The Ranking the Horror series returns for the third go-round (you can read Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE), containing an assortment of franchises with varying sequels ranging from the late 70s to today. In the first there was six... then there twelve... now, there is a terrifying ten titles ranked from Best to Least, and sometimes Worst. Of the series's featured, you'll find a variety of ghosts, supernatural creatures, aliens and slashers.
Ranking the PHANTASM series: 5 entries (1979-2016)
1. PHANTASM II (1988)
It
took almost ten years, but as the tagline says, “The ball is back”. PII
does a sequel the right way—staying the course plotted by its
predecessor and adding things along the way. Picking up where part 1
ended, Reggie rescues Mike from the Tall Man only to end up in an
institution for 8 years. He gets out and he and Reggie find out alien
caretaker of Morningside Cemetery has been busy robbing every local
grave and in the towns beyond. They go on the road to track him down and
what follows is a series of makeup effects-filled horror sequences
that, even with studio interference, retains the originals nightmarish
flavor. Funded by Universal for $3 million dollars, PII has the biggest
budget of the series and it shows. You’re in for lots of explosions,
splashy gore, even deadlier golden spheres, a chainsaw battle and
ghoulish set design. As distinctive as the first movie is, PII narrowly
takes the #1 spot for this series.2. PHANTASM (1979)
PHANTASM is possibly the most fiercely imaginative and visually impressive horror film of the 1970s. Built around a nightmare director Don Coscarelli had, where else but in a nightmare could a story be dreamt up about two brothers and a friend taking on an alien in human guise who transforms corpses into midget monsters to be used as slaves on his home planet. Probably part of what makes this series popular with fans is that horror appeals to young boys and teens. Coscarelli makes strong, identifiable use of them in the main roles. Unlike other franchises where the later sequels tend to stray far from their series boundaries, PHANTASM is thoroughly bizarre from the start and becomes even more so with each sequel. Both Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man and those flying spheres that burrow into people’s heads became iconic in horror film history. All five films in this franchise have something unique to offer.3. PHANTASM V: RAVAGER (2016)
With
each sequel, series creator Coscarelli managed to design fascinatingly
original stories. He only co-wrote RAVAGER, the wildest and most
ambitious PHANTASM of the series, but also the one with the lowest
budget. For a film made for even less money than P4, it’s incredible
what the filmmakers were able to pull off. There’s a level of passion in
RAVAGER you won’t find in low budget movies made for a few million…
millions Coscarelli and the rest of the crew didn’t have. If the film
feels episodic, that’s due to it being shot in secret over the course of
a few years; made in the same way the first movie was made. The
storyline is as surrealistic as prior entries but in different ways.
There’s flurries of ideas swirling constantly for the duration of the
film’s 85 minutes. 
The main theme this time seems to be the sorrow of
getting old and dying. Reggie wanders a post-apocalyptic America,
battling numerous Spheres, seeking to destroy the Tall Man; then
periodically waking up in a nursing home, sharing a room with a decrepit
Tall Man and being visited by Mike in scenes that give the impression
these bizarre adventures have been in Reggie’s head all along. The
ending is unusually touching as Reggie, Mike and Jody reunite one final
time. As for highlights, there’s car chases, lots of guns, the return of the Lady in Lavender, giant Spheres
napalming the Earth, a spectacular finish to the Tall Man, and if you
stick around midway into the end credits, you’ll see a lengthy sequence
depicting the return of Rocky joining the boys in Reggie’s weapons-laden
‘71 Plymouth Barracuda. Some fans dislike it, but RAVAGER is a grand
love letter to both the series and its cast and crew that came together
for the series since it began back in 1979. Years from now, RAVAGER will
be viewed in a far better light, as the incredibly resilient passion
project it is.4. PHANTASM III: LORD OF THE DEAD (1994)
PIII picks up at the end of the previous movie before jumping ahead two years. Reggie, Mike and his deceased brother Jody are together again. The Spheres return with new body possessing and mind-melding abilities. There’s more on the Spheres origins too. Two new characters are introduced, a resourceful little boy named Tim whose family was taken by the Tall Man. The other is a Kung Fu fighting chick named Rocky. The road movie aesthetic of PII is carried over but adds humor to the mix. There’s an impressive car stunt, zombies, lots of action, and The Tall Man has more dialog than he did previously. The final scene combines the series’ traditional shock ending with a cliffhanger. PIII missed the #3 spot by a hair, landing at #4.5. PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION (1998)
The PHANTASM series finally enters into full-blown THE ROAD WARRIOR (1981) territory as Reggie, Mike and Jody battle the Tall Man across an American wasteland. The slender man from another dimension has largely been a mystery till this entry. Like the previous sequels, OBLIVION picks up where PIII left off. Mike has left Reggie behind after discovering he has a Sphere embedded in his head. Jody convinces Reggie to go after him so we’re back in road trip mode. Meanwhile, The Tall Man tries to bring Mike to the Dark Side; in turn, Mike tries to go back to the past to kill the Tall Man before he becomes evil in the future. With far less money available, P4 is primarily a character-driven sequel with elements of STAR WARS, THE TERMINATOR, and lots of outtakes from the first PHANTASM to further the story. P4's strong point is the amount of dialog and character development the Tall Man is given. Highlights are a swarm of Spheres like bees; one of the Tall Man’s minions disguised as a cop; a hot chick with balls in her breasts; and Reggie using a four-barrel shotgun. Director Coscarelli wasn’t able to do what he wanted with this sequel, but what he pulls off is a textbook example of ingenuity with scant resources. OBLIVION, the talkiest film in the series, ends with another cliffhanger. It’s not a bad film by any means; OBLIVION sets a different tone from the rest, burrowing into the #5 spot.Ranking the SLEEPAWAY CAMP series: 3 entries (1983-1989) *Note: RETURN TO SLEEPAWAY CAMP (2008) was unavailable for viewing*
1. SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS (1988)
By 1988, slasher movies had long given up being scary, settling on lighter tones. In the case of SCII, it pokes fun at the genre with dark humor that can be aptly described as an R-rated MEATBALLS meets FRIDAY THE 13th. The deaths are plentiful and varied in spite of the low budget. Pamela Springsteen (Bruce’s sister) is Angela Baker, formerly Peter Baker, the Angel of Death, after a sex change operation. She’s now a counselor at Camp Rolling Hills who kills the horn-dog campers in a variety of ways including burnings, battery acid, and one is drowned in a shit-filled, leech-infested outhouse. Loaded with cheap gore and sophomoric humor, SCII is tops in this trilogy.2. SLEEPAWAY CAMP (1983)
1983
was the last truly good year for the slasher movie. It was also showing
signs of fatigue, eventually losing both its ability to scare and
showcase good makeup effects when the films began landing on video store
shelves instead of movie theaters. SC is a mid-grade slasher with bad
performances but gets by on its sleaziness and an unusually queasy atmosphere slasher movies rarely got; it's of a similar class to something like Romano Scavolini's NIGHTMARE (1981). SLEEPAWAY CAMP is best remembered for an insane ending you
won’t see coming.3. SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND (1989)
Paycho killer Angela returns to the scene of her crimes at Camp Rolling Hills, now renamed Camp New Horizons. Masquerading as a camper she killed at the beginning, Angela wastes no time executing the campers part of a social status integration project. The cop who arrested Angela, and the father of Shawn, the guy who was decapitated in part 2, is a counselor who has a fatal run-in with Angela. It’s one of the few good moments in an otherwise lousy sequel that has lots of potential. Shot back to back with part 2, there wasn’t much remaining of the budget to properly complete the feature. SCIII ranks #3, the least and weakest of the trilogy.Ranking the FRIGHT NIGHT series: 4 entries (1985-2013)
1. FRIGHT NIGHT (1985)
This series is one of two that's ranked chronologically. Teenager Charlie Brewster finds out his new next-door neighbor is a vampire. Nobody believes him, even after he becomes the bloodsucker's next target. Brewster seeks out his favorite late night horror host, Peter Vincent, to help him destroy his undead neighbor. FRIGHT NIGHT is one of the best movies of the 1980s, and one of the finest examples of the horror-comedy. Humor infiltrated the genre in the mid 80s and could be an unwelcome guest in the genre house; here though, it works wonderfully. The soundtrack is catchy, there's some genuine scares, a bucketful of memorable moments, and superb practical effects that would be bled dry by CGI ten years later.2. FRIGHT NIGHT PART II (1988)
William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall return to their popular roles of Charlie Brewster and Peter Vincent, vampire killers. This time, they’re confronted by Regine, the sister to Jerry Dandridge who is out to avenge her brother’s destruction. There’s also a werewolf and a bug-munching butler. FN2 tries hard to attain that same quirky ambiance of the first movie. For the most part, director Tommy Lee Wallace succeeds. Some of the funny business doesn’t work well at all, but the look of the film, the music and makeup effects match its predecessor. Everyone involved is clearly a huge fan of the original movie. FN2 is an underrated and under-seen sequel.3. FRIGHT NIGHT (2011)
The remake of the 80s mega-classic is surprisingly good, even if Colin Farrell seems an odd choice for the Jerry Dandridge role. It's also fairly faithful to the original; making minor changes to the characters, and moving events around while changing how they play out. The lack of hands-on makeup effects in favor of computer generated imagery shows just how woeful software technology really is. When you see Farrell transform into vampire form, it looks flat, like a videogame compared to Sarandon's complicated makeup applications that look live and in the moment.4. FRIGHT NIGHT 2: NEW BLOOD (2013)
This sequel to the remake is just another remake—resetting the entire premise with the same characters in an entirely different story. Charlie, Amy and Evil Ed are exchange students in Romania. Peter Vincent is a reality TV personality starring in a paranormal horror series called Fright Night. The film is similar to the sequel to the 1985 original in that the vampire is female. She has the same name, only hers is spelled Gerri Dandridge. We later learn this cunning vampiress is actually Elizabeth Báthory. The characters aren’t engaging at all, but the movie is certainly worth seeing for curiosity value. It tries to maintain that hip tone of the original if only the opulent horror metal style would stop getting in the way. FN2 would be a better film if it was called something else.Ranking the I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER series: 4 entries (1997-2025)
1. I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (1998)
I
STILL KNOW brings back Hewitt and Prinze in a sequel that’s inventive
enough to keep you guessing till the final reveal. Whereas the original
is a straightforward slasher, the makers of part 2 were wise enough to
