Living In The Shadow: 5 Unfairly Overlooked Horror Sequels

Ashlee Simpson was spitting truth in 2004.

Those of you with older siblings already get it. Sometimes, to no fault of our own, you find yourself forced to compete for the spotlight. Ashlee Simpson epitomized this idea with her one-hit-wonder “Shadow” in 2004. Living in the shadow of Jessica Simpson can’t be easy, and neither is living in the shadow of Ginger Snaps, I’m sure.

Personally, I happen to really enjoy an underrated, under-appreciated, and sometimes altogether forgotten about sequel. There’s something about these titles that are extra special. Do I feel like I get them all to myself? Maybe. Am I a pretentious horror fan that enjoys running against the grain? Hard to say!

Either way… here are five horror sequels that just don’t get enough love.

Topping this list has always been 2004’s undeniable, unbreakable, and totally underseen Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed. This brooding, brutal sequel puts the focus on the literal overshadowed sibling Brigitte. In the first Ginger Snaps, Brigitte was relegated to second fiddle to werewolf hottie older sister Ginger. Ginger Snaps 2 is Brigitte’s turn to shine and shine she does. Emily Perkins is a powerhouse in this perfect sequel that you have to find immediately. Tatiana Maslany is another stand-out in this brilliant film from director Brett Sullivan and writer Megan Martin.

2015 was a year where everything was just easier. It was also the year where we caught the third and perpetually underrated Insidious entry. This time around it was directed by longtime franchise scribe Leigh Whannell who would go on to helm future classics Upgrade and The Invisible Man. The third Insidious film is scary, weird, and different from its forefathers. The main antagonist, The Man Who Can’t Breathe, is one of the most terrifying baddies in recent memory. Especially for those of us like myself who have asthma. Oof. 5 Stars. Be nicer to this little sibling, please.

Psycho IV: The Beginning is a 1990 DTV sequel from Master of Horror Mick Garris, which is already a sign you were getting something special. The film stars Anthony Perkins in his last gig as Norman Bates. A young Henry Thomas appears as Norman during his adolescence, and it’s a performance you won’t soon forget. Other memorable appearances include the iconic CC Pounder and the one and only Olivia Hussey. If you haven’t checked out Psycho 4 yet, run don’t walk. This film is a pure outrageous mood. Get Pinterest ready, because every shot is gorgeous.

The sixth film in the Amityville franchise is also by far the most ridiculous. I can’t promise I know exactly what went down in this entry, but I can promise I loved it. Amityville 6 stars Stephen Macht, Megan Ward, and Damon Martin in fairly excellent performances which help elevate this bonkers sequel into the realms of cosmic terror. The plot has something to do with an old clock that does bad stuff and then a dog really messes a guy up and the world was never the same. While this film is impossible to describe, it’s a film that you’ll be trying to force on your friends for months to come. Watch this one, it’s about time!

I’ve said many times on this website, but Don Mancini is a true Horror Hero. While the Good Guy creator first directed a Chucky entry with the fifth film, it was the long-awaited sixth entry where his vision really shines. Nearly ten years after Seed of Chucky Mancini returned with a dark, scary, and serious rendition of Chucky that still stands as one of my favorites in the entire series. It had been a long time since Chucky had been scary, and I wasn’t even sure it was possible to do. The bottled haunted house vibes of Curse of Chucky are theperfect vibe for the series, and it also was the launching pad for Fiona Dourif’s Nica. While the Chucky franchise has continued to succeed while turning back to humor and charm, I still talk about this sixth film any chance I get.

Tags: sequels

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