The 10 best Slasher movies of 2022, from ‘Scream’ to ‘Terrifier 2’
Slasher films have always been one of the most popular horror subgenres. Going back in time Halloween and Friday the 13th, slasher films tend to feature a menacing figure in a mask driving his way through a cast of teenagers. While many slashers stick to this formula, others veer in different directions, perhaps telling the story from the villain’s perspective instead.
2022 is an amazing year for horror movies, with films such as Barbaric, Nopeand Smilebecome a box office hit while gaining many fans. It’s taken to the slasher genre, where there are more than a few fantastic new entries. We’ve had revivals of beloved franchises, sequels to modern favorites, and some fresh-faced killers who have arrived on the scene with a glorious splash of red.
‘Body Body Body’
Works as a live-action version of To us, Body Body Body follows a group of friends as they gather in a mansion as a storm rages outside. As a combination of alcohol, drugs, and board games bring up old wounds between the group, things quickly escalate to murder.
Body Body Body ditches the masked killer to focus on a more real fear: being trapped by people you don’t like. While the characters are mostly unlikeable, that’s kind of the point because they accurately portray some of the worst traits of the current generation. Plus, it makes it all the more satisfying when they finally die.
‘pig’
Teen Sara (Laura Gallon) is regularly teased by other teenagers in his town for being overweight, and is labeled as such pig. When their latest cruel prank goes too far, it draws the wrath of a serial killer who has a strong interest in Sara. After watching the man kidnap his tormentors, he struggles to help either him or those he hates.
A unique take on the revenge story usually found in slasher films, pig saw Sara not having to lift a finger, as her oppressors soon crossed paths with the vengeful killer. It’s all anchored by Galan who gives a fantastic performance as the central character, effortlessly able to draw sympathy from the viewer even as his morals turn cloudy.
“Halloween’s End”
The latest chapter in the recent resurgence of Halloween, Halloween is over see Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Allison (Andi Matichak) live together and continue after the events of halloween kills. When newcomer Corey (rohan campbell) came into their lives, evil was unleashed once again in Haddonfield.
Halloween is over is definitely the weakest entry in the reboot trilogy, but it’s a pretty entertaining watch with more than a few big kills. While it certainly stumbles on the landing and feels disjointed compared to the last two films, at least it gives fans a final battle between Laurie and Michael on the big screen.
Halloween is over is available to stream on Peacock.
‘Bloody Christmas Christmas’
Finally answering the question “what would the Terminator look like if he was dressed as Santa Claus”, Bloody Christmas Christmas sees a robotic version of Saint Nick running amok in a quiet town during the holidays. When record store owner Tori crosses paths with murderous Santa, she finds herself enduring a Christmas scarier than your racist uncle’s house while being stalked by a robot.
Directed by the indie horror favorite Joe Begos (Happiness and VFW), Bloody Christmas Christmas is full of blood and gore as Santa Claus and his ax smash their way through anyone who dares cross his path.
Bloody Christmas Christmas is available to stream on Shudder and AMC+.
‘Workshop 666’
What do you do when your band has sold millions of albums, won countless awards and toured the world? Make a horror movie of course! Workshop 666 Look Foo Fighters travel to a supposedly haunted house to record their new record, and soon find themselves prey to the sadistic characters that lurk in its halls.
While Workshop 666 in really funny moments, the humor will be random according to your taste. Dave Grohl takes the lead as he is possessed by the evil that plagues the area, resulting in surprisingly good practical gore effects as he kills the rest of the group.
Workshop 666 is available to stream on Starz.
‘Scary 2’
The sequel to the 2016 cult hit, Scary 2 the sequel tag is taken seriously as it increases everything from casting, removal, and runtime. Resurrected after his murder in the first film, Art the Clown returns to hell as he crosses paths with a teenage girl and her younger brother on Halloween.
The easiest slasher movie of the year, Scary 2 is infamous for the amount of cruelty that art inflicts on its victims. Figures are flayed, dismembered, and beheaded as Art continues his murderous crusade. While the 138-minute runtime is a bit too long, Scary 2 still worth a watch for anyone who likes their compound violence turned up to 11.
‘Chainsaw Massacre’
Billed as a standalone sequel to the original film, Chainsaw Massacre fails as a legacy entry but succeeds as a bloody good time. When a group of young developers travel to Texas to rebuild a small ghost town and turn it into a modern hub, they soon fall prey to Leatherface and his blood-crusted chainsaw.
As expected, Chainsaw Massacre works best when Leatherface is on screen and the big man doesn’t disappoint. He wipes out everyone he comes in contact with, and a special shout out must be given to the bus massacre scene, easily one of the bloodiest horror moments of 2022.
Chainsaw Massacre is available to stream on Netflix.
‘X’
A throwback to 1970s slasher movies, X seems to have been lost for a long time Chainsaw Massacre suite, minus the chainsaw. Arriving at a remote farmhouse to shoot a pornographic film, the cast and production crew quickly become victims of the property’s owners as they are killed one by one.
One of the hit horror movies of 2022, you are westthis is X quickly gained a loyal fan base. Those fans were immediately treated to a prequel film that also came out this year. pearl following Xin its youth, and while still a horror movie, it’s more of a character study of its protagonist than a slasher flick.
X is available to stream on Showtime.
‘Sissy’
Influencer Cecilia (Aisha Dee) does his best to leave a positive imprint on the world around him, but he leads a lonely life apart from his followers. So when a chance encounter with her childhood best friend Emma results in an invitation to her girls’ weekend, she accepts. Things turn sour, however, when Cecilia discovers that their remote home belongs to her former bully, with deadly consequences for everyone.
sister is a satire of the current era of social media and influencers, and it works as both a comedy and a horror movie. As the body count rises, Cecilia finds herself doing anything to maintain the perfect image she’s created online.
sister is available to stream on Shudder.
‘scream’
Scream is one of the greatest slasher franchises of all time, and easily one of the most influential. The fifth entry is the first in over a decade, and it’s worth the wait as it delivers the same combination of quality thrills and meta-humor that fans of the franchise have come to expect as Ghostface looks for a new cast of characters.
Perhaps one of the best examples of a legacy sequel in the horror genre, Scream introducing a new batch of lovable teenagers while honoring the beloved original trio. Ghostface is as badass as ever as they kill off the new blood in a variety of creative ways, delivering some of the best kills in the franchise.
Scream is available to stream on Showtime.