play with viewers expectations; making it slightly better than its
predecessor. Hewitt oozes sexuality, going from being a vulnerable woman
to a strong one—looking gorgeous the entire time. A year after the
first movie’s events, Julie and three friends win a trip to the Bahamas
and once again encounters a hook-handed killer. The participation of
Jeffrey Combs, Dr. Herbert West, himself, as the resort manager, was a
nice surprise that pushes this sequel slightly ahead of its originator.2. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (1997)
SCREAM
came out in 1996, mocking 80s slasher movies while reinvigorating the
horror genre and leading the charge for the blandest horror poster
designs ever conceived. LAST SUMMER came out the following year and was a
truer rendition of serious slashers before comedy ruined them towards
the end of the 1980s. Some scenes defy logic, but regardless, this
slasher throwback was a sizable success, paving the way for the likes of
three URBAN LEGEND films, VALENTINE (2001) and the FINAL DESTINATION
series. There are no creative kills that are the bread n’ butter of
these films, but the mystery surrounding the deaths is written and shot
well enough that you don’t need them. Shot in california and the real
Southport, NC.3. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025)
Apparently
the filmmakers didn’t want to slap a ‘4’ on their movie nor find a new
adverb so they recycled the first film’s title; so if you’re expecting a
remake, it’s actually a sequel to the second movie (the third didn’t
continue the storyline). Jennifer Love Hewitt reprises her role from the
first two films, as does Freddie Prinze, Jr. There’s a slew of
potential suspects that provide numerous twists, although the big reveal
is kind of nonsensical and nearly ruins the entire picture. The moments
where the generation of the first movie is compared to the one 28 years
later is a nice touch. Australia subs for North Carolina. Stick around
for the end credits as there’s an additional sequence halfway into them
between Hewitt and Brandy. 4. I’LL ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2006)
The
setup is lazy in this dumb, DTV sequel with the most ridiculous
connection to the previous films starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. The
setting switches from a coastal North Carolina town to a small one in
Colorado. A prank involving a killer fisherman goes wrong, leading to
the most boringly directed death scenes imaginable. The rapid-fire
editing style and epileptic camerawork are distracting; and the film’s
lifeless characters do nothing to increase viewer engagement. The big
reveal is as lame as Tina summoning her dead dad’s corpse to drag Jason
to the bottom of the lake in FRIDAY THE 13th 7: THE NEW BLOOD (1987).
Instead of coming up with plot twists as to the killer’s identity, it’s a
zombie-fied Ben Willis (the killer from the first movie) who has
returned from the dead and somehow traveled from NC to Colorado for
reasons that are never explained. This is one summer secret not worth
telling.Ranking the FINAL DESTINATION series: 6 entries (2000-2025)
1. FINAL DESTINATION 2 (2003)
Topping
the list is a rare sequel that equals, even surpasses, its predecessor.
The storyline is the same, but finds our desperate to stay alive cast
seeking to cheat Death with the help of the previous film’s Sole
Survivor (the title of a horror movie with a similar plot). Tony Todd returns as William John Bludworth, the eccentric mortician who knows more about Death than merely embalming the dead. Additionally, FD2 has the distinction of the best mass death sequence of
the series so far. It’s ranked #1 on the Death List due to so much of it
being real stunts as opposed to CG. It did for lumber trucks what JAWS
did for going in the ocean. FD2 is cruel, frequently intense, and packs a wallop as to the gross-out potential this series possesses. 2. FINAL DESTINATION (2000)
Coming in at #2 is the series’ debut picture. A young college student has a premonition his plane will crash. He and several others exit the flight only to watch the plane explode in midair. The survivors mysteriously die one by one in gruesome ways—thus beginning one of the most popular horror franchises of the new millennium. The script is well written with an unusually good balance of exposition and spectacular death scenes. The FD series is essentially the FRIDAY THE 13th series without the amorous teens—people go to see them for the kills; and instead of a masked killer, it’s Death itself. The harrowing airplane disaster won’t be convincing anyone afraid to fly to take a flight anytime soon. Due to the proliferation of aerophobia, this disaster likewise hits #2 on the Death List. The plot revolving around a premonition heralding an imminent plane crash was in the season 2 TWILIGHT ZONE episode, ‘22’, back in 1961.3. FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES (2025)
The
series built on spectacular disasters returns after a 13 year hiatus;
lucky number, that one. The catastrophe that sets the events in motion
is the biggest and most elaborate yet. It doesn’t top the visceral
impact felt from the mass car mashup of FD2, but instead, it revels in
CG excess. FD6 deviates from the formula by having Death set its sights
on an entire family instead of a group of friends. In addition to that,
another difference is that the Sky View disaster is prevented from
occurring at all, leading to Death collecting a 55 year old debt; the
expanse of time also being a new plot device. In this one, the
granddaughter of the woman who averted the massive death toll from
happening begins having nightmares about the Sky View cataclysm with no
prior knowledge of it. She seeks out her grandmother who’s been living
in an isolated, and heavily weaponized, cabin in the mountains—in what
amounts to a nod to Ali Larter’s character from the first two FD’s. With
her hiding out in seclusion, it has kept her family safe. This time,
Death doesn’t just take the survivors, but their descendants too.
