Halloween is approaching, and everyone has great recommendations. Because horror is a prolific genre filled with both high-quality and mediocre movies. There are definitely more bad films than good ones, but that’s just how life is.
And if there’s one thing about horror as a subgenre itself, it’s that it’s a sector dominated by sequels. If an original film is successful (or moderately successful), it’s most likely to receive a sequel. Unfortunately, many of these sequels are terrible.
But not all sequels are bad. In fact, they can complement and even improve upon the original. In the case of some of the biggest horror franchises, these three sequels helped expand their narrative and stylistic possibilities.
The movies we bring today are underrated horror sequels by critics and deserve to be seen again and receive more attention and love from their respective followers. So, let’s get started!
Halloween II (1981)
Halloween II was unfairly criticized when it was released, mainly for committing two unforgivable sins: it wasn’t the original Halloween and it turned Michael Myers from just any Boogeyman into a killer with a motive straight out of a soap opera.
Time has been kind to the sequel directed by Rick Rosenthal, and even after 40 years and nearly a dozen new entries, it’s still probably the best sequel in the Halloween franchise.
What makes Halloween II so effective is that it dares to continue the night of terror that began in the first film, following Jamie Lee Curtis as she recovers from having almost died.
And it doesn’t receive enough credit for skillfully depicting how the small town of Haddonfield is gradually falling apart while trying to capture an elusive killer.
Halloween II increases the gore content, and while many critics mocked it (both then and now), it’s actually quite effective. While Halloween operates more as a thriller, Halloween II is unabashedly a decent slasher film.
The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
Generally considered one of the worst movies of all time, The Exorcist II: The Heretic is not entirely innocent of being a little bad.
The plot also doesn’t make much sense, and the male lead, Richard Burton, looks perpetually hungover and almost mocks the bad dialogue he has to deliver throughout the movie.
And yet, there is a strange beauty in The Exorcist II, a peculiar energy that makes it entirely original and unlike any other movie ever made.
This is largely due to the director, John Boorman, and the cinematographer, William A. Fraker, who fill the screen with wild, sun-drenched images that make you believe in the divine. There is terror in the strange and tarnished beauty of this film, and it is a sight worth beholding.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4: The Dream Master (1988)
Of all the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, the third part, Dream Warriors, is often considered the best and most popular (rightly so), while the second part, Freddy’s Revenge, receives the most criticism.
Interestingly, many people’s favorite Freddy movie is Part 4: The Dream Master because it is the one that best showcases what makes Nightmare on Elm Street horror movies work so well in the first place: strong female heroines, a supporting cast you truly care about, offbeat humor, and spectacular visual horror effects.
The 4th part also gets a nod for bringing back the survivors from the previous installment and unabashedly killing them off one by one, thus keeping the audience in suspense about what the heck is going to happen next.
Also, the kills in this movie are some of the best, with nerdy Shelia getting tongue kissed to death, horny Joey getting killed by a literal wet dream turned nightmare, and jock Debbie turned into a giant cockroach and squashed by Freddy. Is it scary? Not really, but it’s slightly demented, a little gross, and always witty.
