These 5 ‘90s Slasher Movies Are Underrated (And They Rock)

Though many seem quick to argue that the slasher genre peaked in the ‘80s, but the ‘90s nonetheless produced plenty of noteworthy offerings that have stood the test of time. The decade gave birth to a number of quality efforts that resonated with both critics and fans. Wes Craven’s Scream redefined the genre, popularizing meta horror and inspiring a legion of imposters in the process. Bernard Rose’s Candyman terrified moviegoers with its unflinching tone while simultaneously serving up social commentary on systemic racism.

Though not every ‘90s slasher reaches the lofty heights of those aforementioned efforts, there are still plenty of quality stalk-and-slash pictures that saw release during the decade. For today’s purposes, we’re recalling five ‘90s slashers that get plenty right, yet often seem to get lost in the shuffle.

1) Maniac Cop 2

Although it remains largely under seen by the masses, fans who have had the occasion to experience this film love the way that Maniac Cop 2 ups the ante from the first. This 1990 sequel features top-notch practical effects, brilliant pyrotechnics, and great pacing, to boot. The flick sees the return of Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell), the man who seemingly took down the titular character (Robert Z’Dar) in the first outing.

This time around, the central antagonist is depicted as a zombie-like creature, back from the dead, which adds an extra layer of camp to the proceedings. If you’re looking for a slasher picture that’s action-packed and doesn’t take itself too seriously, look no further than Maniac Cop 2.

2) Urban Legend

Urban Legend unfolds on a college campus, catching up with an ensemble cast who ultimately discover a vengeful killer is lying in wait, taking out unsuspecting students one by one. The film features an impressive cast of ‘90s up-and-comers, along with a number of familiar faces from the horror genre. The flick puts a decidedly sinister spin on popular urban legends, making great use of the sense of familiarity many viewers already have with the themes explored within.

Director Jamie Blanks effectively creates atmospheric tension, blending that with comedic asides and a scenery-chewing antagonist who is clearly having a blast. Critics weren’t kind to the film when it came out, dubbing it a Scream knockoff, which is a true shame. This 1998 slasher does plenty to differentiate itself from that seminal effort and deserves to be evaluated on its own merits.

3) Dr. Giggles

While not a perfect film, there’s still plenty of merit to Manny Coto’s slasher comedy Dr. Giggles. It’s a maniacal effort that features the late Larry Drake in one of the most unhinged performances of his storied career. The proceedings are often frightening and always campy. The kills are brutal and occur at frequent intervals throughout.

Though this farcical feature doesn’t reinvent the wheel, Dr. Giggles still executes effectively enough on slasher tropes, delivering a gruesome good time in the process. The film’s outlandish narrative goes for the gusto, following an escaped mental patient (Drake) with delusions of grandeur and designs on realizing his dreams of becoming a doctor, by absolutely any means necessary.

4) Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare put a meta spin on the slasher genre two years before the director famously did so with Scream. Despite that, this satisfying slasher sequel has never really received the acclaim it richly deserves. Perhaps that’s because the film never really found its footing at the box office. New Nightmare is the lowest-grossing entry in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise; however, that’s absolutely no indication of quality.

For many fans, this underrated effort stands as one of the scariest series installments, thanks in no small part to the way it blends real life and fantasy. Heather Langenkamp, who plays Nancy in A Nightmare on Elm Street, appears as a fictionalized version of herself, gradually blurring the line between Heather and Nancy. As the film progresses, Heather finds herself pulled into the dream world, ultimately taking on Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) on his home turf.

5) Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh

Sure, Farewell to the Flesh lacks some of the depth of its predecessor, but this 1995 sequel nonetheless functions as a competent execution of the groundwork established by the original. It’s great fun to see the legendary Tony Todd return to play the titular character. This time we’re in New Orleans, following a schoolteacher (Kelly Rowan) whose brother (William O’Leary) is wrongfully accused of murder.

We actually get to see some of the Candyman’s backstory here, whereas the original was largely focused on the lead character, Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen). Todd turns in a nuanced showing that gives credence to the character’s vengeful nature and even provides the audience reason to empathize with his violent inclinations. This underrated sequel is dripping with atmosphere effectively established by director Bill Condon. If you’ve overlooked this follow-up effort to date, believe us when we say that it’s well worth seeking out.

Now that we’ve named our top five underrated ‘90s slashers, we want to hear from you. Take to the comments to let us know which stalk-and-slash pictures from the decade you consider underrated and why.

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