10 Horror Movie Heroes Everyone Forgets About

Mockumentary may not be most people's go-to style for a horror film, but Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon is exactly that. In a pleasant surprise, it actually works very well, offering a meta take on the genre that feels fresh, while still packing in some good scares.

The film revolves around the titular character, who has grown up in a world where slasher icons like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees are real, and he idolises them. Vernon wants to be the next big thing in horror, giving himself a nice backstory to really embellish the details. His plan is to orchestrate a killing spree on a group of teenagers, and has even chosen a final girl to face off with him. Say what you will about his motivations, but Leslie has done his horror homework.

Because it's filmed as a mockumentary, there has to be someone behind the camera chronicling these events, and that person is journalist Taylor Gentry. Taylor follows Leslie as he sets out his plan and rigs his traps, all the while doubting her consciensce and wondering whether or not she should just stand by.

Like any good horror hero, of course she decides to intervene and help the teens, only to reveal that she was Leslie's chosen final girl all along, fulfilling his self-proclaimed prophecy. Most horror fans probably saw this twist coming from a mile away, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the film is an excellent, meta homage to horror.