Horror is a tricky genre, where it’s hard to impressand effectively send shivers down the spine of all audiences and critics, and plenty ofhorror films from the 1990sprove this. Though the ’90s is a year generally looked at as having some of the best and most influential films within the horror genre, there were a handful of films that earned a divided response from critics. More often than not, the films with the biggest divide between critics were those that combined horror with comedy.
Though it is possible to create a successful mix of the two genres, plenty of films fail in the eyes of critics, asdivisive horror comediestend to inadequately prioritize one genre over the other.Many of these films have earned cult followingsand the critical reception has changed drastically over the years, with movies likeScreambeing viewed as a crucial film in thehorror genre. Whether they were films that tried to merge horror with comedy or they contained weaker scripts that distracted from the intended scares, plenty of ’90s horror movies received a split critical reception.
10Leprechaun (1993)
Directed by Mark Jones
It’s not uncommon for horror films to be associated with holidays other than Halloween, including Valentine’s Day, April Fools' Day, and Saint Patrick’s Day. The figure associated with the latter holiday is the antagonist in the horror comedy,Leprechaun. The film sees a vengeful leprechaun (Warwick Davis) go after a family he believes took his pot of gold.The film was intended to be played seriously as a horror film, but Davis' take on the character turned out to be more humorous.
Leprechaun
Cast
A comedic horror film released in 1993, Leprechaun stars Warwick Davis and Jennifer Aniston in this first installment of the long-running franchise. A decade ago, a man stole a pot of gold from a leprechaun but invites tragedy when the leprechaun seeks vengeance and the return of his gold. Fast forward to the present day, a new family takes up residence in the old house for a summer vacation until a friend accidentally frees the creature, inviting disaster into their lives.
As a result,Leprechaunhas an odd amalgamation of comedy and horror, whichdidn’t work for everyone.Many critics reviewed the film negatively, calling it unfunny and borderline unwatchable. Yet, despite making up a smaller portion of critical reviews at the time, others found joy in the film’s campy tone, deeming it a"so-bad-it’s-good" horror movie.
9Ravenous (1999)
Directed by Antonia Bird
Horror and comedy aren’t two genres that are easily fused, and their combined product hasn’t always been easy for critics to digest. InRavenous, a horror comedy set in the Old West, a group of soldiers is attacked by a mysterious cannibal.
Despite the gruesome acts and depictions of violence,the tone ofRavenousis still largely comedic, be it dark humor. The meshing of the two tones confused audiences, but didn’t bother critics as much. Instead, negative critical reviews ofRavenousfelt the film was too concerned with establishing a chilling atmosphere than setting up an interesting story.
Ravenous
Ravenous is a 1999 horror film directed by Antonia Bird. Set during the Mexican-American War, it follows Captain John Boyd, played by Guy Pearce, as he is transferred to a remote military outpost where he encounters a man with a disturbing tale of cannibalism. The film blends dark humor with gruesome suspense, featuring performances by Robert Carlyle and David Arquette.
To them,the story that was presented wasn’t full or compelling enoughto do right by the film’s otherwise fascinating themes.Ravenous' critiques of manifest destiny and colonialism were presented through acts of cannibalism, which a handful of critics felt was commendable. Still,Ravenousfailed at the box office, and it took years for it to be recognized as a cult film.
8The Exorcist III (1990)
Directed by William Peter Blatty
Following the unexpected levels of success of the first film,Exorcist II: The Hereticwas widely panned by critics and delayed the release of the third installment. Finally, at the beginning of the ’90s,The Exorcist IIIwas released and earned mixed reviews. The film cleverly ignores the events of its predecessor, circling back to characters seen in the original from 1973.The Exorcist IIIis centered around Lieutenant William Kinderman’s search for a serial killer in the local area.
The Exorcist III
The Exorcist III is a supernatural horror film written and directed by William Peter Blatty. Set over a decade after the events of the original Exorcist film, The Exorcist III Follows Lieutenant Kinderman as he investigates a murder that shares similarities to a killer who was executed fifteen years earlier - and a patient at a local psychiatric ward claims to be that same man.
