5 Underrated Horror Movie Reboots That No One Talks About Today

It's no secret that "reboot" feels like a dirty word for many fandoms. In the horror community, don't even mention it unless you want to be met with pitchforks and forum flame wars, since so many people still live with the bitter disappointment of 2010's "A Nightmare on Elm Street," which Reddit agrees is the absolute worst horror remake of all time. Much like with anything in life, though, it isn't all bad, because positive outliers do exist.

There are horror reboots that have aged well, or turned out far better than most people give them credit for. As a matter of fact, the only thing holding them back from being deemed classics is their association with the originals. In this sense, they're underrated gems that deserve a second look.

Now, bear in mind that this feature isn't about universally regarded remakes, such as 2024's "Nosferatu" or 1986's "The Fly." This is a shoutout to the movies that don't have fans screaming from the rafters about how good they are when they should be. So, let's right this wrong by recognizing and appreciating the underrated horror reboots that no one talks about today.

Director Tom Holland's "Fright Night" remains one of the best '80s vampire movies, marvelously combining horror and comedy into an oh-so-cool midnight classic. The 2011 remake takes its own liberties and switches up parts of the story here and there, but Craig Gillespie's adaptation still sinks its fangs in and refuses to let go for a single second. It knows what the audience wants to see and leans in rather than avoids it.

Much like the original film, Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finds out that his neighbor, Jerry (Colin Farrell), is a vampire, so he tries to convince everyone about the danger lurking in their town. However, Jerry uses his wile and supernatural abilities to turn Charley's life into a nightmare. Charley, though, isn't about to sit around and accept his friends and family being manipulated and destroyed, so he fights back against the bloodsucker.

The casting of the movie proves to be the strongest point, as Farrell convinces as the devilishly charming Jerry, while the late Yelchin turns himself into a bona fide scream king. Throw in Christopher Mintz-Plasse's over-the-top Evil Ed and David Tennant's glorious turn as Peter Vincent, and this becomes a monster mash that everyone can vibe with. Critics agreed as well, awarding "Fright Night" a 72% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Clive Barker's 1987 horror classic "Hellraiser" explores the sweet spot of pleasure and pain. It's also the living embodiment of play stupid games, win stupid prizes, as people tinker around with a mysterious puzzle box that summons the hellish Cenobites to torture them even further. In 2022's "Hellraiser," director David Bruckner doesn't retell the story of Frank Cotton and his sister-in-law Julia's affair that turns bloody and brutal; instead, Bruckner and co. kick off an all-new tale that honors the original premise but works well as a standalone movie too.

Here, Riley McKendry (Odessa A'zion) comes into possession of the dreaded puzzle box. Of course, Riley and her pals play with it, unleashing the Cenobites, led by the acupuncture-giddy Priest (Jamie Clayton), affectionately known as Pinhead. There's more than meets the eye in this story, though, as everything connects back to the mysterious, rich businessman Roland Voight (Goran Višnjić), who messed around and found out before.

While "Hellraiser" doesn't propel the franchise's narrative forward in an innovative way, Bruckner amplifies the gore to frightening and nightmarish levels. In addition, Clayton establishes herself as a more than worthy successor to Doug Bradley as the sinister and commanding Pinhead, while the other Cenobites — such as Chatterer (Jason Liles), Weeper (Yinka Olorunnife), and Gasp (Selina Lo) — ensure that viewers will sleep with the light on moving forward. Yes, they're such sights to behold, but no thanks.

There are an equal number of scary and funny moments in the "Evil Dead" franchise. Filmmaker Sam Raimi and lead star Bruce Campbell changed the game with a series that pushed the boundaries of horror while always keeping one foot firmly in the comedy camp. To be fair, no one gave filmmaker Fede Álvarez's 2013 reboot "Evil Dead" much of a shot in the first place, because a) it wasn't directed by Raimi, and b) Campbell's Ash Williams isn't the main character (Ash makes a post-credits cameo, though).

This version shifts the focus to a new group of characters who head to a remote cabin and discover an ancient book that unleashes a curse on them and summons the Deadites. At the heart of the action is Mia Allen (Jane Levy), who goes through the most, becoming possessed, meeting her evil doppelgänger, and losing her hand in the process.

What separates 2013's "Evil Dead" from the 1981 original is that Álvarez doubles down on the horror side of business. This reboot lacks the wit and tongue-in-cheek humor of Raimi's classic, but the Deadites turn out to be more malevolent and violent here. It's a bloody good time — with emphasis being on the bloody part — as both fans and critics gave it a 64% approval on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, the franchise has moved on since then, but let's give credit where it's due: "Evil Dead" is a highly underrated horror movie reboot.

Cannibal movies hit harder than most horrors, because what's more terrifying than people doing bad things to others, then searing their bodies and enjoying the meal with fava beans and a nice chianti? Wes Craven perfected this with 1977's "The Hills Have Eyes;" however, there's a case to be made that Alexandre Aja's 2006 remake might actually be scarier than the original.

The premise stays largely the same with a few minor adjustments, as a family takes a road trip across the country; however, they find themselves stranded in the desert. What awaits them is a group of hungry mutant cannibals who can't wait to tuck into their next meal, but they also love to play with their food.

A master of horror, Aja knows how to create the type of terror that gets under the viewer's skin and continues to scratch even in the quiet moments. In addition to this, "The Hills Have Eyes" features a number of scenes that are difficult to watch and get through, as the cannibals show no mercy to their victims by taunting and brutalizing them. Look, this isn't a movie for the queasy or those easily disturbed, but it's undeniable that there are very few people who walk away from this film unaffected by what they watched. Hands down, it's one of the best horror movie remakes of the 2000s.

Nowadays, everyone knows director Matt Reeves for his work on the "Planet of the Apes" and "The Batman" films, but in 2010, he quietly released what can easily be considered one of the best vampire movies of all time in "Let Me In," which even Stephen King loves. A remake of 2008's Swedish film "Let the Right One In," based on the novel of the same name, this turns out to be a different spin on the classic stories about the creatures of the night.

The story follows lonely 12-year-old boy Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) as he strikes up a friendship with the young Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz), who lives next door to him. Their friendship blossoms into something more, but it's complicated when Owen finds out that Abby is a vampire. The question is, will Abby's killer instinct trump the special bond they have built here?

Moody and sentimental, "Let Me In" needs no permission to find its way into the hearts of those who watch it. Smit-McPhee and Moretz put in powerhouse performances beyond their young years in this film, while audiences and critics were unanimous in their praise for this underrated horror movie reboot. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds 89% and 76% on the Tomatometer and Popcornmeter, respectively.