The horror genre is slightly underrated in the cinema. Despite having many followers worldwide, scary movies often struggle with the low expectations of the critics and the general public. Sometimes dismissed as “cheap” thrills or gory entertainment, it is easy for cinema enthusiasts to ignore them in favor of more “sophisticated” productions, overlooking the hidden complexities behind or the creative genius required to craft such unusual stories.

That also depends on the production of the films. For instance, if the names of the director and the cast are still relatively unknown, and the budget is тιԍнт, the chances of a horror story having low to no expectations are even greater. It would not be the same, for example, if tomorrow, Academy Award winner Jordan Peele were to release another masterpiece like Get Out. Nevertheless, despite this unfortunate fame, plenty of horror movies in cinema history shockingly exceeded our initial expectations.

10

Evil ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Rise (2023)

Directed By Lee Cronin

As the fifth installment of a notorious franchise, the announcement of Evil ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Rise was initially met with some skepticism on behalf of the fans. Nevertheless, Lee Cronin, the writer and director of the film, successfully honored the legacy of the series while also incorporating his personal vision.

Although Cronin embraced the shameless brutality that characterized the original movies, he turned away from the traditional setting of the story, leading the franchise into a new, unexplored direction. Instead of taking place in the classic cabin in the woods ᴀssociated with the previous films, the movie unfolds in a rundown building in Los Angeles. The risky decision turned out to be successful. Evil ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Rise did not only become the highest-grossing film of the series, but was also nominated at The Saturn Awards for Best Horror Film.

9

Smile 2 (2024)

Directed By Parker Finn

Similar to its predecessor, Smile 2 has taken the world by surprise, defying the expectations that would see it as the usual lower-quality sequel. Although the first movie contained some ambiguous plot holes to leave room for another chapter, the producers were not too optimistic about the chance of creating another installment. However, given the success of the original, the project was quickly greenlit. Unfortunately, horror sequels are not known for being particularly strong, often falling into repeтιтive storytelling.

Parker Finn’s movie proved otherwise. Smile 2 builds upon the foundation of its predecessor while adding psychological depth and introducing a spectacular and emotionally complex new lead, played by Naomi Scott, whose intense performance received critical acclaim. The movie’s box office gain was significantly higher than it needed to be to break even with the original one. Without a doubt, Smile 2 exceeded expectations and set up another chapter.

8

Happy Death Day (2017)

Directed By Christopher Landon

Happy Death Day might seem like the traditional ’90s-inspired slasher movie that borrows elements from the supernatural genre. Although the premise of a woman reliving her death infinite times is fascinating, our expectations for the film were initially not too high. Especially considering that the movie was produced on a limited budget of only $4.8 million. However, Tree Gelbman’s story conquered the public.

The main character, played by Jessica Rothe, irreverent and slightly self-absorbed at first, is far from the classical heroine of the genre. Unlike the typical final girl, Tree’s deeply flawed and snarky persona makes her a compelling protagonist with a transformative arch that makes the story more entertaining and meaningful. Through Rothe’s performance, the film becomes a blend of fear, mystery, and wit. Happy Death Day ended up being a box-office success and went on to have a sequel.

7

The Cabin In The Woods (2011)

Directed By Drew Goddard

When its trailer first premiered, Cabin in the Woods seemed to have a pretty basic plot. A group of college kids go on a vacation in the middle of nowhere only to discover something sinister lurking beneath them. As fun as the story could be, the film appeared like a classic slasher and supernatural combo to entertain the fans of the genre with spooky jump scares and funny one-liners. However, there was much more behind.

Cabin in the Woods takes traditional horror tropes and subvert them, delivering a shockingly clever story that deconstructs the very foundations of the genre. What appeared to be a simple scary movie about unfortunate kids turns into a satire that analyzes typically used cinema conventions, touching upon more upsetting themes that angry monsters or vengeful ghosts. The main plot twist, unexpectedly absurd yet ingenious, and the hopeless conclusion, far exceeded any expectations.

6

Get Out (2017)

Directed By Jordan Peele

Although the trailer for Get Out already hinted at an intriguing horror story with a socio-political twist, not many predicted the cultural impact it would have. Jordan Peele, now recognized as one of the major exponents of the horror genre, was at its directorial debut back then. Furthermore, the film was produced on a тιԍнт budget. As a consequence, to forecast the level of success it achieved was almost impossible.