The Exorcist IIIis, without a doubt, the best film inThe Exorcistseries, right after the original. Positive reviews of the movie agree with this sentiment, as critics praise its ability to balance callbacks to the original film whilst still being something entirely new. However, critics with negative takeaways from the film couldn’t help but compare it to the first. Such reviews state howThe Exorcist III, try as it might,isn’t able to capture the same terror and innovation as the original.
7I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Directed by Jim Gillespie
Slasher films are largely associated with the ’80s, meaning releases since then, especially those in the ’90s that barely missed the cutoff, are viewed with an especially critical lens.I Know What You Did Last Summerfollows a group of four teenagers as they’re hunted by a killer following a car accident in which they killed someone. The film isn’t afraid to flaunt its inspirations, proudly shining a spotlight on the urban legends and ’80s slashers it pulls from.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Loosely based on Lois Duncan’s 1973 novel I Know What You Did Last Summer, this 1997 slasher follows a group of friends who, after covering up a car accident, are stalked by a killer wielding a hook. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Freddie Prinze Jr., Johnny Galecki, and Bridgette Wilson star with a script from Scream writer Kevin Williamson.
However, a handful of critics sawI Know What You Did Last Summeras inferior toScream, which had just been released the year before. WhereScreamwas able to have fun parodying the elements of a classic slasher,I Know What You Did Last Summer, in the eyes of critics, tried too hard to be taken seriously. Still, reviews of the film weren’t all bad. Many critics appreciated the slasher’s willingness to explore fascinating character relationships even as the film’s body count was quickly rising.
6Tremors (1990)
Directed by Ron Underwood
Regarded as one ofthe best monster movies of all time,Tremorsseeks to both scare and entertain audiences withits combination of beloved B-movie traits. The film stars Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward as handymen characters wishing to leave their small town after growing tired of their daily routines.
The nonsensical fun wasn’t appreciated by everyone, as other critics felt the film was undecided, being neither scary nor funny enough for its intended mix of genres.
The handymen get the fun adventure they were hoping for when they, along with a seismologist and survivalist couple, fight to survive against a giant flesh-eating worm. The success of the original film led to a series of direct-to-video sequels that pale in comparison.
Tremors
A couple living in a small town forgotten in the desert fight for their survival and to save the world from the attack of giant, carnivorous worms that live under the ground.
The firstTremorsfilm was greatly appreciated by critics for its homage to ’50s monster movies and horror tropes, as well as the fact thatTremorsnever took itself too seriously. However,the nonsensical fun wasn’t appreciated by everyone, as other critics felt the film was undecided, being neither scary nor funny enough for its intended mix of genres.
5Bride Of Chucky (1998)
Directed by Ronny Yu
Taking a drastic turn from previous installments, the fourth film intheChild’s Playfranchise,Bride of Chucky, was much more humorous. The film follows the adventures of Chucky (Brad Dourif) and his former girlfriend, Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly). The film has all the entertaining kills present throughout the franchise but is accompanied bycomedic banter between Chucky and Tiffany, which would reshape the characterization of the former and the remainder of the franchise.
Bride of Chucky
Bride of Chucky is the fourth entry in the Child’s Play franchise and marks the first film to drop the franchise name from the title. Chucky returns in this darkly comedic slasher and finds himself revived after his former girlfriend stitches him back together with the hopes of continuing their relationship. When Chucky decides to transfer her soul into a doll, the two aim to take the bodies of two young lovers as they prepare to elope.
This humorous turn wasn’t appreciated by a majority of critics. Thelack of scares and overuse of self-referential humorinBride of Chuckyleft critics unimpressed with the direction the series of films was going in. However,Bride of Chucky’s over-the-top nature and campiness is what audiences have appreciated about it most. Critical reviews in agreeance with audiences embrace the film’s unique tone.
4From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Acollaborative effort by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino,From Dusk till Dawnisa horror film that begins as an ordinary crime thriller before evolving intoan intense horror film with a vampire showdown. The film follows Tarantino and George Clooney’s characters as they take a family hostage before crossing into Mexico. While waiting in a saloon, they discover it’s run by vampires.