Arguably, the most intricately plotted of the series so far, with
multiple false alarms to throw audiences off. Tony Todd returns for the
final time as William Bludworth, without any of the menace he exhibited
in his previous appearances. We learn he was the little boy in the Sky
View who survived. The ending harkens back the blackly humorous coda of
FD2, as well as that film’s most famous moment. FD6 lands safely in the
#3 spot, as does its fiery, free-falling, human wipeout sequence on this
series’s Death List.4. FINAL DESTINATION 3 (2006)
Whereas the first film focused on people’s fear of flying, this second sequel plays on people’s fear of rollercoasters. There’s a good buildup to the calamity, made especially ominous by the giant Devil prop at the entrance of the ride. Voiced by Tony Todd, the eerie mortician of FD’s 1,2,5 and 6, the resonance of his sinister Bludworth character is even more profound without him even appearing. FD3 takes place six years after the first movie. Those events involving Flight 180 figure into the plot a few times, including the film’s shock ending that closes with a second, casualty-heavy disaster. It’s the darkest ending of the series thus far. There’s some nasty death scenes, particularly the double tanning bed death. The movie ranks 4th; while its rollercoaster derailment on the Death List isn’t as elaborate as others in this series, it lands fifth there.5. FINAL DESTINATION 5 (2011)
FD5
feels different from its predecessors. Director Steven Quale was new to
horror having previously been James Cameron’s 2nd unit director. Quale
being new to the genre means an entirely new tone. What hasn’t changed
is a script that resists creating likable characters. However, this
script is designed for it, exploring the theory if you kill someone
else, your appointment with Death is canceled. Tony Todd returns and
gets a bit more screen time than he has before. There’s a fantastic
final shock sequence that’s the best surprise of the series so far. FD5 ranks #5th best film in the series and its opening bridge cataclysm places #4 on the series Death List.6. THE FINAL DESTINATION (2009)
Just how THE FINAL CHAPTER wasn’t the end of Jason’s rampage, THE FINAL DESTINATION wasn't the last time Death came calling. Intended as The End, the success of TFD meant this series wasn’t dying anytime soon. This is the gimmick entry of the series wherein Death takes you in 3D, but not in any new directions. In this go-round, it’s a group of individuals who escape a gruesome demise during a race car event. Aside from an extra dose of black humor and characters more obnoxious than usual, there’s nothing new here. Apparently seeing body parts and Death commandeering an assortment of everyday implements in three dimensions was enough to make this largely lackadaisical entry the highest grosser of the series at that time. Even so, it takes the lowest spot on this list at #6. The racing massacre holds that sixth place Death List distinction as well. Ranking the JEEPERS CREEPERS series: 4 entries (2001-2022)
1. JEEPERS CREEPERS (2001)
This
is the second franchise that’s ranked best to least chronologically.
JEEPERS CREEPERS is steeped in atmosphere and striking visuals. Rural
America hadn't looked this spooky in years. It’s almost two movies in
one with its mysterious, supernatural villain driving a hell-sent truck
to terrorize victims on the highway. The second half is a monster movie
where it’s revealed this trenchcoat wearing serial killer is actually a
winged demon who comes out of hibernation every 23 years for 23 days to
eat people… or parts of them that it needs. The film looks great; the
first 45 minutes are intense as hell; and a new, frightfully original
monster is born. 2. JEEPERS CREEPERS 2 (2003)
Director
Salva’s sequel is just as good as the first movie, only the feeling of
unease is less profound. It’s day 23 of the Creeper’s near month-long
feasting on humans. Its primary victims this time around are a bus load
of high school kids. Ray Wise plays a farmer whose son was killed by
the monster. He pursues it with a harpoon mounted on his truck leading
to some major stunts; action sequences being the focus in JPII. After
the first 20 minutes, the Creeper is exclusively an airborne
threat—depicted as something of a demonic vulture, swooping down to
snatch its prey. The budget was almost double the amount afforded the
first movie and it shows. The opening sequence in the cornfield—shot in
the daytime—is as effective as any of its many nighttime scenes.
