands, exploring themes of loneliness and the quest for acceptance.
From Chucky to Annabelle, dolls have long been a staple of the horror genre, and 2002’sMayis a tragically overlooked contribution to this fact. The titular May is a lonely veterinary assistant who has faced bullying all her life due to a lazy eye, with a glass-encased doll being her only friend. When her vision is finally corrected, she suddenly begins reaping the rewards of an active social life, only to be forced to come to grips with her own hidden violent urges.
Mayis unique for a horror movie in how much it relies on emotional depth and complexityto drive the terror, making its protagonist simultaneously sympathetic and terrifying. Actress Angela Bettis does an amazing job tiptoeing the razor’s edge between the two emotions, turning on a dime into a violent rage at the slightest provocation. Add in some spooky hallucination sequences involving May’s prized doll, and it’s a wonder the cult classic film never breached into mainstream success.
The Others
Alejandro Amenábar wrote and directed this cult-classic 2001 Horror film starring Nicole Kidman and Fionnula Flanagan. The premise follows a mother and her two young photosensitive children as they attempt to deal with a mysterious and possibly sinister presence in their New Jersey home.
A prime example of Nicole Kidman’s proficiency in the horror genre, 2001’sThe Othershas been unfairly overshadowed in the annals of history by contemporaneous releases likeJeepers CreepersandThirteen Ghosts.The film positsKidman as the caretaker of two photosensitive children, whose special needs demand a house that is mostly shrouded in darkness. When a new crew of cleaning staff is brought on board by Kidman’s character, the true intentions of the new help are called into question assupernatural phenomena begins to manifest itselfalongside their arrival.
The Othershas an 84% rating onRotten Tomatoes.
The Othersis another one of those rare horror films that can balance a mystery of whether to blame spooky events on genuine paranormal activity or insidious human goals, not able to decide on which prospect is more sinister. The scares remain remarkably subtle, yet nonetheless effective, not relying on cheap shock value or gore to stir fears up. By the time the jaw-droppingtwist ending ofThe Othersrears its head, it’s hard to believe the film isn’t a household name.
The Collector
The Collector follows a desperate man who, attempting to repay a debt, breaks into a wealthy family’s home only to discover a masked psychopath has rigged the residence with deadly traps. The narrative delves into themes of survival and moral ambiguity, presenting a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere that maintains suspense throughout the film.
Torture horror movies were all the rage in the 2000s after the success ofSaw, which sadly eclipsed any other contenders in popularity. Even if it did manage to spawn a modest duology,The Collectoris another entry in the genre worthy of greater acclaim. The first film follows the plight of a professional thief forced to go on one last routine job,breaking into the home of a wealthy family in order to pilfer their valuables.His life on the routine job is thrown into danger when it’s revealed a sadistic mastermind beat him to the score.
Establishing a grimy, grim, and very early 2000s world,The Collectoris worthy of any horror fan’s collection.
Rather than set up elaborate “games” for his victims,the Collector is keen to instead turn their homes into massive death traps, with each room containing its own creative and painful methods of torture for those brave enough to venture within. The idea of a non-violent (and incredibly unlucky) burglar caught up in such a gruesome scheme is an interesting one, forcing him to balance altruism and sympathy with his own clear illegal intentions. Establishing a grimy, grim, and very early 2000s world,The Collectoris worthy of any horror fan’s collection.
Dead End
Dead End is a 2003 horror film written and directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa. A family on the road during Christmas Eve turns into a fight for their lives when a near-accident nets them an unwanted pair of followers - a ghostly woman with a baby chasing them with a hearse.
One of the longest-running time-honored traditions in horror films is the deadly circumstances of the protagonists coming about as a result of an impatient, ill-advised shortcut. The 2003 bottle horror filmDead Endtakes this concept to its logical conclusion, playing out entirely along a lonesome stretch of lonely road. On a Christmas Eve road trip,a bickering family packed into a sprinter van are pursued by a mysterious strangerin a hearse when they find themselves on a never-ending forest road.
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The sparse location isn’t just a budget-friendly premise for the film’s production, but a clever way to slowly ratchet up the tension as the family begin to increasingly panic regarding the hopelessness of their confined circumstances. More so than the supernatural pursuer, the sheer dread of this realized helplessness is the true terror ofDead End, making fora delightfully macabre journey. An underratedhorror movie set during Christmas,Dead Enddeserves a large viewership.
House of Wax
House of Wax is a horror thriller directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, and Paris Hilton. The plot revolves around a group of friends who discover a house filled with wax figures that may be extremely realistic for an unnerving reason. The 2005 slasher is a remake of the 1953 horror film of the same name.
What might be a run-of-the-mill slasher film is elevated with stunning craft inHouse of Wax, a remake of the 50s caper of the same name. Made by Jaume Collet-Serra ofOrphanandThe Shallowsfame, the plot trails a group of friends as they become stranded in an eerie ghost town thanks to the standard horror movie car breakdown. Before long,they’re being chased by a serial killer intent on adding them to his collection of wax figures.
Admittedly, the set-up of a group of teens that are slowly picked off one-by-one by a creepy masked slasher villain is far from groundbreaking, even by 2005 standards. But whereHouse of Waxtruly manages to exceed expectations is in its presentation, harboring a positively vile atmosphere as the protagonists learn just how dire their circumstances are. With unsettling pacing and haunting imagery,House of Waxisn’t ahorror movieto be easily forgotten.
