12 Underrated Horror Movie Gems From The 2000s

In the wake of Wes Craven’s wildly popular Scream franchise taking off in the late 1990s, it appeared the horror genre was gearing up for a noughties resurgence. While slashers beyond Scream struggled to maintain audience interest, many exciting new subgenres burst onto the scene with plentiful buzz.

The zombie genre rose from the grave once more thanks to Danny Boyle’s 2001 hit 28 Days Later and remains popular to this day. Gore-stuffed, torture laden films such as Hostel and Saw were big hits, sparking the ill-named torture porn craze. There were also a slew of remakes of 70s and 80s classics including Halloween, Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes.

The endless sequels and ultraviolent flicks were a hit with moviegoers and the horror genre’s popularity was back in full swing after a curious lull during the early to mid-90s. For every big hit, however, there are a multitude of films that come and go without getting their deserved look in. Whether it be due to middling reviews, production company issues or just bad luck, some films simply fall under the radar. With many of us looking for movies to watch during these indoor days, here are 10 underrated horror gems worth a viewing.

Alexandre Aja’s grim and grisly slasher flick follows best buds, Marie and Alex on a trip to visit Alex’s parents in the countryside. Sounds nice enough until the viewer meets a murderous delivery man out to kill every last inhabitant of the parents’ home. What follows is a ferocious fight for survival where the pair wield every potential weapon on offer against the killer.

Both praised and criticised for some truly bizarre plot twists in the second half, High Tension lives up to its title throughout. Lead performers Cécile de France and Maïwenn do a convincing job of the blood-soaked material, adding greatly to the film’s suspense. Aja’s reliance on practical effects over CGI keeps the violence looking more authentic and visceral. Renowned horror make-up artist Gianetto de Rossi keeps everything looking sickening real throughout.

While well received amongst filmmakers (Wes Craven was so impressed he hired Aja to remake The Hills Have Eyes), High Tension struggled to acquire a major audience. Censored and edited to avoid the dreaded NC-17 rating in the United States, the film was also given an English-language re-dub. Fortunately, the original French cut is available these days and worth a viewing for slasher fans.