Unfortunately, the series takes a nosedive from here.3. JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 (2017)
The
first 15 minutes of JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 are excellent. From there, it’s a
slow descent into mediocrity the film never recovers from. It’s not a
terrible movie, just the intermittent moments where the film comes to
life again never sustain themselves for long. And unlike JP2, the scenes
with the Creeper during the daytime are glaringly silly. There’s no
real plot other than the Creeper infrequently stalks and kills people
living in a Louisiana farming community. JP3 was on again and off again
for over a decade. There were reports it would take place in the Old
West and at one point, it was to be an origin story. Instead, it takes
place the day after the end of the first movie and finishes where the
first sequel begins. Had it not been for the drastically smaller budget, the whole of JP3 might’ve been greater than a handful of bits and pieces.4. JEEPERS CREEPERS: REBORN (2022)
The
narrative of the rural South and Midwest besieged by an ancient demonic
creature is prime territory for mining tension and ghoulish atmosphere.
Unfortunately, JP4 destroys any such potential. There are a few good
moments but these feel like accidents compared to the stunningly awful
CGI and inferior Creeper design that makes him look like a homeless
leper. As proven by the first two films, even with minimal plot
development, you can still make a good horror movie on the element of
fear alone. JP4 develops nothing. The Creeper killing people at an
outdoor horror festival has enormous potential. The self-referential
script contends that the three previous entries were what they
are—movies. Here, the real Creeper is an urban legend who is not only
after the main actress, but so are the members of a Creeper cult. That
this demonic creature would need followers to help him gather victims is
a senselessly stupid addition. Then halfway through, the setting
switches to a haunted mansion with an adjoining, fog-enshrouded
graveyard. And the film can’t do anything but fall further apart, like
the horrible makeup job on the Creeper.Ranking the WRONG TURN series: 7 entries (2003-2021)
1. WRONG TURN (2003)
In many instances, the first film of a series is the best one; that applies to WRONG TURN. The plot is simple—stranded travelers in the West Virginia wilderness are attacked by cannibalistic hillbilly inbreds. Director Rob Schmidt fashioned a surprisingly adventurous hillbilly horror throwback to films like JUST BEFORE DAWN (1980) and THE FINAL TERROR (1983); themselves taking a cue from DELIVERANCE (1972) and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974). Even though it’s shot in Canada, it looks and feels like West Virginia more so than most of the sequels that were shot overseas. There’s a palpable feeling of impending doom and some tense moments, particularly when the cast are trapped inside the cannibals shack. For slasher fans, the first TURN is a welcome and respectable homage to its 80s counterparts. The most visually appealing of the series and Stan Winston’s makeup effects are the best too. You appreciate Winston’s designs and makeup effects with each sequel. Stick around shortly into the end credits for one last shock sequence.2. WRONG TURN 2: DEAD END (2007)
WT2 lightens the mood but goes wildly over the top with gore and potential offensiveness. It’s so outrageous you can’t help but laugh at it. Not that the first movie needed one, the sequel has a substantive plot beyond people being trapped, chased, killed and eaten by mutant cannibal inbreds. Here, it’s a SURVIVOR-style reality program being filmed in the West Virginia woods where the performers must survive in real life against a whole passel of flesh-hungry cannibals. The gruesome, blackly comical opening sets the tone for the rest of the movie; so don’t expect the serious tone of the original. Some fans like this first sequel the best, but for my ranking, it maintains the #2 spot of its numeric title.3. WRONG TURN 6: LAST RESORT (2014)
Five
sequels in and, astonishingly, the series gets back to the seriousness
of the first film. The storyline is the most dense of the series as well
as the darkest next to the simplicity of the original. Sex plays as big
a role in the film’s plot as the gore so expect plenty of nudity to go with the blood and guts. The plot itself is reminiscent
of the underrated Australian cannibal movie, DYING BREED (2008). A young man inherits an isolated spa in the West Virginia wilderness where he, along with a group of friends, uncovers dark secrets about his family. WT6 found itself submerged in controversy when it was released due to a scene where a real missing person was featured on a board with other missing individuals. All re-released copies of WT6 have these shots blurred out.4. WRONG TURN 4: BLOODY BEGINNINGS (2011)
Coming in at #4 is WRONG TURN 4. Instead
of keeping things simple, that there’s a family of cannibalistic
inbreds in the mountains of West Virginia, director Declan O’Brien
thought complicating a basic horror movie premise was the way to go. The
Beginnings have no depth to them, much less any purpose; but they are
definitely Bloody. This time, it’s college students on a winter vacation
in the West Virginia wilderness. They get lost in a snowstorm and take
shelter inside an abandoned asylum inhabited by the Hillicker brothers
who escaped their cell in 1974 and killed everyone inside. It’s a
jarring storyline but has a strange charm that makes for excessively
gruesome entertainment. Astonishingly, WT4 is a massive improvement over
WT3 and the best made of the three helmed by director Declan. Unlike
the third picture, part 4 was shot in Canada.5. WRONG TURN 3: LEFT FOR DEAD (2009)
For whatever reason, too many horror movies these days are reliant on populating their plot lines with people you couldn’t care less about; whether they’re purely obnoxious or, in the case of WT3, they’re mostly convicts on a prison bus that crashes in the West Virginia wilderness en route to another location. Three Finger, the sole hillbilly hungry for humans, hunts them and a woman that survived an attack at the film’s opening. There’s a brief appearance by another cannibalistic relative, Three Toes, who gets killed early on. It’s a major downgrade from part 2, but has a few good sequences, including an instance of poetic justice in the final moments reminiscent of all your finer EC Comics tales. Bulgaria subs for West Virginia the first of three times.6. WRONG TURN 5 (2012)
