The golden age of slasher films is widely considered to have taken place from the mid-70s to the mid-80s, but just because the introductory days of Leatherface, Michael Myers and more are well behind us doesn’t mean that the beloved horror sub-genre is slowing down. We’re seeing a considerable amount of new releases lovingly embrace their iconic predecessors and a slew of other films carving wildly creative new paths of their own.
Traditionally, a slasher movie involves a masked killer picking off a group of unsuspecting victims. You will certainly find a lot of that on the list below, but it’s also a real thrill to get a broad view of all the different possibilities within that sector of film. We’ve got found footage horror, sociopolitical thrillers, satires, time loop stories, home invasion movies and so much more.
The traditional golden age or not, the slasher genre continues to thrive with filmmakers embracing the challenge to explore new perspectives, formulate unique styles and tones, churn out wildly inventive franchise-worthy concepts, and so much more. Check out a list of some of the best of the best the slasher genre has delivered in the 21st century thus far below.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Director:Scott Glosserman
Writer:Scott Glosserman, David J. Stieve
Cast:Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, Robert Englund, Scott Wilson
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernonwas one of the greatest things to ever happen to thisScreamdiehard. Just asWes CravenandKevin Williamsondelivered an unsettling thrill that played with familiar genre tropes back in 1996, so too doScott GlossermanandDavid J. StievewithBehind the Mask. The movie features an unparalleled performance fromNathan Baeselas the title character, a man deeply passionate about his dream to become an infamous slasher alongside legends like Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger.Shot mockumentary style, Leslie agrees to give Taylor (Angela Goethals) a peek behind the scenes to see exactly what it takes to orchestrate the perfect killing spree.
If you’re a fan of slasher movies,The Rise of Leslie Vernonis essential viewing. It’s one big sadistic celebration of the perspective we rarely get to see - that of the slasher themselves. Similar toScream, one ofLeslie Vernon’s standout qualities is its earnestness, which lets the movie tick multiple boxes: being absurdist, sincere, and quite exhilarating. It all seems somewhat ridiculous to Taylor and her crew at first, but the more time they spend with Leslie, the more they realize that not only is he deadly serious about all of this, but he also has the skillset and ingenuity to pull it off. It’s a real shameThe Rise of Leslie Vernondidn’t jumpstart a prolific career for Baesel because it’s a one-of-kind performance that rivals some of the best in the slasher genre, and beyond. - Perri Nemiroff
High Tension
Director: Alexandre Aja
Writers: Alexandre Aja and Grégory Levasseur
Cast: Cécile De France, Maïwenn, Franck Khalfoun, Phillippe Nahon, Andre Finti, Oana Pellea
Holy smokes,High Tensionis one appropriately titled movie. The film was re-titledSwitchblade Romancein some territories, which was a mistake. Few films have ever lived up to their name quite likeHigh Tension, an absolutely relentless assault on the nerves that’s as lean and mean as it gets. The film has something of a mixed legacy thanks to an unnecessarily twisty and unpopular ending (that admittedly I, too, am not crazy about,) but unfortunate finale tropes aside,Alexandre Aja’s 2003 gorefest endures as one of the greats of the New French Extremity movement, not to mention an all-around stellar home-invasion slasher.
Cécile de Francestars as Marie, a young woman who heads to her best friend Alexia’s (Maïwenn) country home for a peaceful getaway. The idyllic calm goes to hell in a hurry when a sadistic and perverse killer attacks the house, slaughtering Alexia’s family and leaving the two young women in a vicious fight for survival. Aja reminded audiences exactly how tight he can wind tension with 2019’s survival horrorCrawl, but he announced himself as a gifted craftsman of impeccably-crafted scares way back in 2003, wringing every moment ofHigh Tensionfor each last excruciating moment of fear before driving the sledgehammer home with horrific kills and genuinely jarring eruptions of violence. –Haleigh Foutch
The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
Director:Alexandre Aja
Writer:Alexandre Aja, Grégory Levasseur
Cast:Aaron Stanford, Dan Byrd, Emilie de Ravin, Vinessa Shaw
Not only isAlexandre Aja’sThe Hills Have Eyesone of the best slasher movies of the 21st century, but it’s also one of the best horror remakes period. Based on the 1977Wes Cravenfilm,The Hills Have Eyesintroduces the Carter family as they make their way from Cleveland, Ohio to San Diego, California. Along the way, they opt to take a shortcut through the hills - never a good idea! - and sure enough, they’re ultimately terrorized by the residents of the hills, the descendants of those who once worked in the local mines and were subjected to nuclear testing carried out by the US government.
