10 Recent Slashers That Deserve More Attention
It's great that Terrifier and Pearl got love, but what about these slashers?
Slashers have had a resurgence in the last few years, as can be evidenced by recently spawned IPs like Terrifier, Fear Street, and Ti West's X. Though the genre can be formulaic, Bodies Bodies Bodies and In A Violent Nature proved there's still plenty of ways to put a creative spin on the genre. Scream's twilight years seemed to be upon it at one point, but the latest outing was the most successful entry yet, proving hack-and-slash flicks are back bigger than ever.
Of course, with so many masked killer horrors dominating at once, there were bound to be a few stragglers. Despite showing promise, the ten entries on this list came and went with little fanfare, usually because of poor marketing, too much competition, or the concept was too niche. Although loyalists should be familiar with a couple of these entries, some are virtually unknown, which is a huge shame considering how much innovation they harbour.
Scream 7 and the upcoming Scary Movie return may have been getting a ton of hype, but these recent slashers deserve just as much attention, if not more.
10. The Conference
In this Swedish dark comedy, a group of municipal employees attends a team-building retreat when a masked killer begins picking them off one by one.
What stands out about The Conference above all else is its biting commentary on workplace culture. Rather than putting their differences aside when bodies start to drop, the employees try to find a way to benefit from the lethal situation so they can climb the work ladder.
Although the bloodbath is initially horrifying, the victims are gradually depicted in a more unflattering light. As such, it's hard to know who to root for, especially after seeing the characters' fake smiles and forced camaraderie.
Even though it would've been easy for the ensemble to be portrayed as power-hungry caricatures, each of them is believable, making their fates pack a sizeable punch.
Rather than relying on gore, the twisted horror builds suspense through its pacing and atmosphere. (But rest assured, it totally delivers on vicious kills.)
Available on most streaming services (including Netflix), The Conference is worth a look for anyone in the mood for a subversive slasher.