Director Declan O’Brien returns to Bulgaria, once again substituting for West Virginia in the series’ most mercilessly vicious and relentlessly moronic sequel yet. The movie supposedly takes place on Halloween, but the holiday is as believable as the film’s location. Nobody’s wearing costumes; and for a town celebrating a Mountain Man Festival, the place is deserted save for the main cast and the cannibal inbreds who now are essentially cartoon characters. With each sequel, the makeup jobs get more rubbery looking—making Stan Winston and his crews makeups from part 1 look so much better. WT5’s script is so irrefutably stupid the only reason to watch this is for the creative gore scenes and HELLRAISER’s Doug Bradley as a cross between CHAINSAW’s Drayton Sawyer and LAMB’s Hannibal Lecter. 7. WRONG TURN (2021)
The producers thought it would be a fantastic idea to remake 2003s WRONG TURN as an entirely different movie. The only thing this 2021 version has in common with its 18 year old antecedent is a wilderness setting. A group of hikers venture into the Appalachian Trail and encounter The Foundation, an isolated society living outside the modern world. The original movie gave us likable characters whereas this one has the obnoxious and confrontational sort who think a degree in dancing makes one smarter than the average mid-westerner. The film is awash in anti-rural sentiments; like the filmmakers have total disdain for anyone outside a crime-ridden city, or who doesn't have some useless college degree. In its favor, this neo-Wrong Turn is shot well, contains a few tense moments, and has a curve-ball finale that makes you wish the rest of the movie had been as suspenseful. WRONG TURN 2021 is just the WRONG MOVIE.Ranking the SAW series: 10 entries (2004-2023)
1. SAW III (2006)
Seizing
the #1 spot in this long-running series is SAW III. The SAW’s should’ve
stopped with this one. It was a superlative finish, killing off all the
main characters of the previous films, ending it all with grim
finality. Even so, clues were scattered throughout this picture that
form the basis for the plot lines of additional movies. It’s the darkest
(and the longest at two hours) of the entire series and has some
truly nauseating traps, particularly the rotting pig carcasses turned
into maggot-filled mush in a meat-grinder that fills a vat where a
potential victim is tied down. The character of Mark Hoffman, who will
become the most transformative figure of the series, makes his first,
albeit brief, appearance in SAW III.2. SAW (2004)
The most convoluted horror franchise in history began here... the only horror series whose main villain is dead in nearly half of its sequels, appearing in flashbacks or in photographs. SAW has that SEVEN (1995) look about it. The early works of Dario Argento and Italian Giallo’s appear to have been influences. It’s an unsettling, frequently disturbing movie with a shocking, blindsiding ending. The way SAW plays out is different from the rest of the films. The main focus is on two characters who are trapped inside a bathroom with a dead body in the middle of the room. There are lots of flashbacks as well as Danny Glover playing a cop in pursuit of the mysterious, and totally deranged, Jigsaw Killer. The rest of the series focused lots of attention on the traps, which tended to become more gruesome with each sequel. The jaw trap is one of the most fearsome weapons of death to ever be seen onscreen. 3. SAW II (2005)
The most eagerly awaited part 2 in many a year was a simpler sequel that accentuated action over suspense. The famous series line, "I want to play a game", is a proper application for this first sequel in which these unwitting "contestants" must traverse a deadly obstacle course to survive. A corrupt cop’s son is kidnapped by Jigsaw and locked in a trap-filled house along with several convicts the policeman put in prison. A mainstay of the SAW movies is there must be traps and there needs to be some major twist or doom-laden cliffhanger at the end. SAW II satisfies both, and comes in at #3 on this series ranking.4. SAW VI (2009)
This time, detective Hoffman, the heir to Jigsaw’s twisted games, goes
after real estate scammers and health care providers. The series got
back on track with SAW VI, feeling more like a horror movie than its
predecessor. The flashbacks are kept to a minimum and tension returns to
the scripted page in that Hoffman’s plan to frame the now dead agent
Strahm is falling apart and others within the FBI are close to exposing
him; it’s just a matter of when and what will happen. The traps are back
to being creative although they’re more absurd considering the large
number of people Hoffman has to kidnap to use in them. The gorgeous
Betsy Russell puts in her biggest portrayal so far and closes the film
out with a Grand Guignol cliffhanger. SAW VI is the best of the Hoffman
angle which wraps up in SAW 3D.5. SAW X (2023)
Tobin
Bell returns as John Kramer, alias Jigsaw, in another prequel; this one
being set between SAW’s II and III. This time, the story revolves
entirely around Kramer, as he’s diagnosed with terminal cancer and
learns of a miraculous, experimental surgery in Mexico. It turns out the
practice is a fraud so Kramer goes after everyone involved in the
medical scheme, leading to a series of deadly, life-ending traps. Of all
the films in this series that pad their running times with endless
flashbacks, SAW X feels the most natural since the entire movie is set in one specific place and time. There's a remarkable balance of exposition and gore, and a good way to end the long-running series... at least till the next sequel. It may rate higher for some, but here, SAW X settles into the number V spot.6. SAW 3D (2010)