Just like the Craven original, this movie isbrutal, and I can’t emphasize that enough. Aja and his ensemble are almost too good when it comes to quickly establishing the Carter family because it makes the heaping dose of brutality to follow tough to stomach. But the thing is though, your heart doesn’t just ache for the Carter family. There’s an underlying tinge of sadness thanks to a plot point Aja andGrégory Levasseurbeef up a good deal in their version of the story; the hill people are also victims - they’re victims of military practices that were entirely out of their control. Aja’sThe Hills Have Eyesis essentially nuclear family versus nuclear family; the Carters are the traditionalfamily unit that represent the American Dream while the hill people have been turned into a family of monsters by their own country. It adds a very thoughtful and deeply upsetting wrinkle to the film that makes it much more than the “torture porn” label it’s branded with far too often. - Perri Nemiroff
Director: Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
Writer: Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
Cast: Alysson Paradis, Béatrice Dalle, Nathalie Roussel, François-Regis Marchasson
One of the most celebrated and absolutely ruthless films to come out of the notoriously bloody wave of horror known as New French Extremity,Insideis as visceral as slasher horror gets.Alysson Paradisstars as Sarah, a pregnant woman spending her first Christmas Eve alone after losing her husband in a tragic car crash ahead of their baby’s birth. You’d think she’s already set up for one of the saddest nights of her life, but that’s when a stalking, shadowy figure known only as La Femme sneaks into her home, brandishing a deadly pair of scissors and an even deadlier determination to steal the baby from Sarah’s stomach by whatever means necessary.
In the tradition of New French Extremity,Insidere-paints Sarah’s home in a wash of red blood as the two women battle it out. It’s like a hard-R Jason Bourne as they use any and every household item at their disposal to battle it out in their battleground of carnage. But a blood-soaked battle for survival does not a slasher movie make, and La Femme cements her status as one of the most terrifying slasher villains of the century by handily and horrifically dispatching of any potential savior who wanders into their warfare. It’s a sickeningly tense film that explodes into a kaleidoscope of body parts and arterial spray, and the film’s punishing knack for taking sharp lefts into primal terror in the midst of the ever-escalating anxiety made it an instant classic of the genre. –Haleigh Foutch
The Strangers
Director:Bryan Bertino
Writer:Bryan Bertino
Cast:Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman
Similar toThe Hills Have Eyes,Bryan Bertino’sThe Strangersis a one-two punch as well. It isn’t just one of the best slasher movies of the 21st century. It’s one the scariest movies of the 21st century, too. It’s a simple but extremely well executed premise; James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) are at a secluded vacation home when there’s a knock at the door. Soon thereafter, James and Kristen come to realize the reality of their situation; they’re being stalked by three ruthless masked killers.
Between the “based on true events” opening, the way the record player music is incorporated, the painstaking build, and then the brutality of what goes down once the strangers are in the home, Bertino’s feature debut is undoubtedly the kind of film that’ll keep you up at night. And then to top it all off, Bertino throws in that “because you were home” line. If you thoughtThe Strangerscould be a solid thrill you could quickly leave behind once it’s over because, in reality, you’re safe and sound at home, that line right there will convince you that it could happen to anyone. Considering the sheer nastiness of the group’s lack of remorse and “taunt the prey” approach,The Strangersis a showcase of next-level viciousness that’s bound to leave you scared and hopeless. (And in this movie’s case, that deserves a twisted, “job well done!") - Perri Nemiroff
Director: Wes Craven
Writer: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Nico Tortorella, Rory Culkin, Erik Knudsen, Alison Brie, Adam Brody, Mary McDonnell, Anthony Anderson
I have made itsomething of a personal missionto get justice forScream 4, a film that, while far from a masterpiece, got the original gang back together behind and in front of the camera for an update on the meta-slasher franchise that changed the cinematic language of the genre by speaking it so fluently.Neve Campbell,Courteney Cox, andDavid Arquetteare back as the trio of OG survivors, each giving game performances as the beloved characters, who, once again, find themselves caught up in the murderous games of a masked killer.
In 1996, set a new bar for meta-horror, introducing a cast of characters who knew “the rules” of the genre as well as any film student. The sequel made that literal by putting the characters in a college film class. ButScream 4had to content with the next generation; ultra-nerd millennials with webcams, rage, and hunger for self-made fame.Kevin Williamson’s script has some of the cheekiest, most playful moments in a franchise known for its clever wit and the ensemble of teens, while not quite as lovable as the original gang, is full of standouts.Emma Robertsis unforgettable in her wild performance as the would-be final girl gone wrong andHayden Panettieresteals scenes as a next-gen cool girl film nerd. If the film ended about 10 minutes earlier than it does, it’d be an all-timer, and while it has some undeniably sloppy moments, there’s just too much Craven’s genius and that singular quintessentialScreamto leave it off the list.- Haleigh Foutch
The Final Girls
Director:Todd Strauss-Schulson
Writer:M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller
Cast:Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev, Alia Shawkat, Thomas Middleditch, Adam Devine, Angela Trimbur
If you want another movie likeBehind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernonthat plays with the slasher formula to great effect and celebrates genre every step of the way, directorTodd Strauss-Schulsonhas you covered with his 2015 release,The Final Girls. The movie starsTaissa Farmigaas Max Cartwright. Her late mother, Amanda (Malin Akerman), starred in the 80s slasher movieCamp Bloodbath, which is now a cult classic. Max’s friends manage to convince her to attend an anniversary screening and while they’re there, they get sucked into the movie themselves! Can they survive the killer’s wrath alongside the characters ofCamp Bloodbath?
