9 underrated slashers that deserve more attention (and where you can watch them)

Calling all horror enthusiasts! Are you looking for something entertaining to watch? If so, you should check out our list below of some of the most underrated slashers. These horror movies just didn't get the recognition they deserved, so we decided to put a spotlight on them.

Hush (2016)

• Directed by: Mike Flanagan
• Written by: Flanagan and Kate Siegel
• Where to watch: Hush is coming to digital on Aug. 27, 2024

Hush might have received positive reviews from critics when it hit Netflix back in April 2016, but it just doesn't get mentioned enough when discussing some of the best slashers, and that's a problem in my book.

It stars scream queen Kate Siegel as a successful deaf-mute horror author who finds herself entangled in a cat-and-mouse game with a masked intruder who breaks into her home late one night. John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan, and Emma Graves join Siegel in the cast.

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

• Directed and written by: Robert Hiltzik
• Where to watch: Tubi for free, Peacock for free, available to rent or buy on digital platforms

Known for its shocking twist ending, Sleepaway Camp is a cult classic slasher film revolving around a series of mysterious and gruesome deaths occurring at a summer camp for teens. The cast includes Mike Kellin, Katherine Kamhi, Paul DeAngelo, Jonathan Tiersten, Felissa Rose, Christopher Collet, and Karen Fields.

My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)

• Directed by: Patrick Lussier
• Written by: Todd Farmer and Zane Smith
• Where to watch: Tubi for free, Amazon Prime Video, available to rent or buy on digital platforms

My Bloody Valentine 3D serves as a remake of the 1981 slasher of the same name. It's another cult classic slasher centering around the residents of a small town who are targeted by a serial killer wielding a pickaxe and dressed in mining gear on Valentine's Day. Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith, Kevin Tighe, Tom Atkins, and Edi Gathegi star in this horror flick.

Maniac (1980)

• Directed by: William Lustig
• Written by: C. A. Rosenberg and Joe Spinell
• Where to watch: Tubi for free, Shudder, available to rent or buy on digital platforms

Maniac is a pretty disturbing slasher, so it might not be for everyone. It centers around a twisted psychopath with a traumatic past as he goes on a killing spree in New York City. Growing up, Frank was abused as a child by his neglectful mother. This significantly impacted his psychological state, ultimately leading him to become a serial killer who stalks, murders, and then scalps his victims. The late Joe Spinell stars in the leading role of Frank Zito.

The Final Girls (2015)

• Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson
• Written by: M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller
• Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on digital platforms

The Final Girls is a comedy slasher, so there are some light moments in this film. The plot revolves around a group of teenage girls who, after being transported into a 1980s slasher film, find themselves trying to survive against a fictional killer. The cast comprises Taissa Farmiga, Malin Åkerman, Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, and Nina Dobrev.

Tragedy Girls (2017)

• Directed by: Tyler MacIntyre
• Written by: MacIntyre and Chris Lee Hill
• Where to watch: Tubi for free, Peacock for free, Hulu, available to rent or buy on digital platforms

Another underrated slasher would have to be Tragedy Girls. It follows two best friends and aspiring social media influencers who commit murders in an attempt to gain fame and boost their social media followings. Alexandra Shipp and Brianna Hildebrand star in the leading roles of the two murderous best friends, McKayla and Sadie.

Hell Fest (2018)

• Directed by: Gregory Plotkin
• Written by: Seth M. Sherwood, Blair Butler, Akela Cooper
• Where to watch: Pluto TV for free, Freevee with ads, available to rent or buy on digital platforms

The film takes place at a horror-themed amusement park on Halloween night and revolves around a group of friends who are targeted by a masked serial killer. In order to avoid being caught, the killer blends in with the park's actors and attractions. This underrated slasher stars Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Christian James, Matt Mercurio, Roby Attal, and Tony Todd.

The Burning (1981)

• Directed by: Tony Maylam
• Written by: Bob Weinstein and Peter Lawrence
• Where to watch: Tubi for free, Amazon Prime Video

Known for its intense and gory special effects, The Burning centers around a vengeful summer camp caretaker who, after being left severely burned and disfigured after a prank gone wrong, seeks revenge on those who caused his injuries. The cast is made up of Brian Matthews, Leah Ayres, Brian Backer, Jason Alexander, Larry Joshua, Lou David, and others.

Prevenge (2016)

• Directed and written by: Alice Lowe
• Where to watch: Shudder, available to rent or buy on digital platforms

Prevenge stars Black Mirror: Bandersnatch actress Alice Lowe as a pregnant woman who, after losing her husband in a tragic accident, begins to be haunted by a voice in her head that she believes to be her unborn child. The voice influences her to go on a killing spree, where she murders those she blames for her husband's death.

What slashers do you think are underrated?

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