The seventh SAW is among the most outlandish of the series. In some instances, the traps are so cartoonishly over the top, the film borders on parody. Several of the kills have no connection to the narrative. This sequel was originally conceived as the last so possibly the writers figured they’d go for broke with some bonus blood and guts. The main plot is a man named Bobby Dagen who’s making money off being a fake Jigsaw survivor. Hoffman kidnaps him and puts him through a death game involving a number of Bobby’s associates. At the same time, authorities are after Hoffman while he’s after Jill Tuck. Hoffman’s swan song sees him in TERMINATOR mode, wiping out numerous agents just so we can see a major character die from the jaw trap we’ve been teased with since the first movie way back in 2004.7. SAW IV (2007)
There’s
not much of a plot in SAW IV nor is there coherence in this
flashback-packed entry that plays out like a gore-drenched forensics
thriller television program. Officer Rigg was featured in SAW's 2 and 3, and gets the top spot in SAW IV as he is forced to clear his name by participating in Jigsaw's ghoulish games; and that's pretty much the plot. The plethora of new characters makes it
difficult to keep up with; especially how the film repeatedly jumps back
and forth from past to present. The rapid paced editing only adds to
the confusion. This entry begins the Hoffman storyline that spans SAW
4-7, and is a departure from the deep horror tonality of SAW 1-3 to an
excessively bloody police thriller one. 
8. SAW V (2008)
9. JIGSAW (2017)
It
took seven years for the eighth SAW picture to surface. The series had
been losing steam for a while with each new release and still doesn’t
get chugging again with this one. The repetitive flashbacks with Tobin
Bell were growing tiresome and Costas Mandylor’s ruthless Mark Hoffman
had become a cross between The Terminator and Jason Voorhees. JIGSAW is
still the same movie over again but visualized without the beyond
irritating music video editing that had been a series staple from the
beginning. There’s no acknowledgment to the previous films, just that
John Kramer has been dead for a decade. For his flashback scenes, we
learn of his first game, as well as the creation of the dreaded jaw
trap. The filmmakers are successful in creating mystery with a big
reveal at the end, only it doesn’t feel new or even fresh; it’s the same
SAW and dance.10. SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW (2021)
Nine SAW’s in and we’ve got a return to the dark tone of the first movie with the addition of comedic touches from lead actor and comedian Chris Rock. Comedy and extreme torture isn't exactly a happy marriage. SPIRAL is the most SEVENish of the series; it’s an ugly, mean-spirited movie. Nobody’s likable and everybody’s angry all the time, yelling their lines. The comedy bits from Rock are funny even though they feel out of place—like the filmmakers wanted to make a disturbing Buddy Cop flick with death traps and gore. The nature of the killer is predictable on top of a shockingly weak ending. The traps themselves are basic but grotesquely effective. SPIRAL is a curio and the most experimental of the series; unfortunately, a failed one, spiraling down to the #10 spot.Ranking the DON’T BREATHE series: 2 entries (2016-2021)
1. DON’T BREATHE 2 (2021)
2. DON’T BREATHE (2016)
Three young criminals who break into peoples homes to steal their belongings rob the wrong man; a blind Vietnam war veteran. It’s a grueling movie that decides to make its protagonist a villain too. A popular trend in movies is to make the victims as unsympathetic as possible—diluting any genuine impact upon dispatching them. DON’T BREATHE sidesteps this to a degree using the motif of a blind man using heightened senses to find those who’ve broken into his house as a means of creating terror. And when the script turns the tables on the war vet, making him an antagonist, it then irritatingly justifies these crooks literally robbing him blind.Ranking the REC franchise: 6 entries (2007-2014)
1. REC (2007)
Simply put, REC is one of the most terrifying horror films ever made. It’s also one of the creepiest Found Footage films you’ll ever see. Two directors, Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza, bring you one of the most frightening zombie films since George Romero redefined the genre. And there’s more than just a zombie plague at work here, something potentially demonic. A reporter, her crew and a group of people are trapped inside an apartment complex when a mysterious plague breaks out in the building that turns its victims into raving zombies. The dwindling survivors learn the secret to this night of horror resides in the buildings penthouse at the top of the building. What they find in the final ten minutes will scare the hell out of you.2. REC 2 (2009)
REC is a superb horror movie and it got an equally gratifying sequel that could easily share the #1 spot with its predecessor. Picking up where the first movie ended, REC 2 is the action horror sequel in the vein of ALIENS (1986). It doesn’t waste any time getting to the horror and it’s just as scary the second time around. The first person sequences are intense as hell; notably one lengthy scene where one of the SWAT team is cut off from the group and must face these horrifying creatures alone in a hallway till he’s trapped in a bathroom. The first movie hinted at the plague having a satanic origin; the sequel explores that in greater detail, explaining this zombie outbreak is widespread demonic possession. If you’re a zombie fan, the first two RECs should be at the top of your list.3. REC 4: APOCALYPSE (2014)
The third and final sequel opens during the finale of REC 2. The dark humor, hip-tainment style of REC 3 is gone; the film returns to the gloomy horror of the first two films. The character of Angela Vidal (once again played by Manuela Velasco) is back, finding herself bound to an operating table aboard a ship at sea. This movie has lots going for it: a fast pace, an infected monkey running wild, lots of gunplay, and a demon parasite that likes to play “guess which host I’m hiding in”. The ending concludes with a bang; it looks expensive and it’s far better than you’d expect a “part 4” to be. 