Peele, however, proved to the world his masterful storytelling techniques and creative genius, crafting one of the most thought-provoking horrors of the last years. Although some parts of the film might veer into the realm of science fiction, the underlying realism of the societal dynamics explored and its psychological twists make the movie the chilling masterpiece it turned out to be. Get Out was not just a box office success but also earned Peele an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and is highly regarded as one of the best horror movies of the 2010s.

5

Open Water (2003)

Directed By Chris Kentis

If you haven’t watched it, it would be easy to dismiss Open Water as another low-budget shark horror. The premise, although terrifying, is simple—a couple on vacation ends up stranded in the open sea. Inspired by real events, the 2003 film was made on a low budget of barely $120,000. Despite the limitations, with its cleverly portrayed suspense and emotional performances, the survival horror exploited humans’ fear of the unknown to craft a chilling yet heartbreaking tale.

Instead of using jump scares typical of many shark stories, Open Water depicts with chilling accuracy the sense of isolation and rising hopelessness felt by the main characters. At the same time, the performances of Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis as Susan and Daniel add a romantic and tragic layer to the story, allowing the viewer to become emotionally invested in the film. The movie ended up grossing $55.5 million and became one of the best ocean thrillers against all expectations.

4

M3GAN (2023)

Directed By Gerard Johnstone

The concept of the cursed killer doll has been relentlessly used in the history of horror films. Therefore, our expectations for M3GAN were not as high. Furthermore, the killer doll category has often struggled to be a complete success at the box office in the last few years. However, the geniality of the director and writers was to add the frightening element of artificial intelligence into it.

M3GAN is neither possessed nor cursed: she is an AI product that develops a keen self-awareness while becoming increasingly attached to her owner. The movie exploits humans’ modern fears of rapid technological advancement and its possibility of overtaking our control. Instead of relying on classical tropes of vengeful demons and supernatural enтιтies, the film explores an unsettling yet more realistic alternative. With this blood-curling twist and the extra touch of humor, M3GAN turned out to be a huge success and shockingly became one of 2023’s best horror movies.

3

The Invisible Man (2020)

Directed By Leigh Whannell

Inspired by H.G. Wells’s 1897 novel, The Invisible Man is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name. The subjects covered, from stalking and gaslighting to abuse and trauma, are far from easy, adding heavy emotional weight to the story. As a result, although the film is categorized as horror, the filmmakers needed to exert an added layer of sensitivity to portray the protagonist’s trauma.

One of the factors that contributed to the success of the movie was the powerful performance of Elizabeth Moss, who captured Cecilia’s inner turmoil, fear, and despair. Despite having a budget of only $7 million, The Invisible Man turned out to be more than a scary movie: it became a gripping journey into the trauma of a scarred woman. The psychological depth of the story allowed The Invisible Man to become a commercial success when it premiered, exceeding initial expectations with an opening of $29 million.

2

Unfriended (2014)

Directed By Levan Gabriadze

Perhaps the premise of Unfriended, a scary movie featuring a group of teenagers told through a MacBook screencast, might have initially raised some doubts about the potential of the story. However, the most unusual storytelling techniques can create an immersive experience that, if well-executed, will capture the viewer in ways conventional methods cannot. When it comes to horror, this type of immersion can be even more effective at achieving its goal: terrifying the public.

Unfriended did not only receive mostly mixed-to-positive reviews from the critics, but was also a major success at the box office. Over the first weekend, it achieved the highest opening for a horror film since The Conjuring in 2013. The factors that helped the production exceed its initial expectations were the realistic atmosphere of the story and the intense performances of its young yet talented actors.

1

Barbarian (2022)

Directed By Zach Cregger

When Barbarian was first announced, it seemed like a scary yet rather expected story about a home rental gone wrong. The film was Zach Cregger’s solo writing and directorial debut. On top of that, the marketing for the movie was quite limited- the trailer teased very little about the overall story, letting the viewers come up with their interpretation. Because of the casting of Bill Skarsgård as one of the unfortunate tenants, known for his work as the terrifying Pennywise, most people thought he would be the ultimate villain of the movie.

However, the film subverted every expectation, rejecting conventional typecasting and defying classical horror tropes. Barbarian combines various genres, using psychological tension, jump scares, and comedic sequences to create an intricate story that keeps the viewer on edge. The horror movie ended up being a mᴀssive success, earning a score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing $45.4 million worldwide, against a limited $4.5 million budget.