From Dusk Till Dawn
From Dusk Till Dawn is a horror movie directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino. It follows criminal brothers Seth and Richie Gecko (George Clooney and Tarantino), who take a family hostage in a bar that turns out to be a haven for vampires. The film also stars Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and Salma Hayek, and has since become a cult classic.
The film has earned praise from critics for the vampire twist, with a few reviews calling the film an entertaining B-movie with a great setup. However, this tonal shift turned some critics away, as the splash of violence feels sudden and unnecessarily gruesome. As is the case with many divisive horror movies from the ’90s,From Dusk till Dawnwent on to grow a cult following and produced an expansive media franchise with sequel films, a comic book, a video game, and a TV series.
3Army Of Darkness (1992)
Directed by Sam Raimi
After two successful and acclaimed entries intheEvil Deadfilm series, some critics were left feeling disappointed with the series' third installment,Army of Darkness. Compared to the first two films,Army of Darknesshas a lighter tone and seesAsh Williams trapped in the Middle Agesfighting off the undead to return to the present day.The film did well with audiences and a majority of critics, who had yet to grow tired of Bruce Campbell’s performance as Ash or Sam Raimi’s direction.
Army of Darkness
The third film in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness, is a horror comedy film that sees Bruce Campbell return to the role of Ash Williams. Sucked out of his timeline and tossed to 1300 A.D., Ash is found and thrown in a pit after he is believed to be a spy against King Arthur. After proving himself and slaying a supernatural Deadite creature, Ash is freed and told to return home; he must find the Necronomicon and dance with the dead again.
Still, there were a handful of critics who felt the film’s humor didn’t land. Some stated it wasn’t as funny as previous installments andothers claimed its comedic elements felt too cartoonish and absurd.Army of Darknessis still full of fun, which is hard to challenge, and it is this entertainment value that’s led the film to gain a cult following throughout the years.
2Cube (1997)
Directed by Vincenzo Natali
Despite its clever blend of science fiction and horror, certain aspects ofCubeprevent it from earning a sweepingly positive response from critics. Though it can be seen as cheesy,Cubehas a great storythat follows seven individuals trapped in a setup of cube-shaped rooms.
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These individuals must escape the deadly contraptions in and out of the cubes, adding a great sense of tension throughout the entire film.Cubehas since received sequel filmsand has earned a cult following. However,the initial critical response to the film was divided.
Cube
Directed by Vincenzo Natali, Cube is a 1997 Science Fiction and Horror film starring Nicky Guadagni, Nicole de Boer, David Hewlett, and Andrew Miller. The plot sees a group of people mysteriously waking up in a cube-shaped room, only to realize they are trapped in a labyrinth of cubes, some of which feature deadly traps.
On one hand, critics felt that the lackluster characterization, dialogue, and weak writing prevented the film from being truly great. However, others pointed outCube’s undeniable uniqueness with its surreal setting and innovative, horrifying death contraptions. In 2021, a Japanese remake ofCubewas released with a near-identical story, but its critical response was more mediocre.
1Scream (1996)
Directed by Wes Craven
Though it’s recognized today as kickstarting arguablythe best horror movie franchise, the originalScreamearned mixed critical reviews.Screamfollows a group of teenagers trying to evade the infamous serial killer known as Ghostface. Now, the slasher iscelebrated for having reignited interest in the horror genreand for its creative use of meta-humor, but at the time of its release, critics were divided in their response to the film’s balance of horror and humor.
Negative critical reviews claimed the film was too referential and sacrificed telling an intelligible story of its own.
Those dissatisfied withScream’s tone felt the humor took away a significant amount of suspense despite its degree of violence. Negative critical reviews claimed the film was too referential and sacrificed telling an intelligible story of its own.
Scream
1996’s Scream follows a teenage girl who is targeted by a masked killer a year after her mother’s murder who uses horror movies as a deadly game against her and her friends.
A greater number of critics agreedScream’s meta-humor and references to quintessential slasher tropes were admirably executed. Though such comedic choices were intended to get a laugh, they weren’t done with malice like other satirical horror films, and the sharp writing allowed them to stay fresh, made clear by the ongoingScreamfranchise.
