Back for Blood: 5 Horror Sequels That Got It Right

Horror sequels usually get a bad rap—and honestly, a lot of them deserve it. For every one decent one, there'll be ten horrendously bad ones. LIke, I could give you way more examples of films that completely missed the mark, but I'd rather give you a few examples of the rare occasion the team behind it have nailed it. So, in no particular order, enjoy 5 Horror Sequels That Got It Right.

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Evil Dead II (Sam Raimi, 1981)

A delirious blend of horror and comedy, Evil Dead II turns chaos into an art form. Sam Raimi unleashes nonstop kinetic madness whilst Bruce Campbell’s Ash evolves into the chainsaw-wielding legend we all know and love today. It’s loud, gory (so so gory), hilarious and endlessly influential. Whilst I will always appreciate how gloriously indie & low-budget the original was, this was an all round better film.

Scream 2 (Wes Craven, 1997)

Sequels about sequels shouldn’t usually work—but the dream team of Wes Craven & Kevin Williamson are clever enough to pull off another incredible meta-slasher. It’s sharper, bloodier, and just as self-aware as the original. The rules change, the stakes rise, the story and characters expand, and Ghostface proves he’s more than a one-movie (and location) gimmick.

Aliens (James Cameron, 1986)

A genre shift done right. Aliens trades isolation for escalation, turning sci-fi horror into relentless action packed survival horror. The tension is suffocating, the creatures are deadlier than ever (and equally more impressive than its predecessor), the action sequences are on point and Ripley’s transformation into a hardened survivor is iconic.

Friday the 13th: Part 2 (Steve Miner, 1981)

Being as we only got a glimpse of him in the original film, this is where Jason Voorhees truly begins his reign of terror. Ditching the whodunit angle of the first film, Part II leans fully into stalk-and-slash territory. The burlap sack may not be as iconic as the hockey mask, but the raw brutality and relentless pacing make this sequel essential viewing for any slasher fan. Me personally, I would've loved to have seen more of the burlap sack brute.

Halloween (David Gordon Green, 2018)

I know they'll be plenty reading this that'll disagree here, but I loved this sequel. Well the majority of it...wasn't a fan of the Dr Sartain twist/angle. But I consider that a minor issue in a reasonably solid sequel.

By retconning all of the previous (and at times ridiculous) sequels, Halloween restores Michael Myers as a silent, unstoppable force with James Jude Courtney delivering a truly chilling performance as the iconic slasher. Jamie Lee Curtis delivers a powerhouse performance alongside the equally great Matichak & Greer, and the film balances brutal kills with psychological tension returning to the roots of the franchise—exactly what was needed.