The 2000s was a fascinating decade for the horror genre. The cheesiness of the ’90s lived on, which led to the corny slasherValentine(2000),Final Destination 2(2003), andFreddy vs Jason(2003). But the 2000s also had some impressive films that fans still love today, includingThe Others(2001),The Ring(2002), andThe Grudge(2004).
Part of the joy and fun of being a horror fan is checking out new movies while looking in the archives to find hidden gems. But it’s likely that moviegoers missed out on a few 2000s releases that didn’t get that much attention and which have gotten lost in the countless slashers, supernatural stories, and creature features.
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Jack O’Lantern (2004)
Although horror films with Halloween settings sound fun and enjoyable in theory, since this is a spooky time of year, not every story told around this holiday is excellent. After a screening at the FrightFest Film Festival in London,Jack O’Lanternwas put out on DVD. While there are manygreat horror movies about Halloween,Jack O’Lanternisn’t one of the most memorable, and it’s possible that some haven’t heard of it.
An evil ghost has turned into a pumpkin and is killing people, which would be scarier if there weren’t other films that happen on October 31st that incorporate pumpkins, the belovedTrick ‘r Treatbeing one of them. The creature isn’t particularly creepy or interesting, and horror fans will be left wanting a lot more from this mostly forgettable film.
Shallow Ground (2004)
The 2004 filmShallow Groundhas a few elements that usually make for a solid horror film: a small town (this one is called Shallow Valley), characters with secrets, and a mysterious main character. It’s been one year since a girl went missing, and Rocky Marquette’s character appears naked in town, which makes everyone wonder if he was the culprit. Sheldon Wilson wrote and directed the film, which has a 4.9 out of 10 rating on IMDb.
Shallow Valley is agreat horror movie setting, butShallow Groundisn’t a very well-known 2000s horror film and fans of the genre likely aren’t too familiar with it. The characters and plot don’t stand out as it’s a bit too obvious to assume that the stranger who suddenly appears in town is an evil killer.
Cry Wolf (2005)
Starring Jared Padalecki, Gary Cole, and Jon Bon Jovi,Cry Wolftells the story of teenagers who tell everyone on campus that there is a serial killer called “The Wolf” going on a rampage. But when someone dies, it seems like the rumored monster might actually be real. While horror fans can appreciate the dark fairy tale that is alluded to here, as the story of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf is of course a classic, the film just that well-crafted or compelling.
The Wolf isn’t atimeless horror movie villainand it’s likely that this movie has gotten lost in the other scary films about high school and college students. Like other forgotten horror films from the 2000s,Cry Wolfdoesn’t stand out in terms of plot, storytelling devices, or main characters.
Dark Ride (2006)
WhileDark Ridehas amemorable horror movie setting,since the story takes place at the amusement park Ashbury Park in New Jersey, the movie itself isn’t very memorable. The film stars Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Cathy, a student who is happy that it’s spring break and who comes across the park with her friends while on a road trip.
There are manygreat modern slasher movies, butDark Ridedoesn’t push the boundaries of the genre or end up being very creative. It’s likely that horror fans will watch this film and feel like they’ve seen it many times before. The movie wasn’t much of a success, with IMDb noting that its global box office was $321,875.
Case 39 (2009)
Despite having Renée Zellweger as its star, playing a social worker named Emily Jenkins,Case 39isn’t very memorable. Emily begins working with Lillith Sullivan (Jodelle Ferland). Lillith’s parents think that something is wrong with her, but Emily thinks that Lillith’s parents are hurting her.
There are someconfusing plot twistsinCase 39, and ultimately, it’s not that much fun watching Emily and Lillith play a strange game with each other. There are much more interesting and exciting horror movies about kids who have been taken over by evil spirits or demons. Ultimately, the movie is more confusing than anything else and audiences might have more questions than they get answers for, which is never a good thing. It takes a bit too long for the movie to really get going and for audiences to find out the truth about Lillith.
