10 Best Horror Movies To Watch On Valentine's Day

Despite being a horror-comedy through and through, Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil is surprisingly touching. When the titular hillbillies rescue an unconscious college student called Allison, her boyfriend, Chad, tries to rescue her, assuming Tucker and Dale have kidnapped her.

Eli Craig's slasher parody is superbly written and directed, but it's the way the characters defy horror stereotypes that allows it to endure as a cult classic. In any regular scenario, Chad would be the knight in shining armour who slaughters the villainous Tucker and Dale, so he can reunite with the love of his life.

But that isn't the case here. Allison is initially sceptical of Dale's intentions, but warms to his kind demeanour. Dale doesn't seem like ideal boyfriend material, but wins Allison's heart, proving she favours compassion over Chad's superficial personality. Not only is this relationship sweet, it dramatically elevates the stakes. Viewers hope to see Allison and Dale become an item, so there's genuine concern anytime they're in grave danger.

Although Tucker's banter with Dale is superb, there's no doubt the loveable bumpkin's connection with Allison is the backbone of the story.