4. REC 3 (2012)
5. QUARANTINE 2: TERMINAL (2011)
6. QUARANTINE (2008)
An utterly useless remake; the only reason to watch is if you aren’t interested in watching the original Spanish language picture with subtitles. It’s done in the same fashion as the PSYCHO (1998) remake, where no attempt at originality has been taken. It’s a veritable shot for shot do-over, lacking the intensity and pure horror of its source. If you’ve never seen REC before, you may enjoy this one more than if you had.Ranking the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY franchise: 7 entries (2009–2021)
1. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES (2012)
2. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 (2010)
Essentially
the same movie as before, PA2 doubles up on the scare factor with a
bigger family, their dog and a superstitious Hispanic maid who knows a
demonic force when she hears one. Set 60 days before, and ending right
after, the first movie’s events, the prequel concerns a deadly haunting
in the house of Katie’s sister, Kristi and her family. Certainly a
darker, more terrifying film, PA2 is a rare sequel that surpasses its
predecessor due to doing more of the same, but doing it in new ways. 3. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 (2011)
The
third time’s the charm in the biggest hit of the entire series. It’s
three times as intense witnessing how it all began. Briefly beginning in
March of 2005 when Katie drops off a box of videotapes; then a quick
stop in 2006 shortly before the first movie when the
tapes mysteriously disappear. The story then jumps further back to
September of 1988 when sisters Katie and Kristi were little girls. Too
much backstory tends to ruin a sequel but PA3 pulls it off beautifully,
ending with the most frightening conclusion of the entire series. The
final 15 fear-filled minutes will send shivers to your core.4. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (2009)
There’s something evil in the house. Influenced by the unexpected success of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999), Oren Peli’s spooktacular tale of a malevolent spirit terrorizing a San Diego couple started the most successful ‘Found Footage’ series' of all time. What this film does extremely well is how it uses sound effects and lighting to create a genuine sense of terror and impending doom. New details emerge as the series progresses, but each sequel largely follows the same formula. The budget is small, the premise simple, and the unsettling moments plentiful…. And it still holds up.5. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: NEXT OF KIN (2021)
This
final film of the series is a standalone horror show. The setting is no
longer Golden State suburbia but an isolated, snow-bound Amish
community in upstate New York. It concerns a young woman named Margot
and her two videographer friends who want to make a documentary on her
Amish family background and what happened to her mother. What Margot and
her friends uncover is a sinister secret the commune doesn’t want to
get out. There are a few moments that feel like previous PA pictures but
overall, part 7 is a uniquely terrifying movie. NEXT OF KIN is
basically a Found Footage version of DEADLY BLESSING (1981). It
occasionally reverts to looking like a movie, but mostly it’s from the
perspective of whoever is holding the camera. Changing the setting works
wonders for this entry--a vast improvement over the previous two films.6. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION (2015)
Intended
as the last film in the series, it instead was the final film dealing
with Katie and Kristi, the two little girls who have been connected to
the previous films, providing the narrative thrust for the horrifying,
and seemingly far-reaching, witch cult. Virtually the same movie as
parts 1-4 with minor deviations, the biggest change is a lot of CGI. The
excuse for that is the discovery of a camera that captures the
Paranormal Activity so we can now see it. Unfortunately, showing us the
Paranormal does nothing but remind viewers how effective seeing very little Activity really was. Filming in 3D didn’t help the box office either. Six movies in and the spooks aren’t running wild, they’re just tired.7. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 (2012)
The first bland entry has some spooky moments but they’re retreads from the three previous movies. PA4 is a direct sequel to PA2, moving the setting from California to Nevada, picking up five years after the demonically possessed Katie walked off into the night with her one year old nephew Hunter. You get the feeling the filmmakers may have backed themselves into a corner considering there's nothing new in this third sequel, nor anything overly compelling to make it stand out in ways the predecessors did. PA4 is basically a Greatest Hits Collection, only you're disappointed upon discovering what you've got are inferior cover versions instead of the original cuts.HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
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