One of my favorite qualities of a slasher movie (and any movie for that matter) is when one packs the power to make you wonder, how would I do in that situation? Do I have what it takes to be a final girl like Max or would my horror-loving heart cause me to get a little too close to the action likeThomas Middleditch’s character, Duncan. Not only isThe Final Girlsan utter blast packed with countless clever twists on genre tropes, but it also rocks stunning production design, widely impressive camera moves and, perhaps most important of all, more heart than you know. Whether it’s the connection between the real word friends or between Max and her mother,The Final Girlsguarantees a good time with some very well earned tears in the mix. Strauss-Schulson and writersM.A. FortinandJoshua John Millermanage to pull off the feat of affectionately spoofing the genre while earning a place amongst the ranks of the best in the process. - Perri Nemiroff
Friday the 13th (2009)
Director: Marcus Nispel
Writer: Damian Shannon and Mark Swift
Cast: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Derek Mears, Aaron Yoo, Travis Van Winkle, Julianna Guill, Ryan Hansen, Willa Ford
The general tide seems to have shifted on this one over time, and that’s great! BecauseMarcus Nispel’s 2009 reboot ofFriday the 13thdeserves a lot more credit than it got when it hit theaters (the current 26% on Rotten Tomatoes is pure crazy talk, but I digress.) It’s a bit more severe than the famously campy and intentionally low-brow origins of the beloved horror franchise, butFriday the 13thlooks great, takes its time with some of the franchise’s most cruel and creative kills, and generally makes Camp Crystal Lake cinema’s most terrifying and ill-advised summer camp destination.
The film’s first 15 minutes or so deliver some of the bestscenes in the history of the franchise, and while the film never quite recaptures that high, there’s plenty to love about this take on Jason, which simultaneously gives him some of his most vile and most sympathetic moments. That’s fitting for the character, who’s always been something of a tragic monster, and while all the mythologizing doesn’t totally work, the subterranean tunnels are an inspired choice that enhance the character’s preternatural ability to be everywhere, all the time while also offering a fresh setting for some of the film’s best-staged set-pieces.Friday the 13thtouches on all the hallmarks of the franchise it’s revamping without pandering or copy-pasting what came before it. It’s a damn fine remake, and especially after the franchise spent a decade caught up in development hell and tangled rights contests, it’s more apparent than ever that it deserves a lot more credit for what it brought to the table. –Haleigh Foutch
Happy Death Day
Director:Christopher Landon
Writer:Scott Lobdell
Cast:Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard
Here we go again! WithBehind the Mask,The Final Girlsand nowHappy Death Day, this is starting to look a lot like the century of high quality horror satires.Scott Lobdell’s script approaches the slasher genreGroundhog Daystyle. Tree (Jessica Rothe) is living the good life at college, partying and strutting around campus without a care in the world beyond herself.On the day of her birthday, she wakes up in the dorm room of a guy she met the night before, Carter (Israel Broussard). Later that night, while on the way to her own birthday party, Tree is attacked and killed. But the thing is, that’s not the end of Tree’s story. After her murder, she suddenly wakes up in Carter’s bed on the morning of her birthday again.
How many time loop stories are too many time loop stories? None, if they’re as clever, entertaining and suspenseful asHappy Death Day! Not only is the film a big winner for directorChristopher Landon, but it’s also a movie that proves Rothe is a one-of-a-kind star. The story rests largely on her shoulders and also requires a very firm handle on its unique style and tone. Not only does Rothe have to play victim in order to keep the suspense up, but she’s also got to nail the script’s sassy and dark sense of humor. Rothe doesn’t just tick all of those boxes; she takes what’s on the page, makes it her own, and ensures that Tree is oozing with personality from opening to close.
Another wonderful thing aboutHappy Death Day? It’s got an excellent sequel that keeps the concept fresh but stays true to what’s established in the original.Happy Death 2Umay have been painfully under-seen when it was first released, but it’s well worth turning this recommendation into aHappy Death Daydouble feature. - Perri Nemiroff
Wolf Creek
Director: Greg McLean
Writer: Greg McLean
Cast: John Jarratt, Cassandra Magrath, Kestie Morassi, Nathan Phillips
I’m going to be honest, I haven’t watchedWolf Creekfor a very, very long time so I won’t have as much to say about this one. But that’s exactly why it deserves to be on the list.Greg McLean’s 2005 outback slasher pits a trio of backpackers against a psychotic local who gets a thrill out of hunting tourists. The film sparked a franchise, including sequels and a TV series, that’s still kicking 15 years later, but I saw it exactly once when it was in theaters and there are sequences that still stick with me (“stick” being the key word here). Nobody does grim and punishing horror quite like the Aussies (see also:Hounds of Love,Snowtown Murders, andKilling Ground, etc.) and still stands out among the pack as one of the most haunting and unnerving of the bunch. – Haleigh Foutch
