10 Horror Sequels That Were Better

We're at that spooky time of year where we watch Hocus Pocus on repeat and fight the urge to watch Halloween H20 everyday (just me?) It's no secret that I adore a good horror movie. You can read all about my history with this movie genre in my 'Why I Love The Horror Genre' post. I think 90% of horror movies now have sequels, so here's a list of all my favorites that I scandalously think are better than the original!

The Descent Part 2 (2009)

Starring: Natalie Mendoza, Shauna Macdonald

The 2005 movie The Descent has always been a favourite. A group of women venture to an underground cave for an adrenaline filled weekend away, only to discover that they aren't alone down there. I've seen a recent surge of love for the movie as I think it was finally added to some streaming network, however, I rarely see people talking about the sequel. Was it realistic? No, but so darn enjoyable which automatically gives it more of a rewatch value to me. In Part 2 a group of rescuers go in search of the missing woman mere days since they vanished. I think both movies take place over 36 hours which is such a fun touch. 

The Hills Have Eyes II (2007)

Starring: Daniella Alonso, Jessica Stroup, Lee Thompson Young

Now, we're talking about both the original 1977 The Hills Have Eyes, the 1984 sequel, and the 2006 remake here. The first two movies didn't have rape as such a huge scare tactic which does automatically put them higher in my mind. Rape in horror always puts me off as if it's a decent enough horror, you shouldn't have to use sexual violence to scare the audience. It's cheap and disgusting. (Don't even get me started on movies such as Eden Lake, I Spit On Your Grave, and The Last House On The Left. Blegh.) However, as horrors go, I didn't find the first two very creepy. They had that classic Wes Craven feel which I'm still unsure about. I know, I know, I automatically sacrifice my horror lover badge for saying that. The 2006 Hills Have Eyes had a great secluded feel to it, if you don't already know, the movie is about a family on a roadtrip who break down in the desert where inbred cannibals reside. The 2007 sequel is about a group of National Guard trainees who find themselves battling the same cannibals. What I personally think made the sequel better was how quickly you care for the characters. It made for a more high-stakes watch. The deaths were more gory, and I think the writing have the cannibals themselves more depth. But like always, I suggest you fast-forward the rape scenes.

Halloween (2018)

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak

I could very easily put Halloween H20 here as it's my all time favourite movie. However, I think 2008 Halloween that completely retconned my favourite movie from the franchise was.. *sniffles*.. better. The story, acting, characters, everything. That scene where Michael puts his mask back on? Classic. I also think it'll age very well, unlike some of the other movies in the series. Don't fuck with Mothers, basically. I'm so glad it wasn't a dumpster fuck like the Rob Zombie movies. I'm still personally offended at those "movies".

Final Destination II (2003)

Starring: A. J. Cook, Ali Carter, Tony Todd, Justina Machado

I recently rewatched this franchise with @BilliamSWN and color me surprised! I always thought that the third installment in this series was my favorite but I have to officially change it to the second. I know! The third is unquestionably a better overall movie. The three year gap between movies really did a lot for the overall quality of the filming and death scenes. However, now I've realized that the second is such a better overall story. It's cheesy AF but in an endearing way and I really like how it connected to the first with Clear. 

Conjuring 2 (2016)

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Madison Wolfe

The first Conjuring movie sucked if you're familiar with basic plots from paranormal movies, I'm sorry. The only thing it had going for it were the better effects and actors. However, The Conjuring 2 was made to scare us all. (Ignoring the thin man thingy which was dumb) I don't know what it was about the second to really bring it, but it was so good. The child actors were all great (unlike 89% of horror movies) and I enjoyed the in-depth look at Ed and Loraine's relationship away from the paranormal stuff. The added bonus of it being Christmas time also thrilled me. 

Ouija: Origin Of Evil (2016)

Starring: Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, Kate Siegel 

I think we can all agree that Ouija was a clusterfuck of a movie. The teens were basic bitches that literally did everything that was mandatory for them to die. Plus the plot was literally an entire Supernatural episode, plot twist and all. Like, huh? However, the sequel was rather enjoyable. I'll admit to mainly watching it because it starred Esme from Twilight  but it surprised the heck out me. The "jump scares" were decent, the story itself was realistic as far as paranormal movies can be, and the ending didn't make me roll my eyes. If you're looking for a haunting type movie, I fully recommend this. 

Annabelle: Creation (2017)

Starring: Talitha Bateman, Stephanie Sigman, Lulu Wilson

Another movie from The Conjuring universe? Yup. Annabelle was a huge let down. It was filled with cliché jumpscares, obvious plot twists, and 'my wife is just going crazy, let's not believe her' moments. So when Annabelle: Creation was announced I was dubious. However, this was darn good. Creation is centered around a nun and six orphaned girls who move into a farmhouse with a couple who are still mourning the death of their daughter Annabelle. Yup, this is the origin story of that creepy ass doll. There was something so wholesome about this movie while still keeping it's intended freaky elements. The child actors were incredible in their roles and it really sparked a desire in me to foster or adopt. 

The Purge Anarchy (2014)

Starring: Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford

As a movie, The Purge has such a cool synopsis. When the first trailer dropped I was so enthusiastic. In a bid to dispense of the lower class, the government has made every crime legal for a 12-hour period each year. I loathed the first movie, it fitted into every cliché possible and good God the characters were insufferable. I hated them all. But then The Purge Anarchy came to save the franchise. The sequel revolves around a group of people who accidentally find themselves outside during The Purge and are thus forced to fight for survival. The characters in this were flawed, diverse, and great. You want them all to survive, which is a miracle when in comparison to the first when I was hoping every single one of them idiots died. I really loved Leo's character in Anarchy and if I'm ever in a situation like this, I want him and Arkin from The Collector with me. 

Scream 3 (2000)

Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Parker Posey

Scream was one of the first horror franchises that I remember watching as a child and automatically loving. As it was originally intended to be a trilogy, I think Scream 3 did a wonderful job at wrapping up the story. The twist was surprising and aided in making the story come full circle. Sydney is a scream queen icon and I personally found this to be the movie that put her in the 'bad ass' category. The story within the story aspect of the movie was also really fun and came much more alive in this one with the actors playing Sydney, Dewey, and Gale becoming entwined into the actual characters lives. A whole lot of fun. 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) 

Starring: Jordana Brewster, Matt Bomer

Texas Chainsaw is a franchise with so many different remakes or reboots. I've lost count at how many new 'the beginning' movies we've had. Alas, the 2005 is superior in so many ways. It's a great origin story for both leatherface and the family, as I think we can all argue that the sheriff is the real monster. I liked how it only had four actual main characters, meaning that you get more time to grow to care for them without it being a huge cast with the obvious intention of getting a higher kill count. I also found the gore and violence in this movie much more unsettling than the others. 

Are there any movies on this last that you have yet to watch? Let me know!