Best horror movie of the '21st century'...?

[The Dark Defender]

I didn't get that they were the most non-violent people imaginable. They were a pretty typical family sure, they come off as saints either.

And again, the same could be said of any other horror film where innocent, and mostly defenseless people are horribly victimized till they start toughening up in order to survive. Add to that the fact that the film had a bunch of other horror movie cliches. I didn't feel like they were savages in the end, but that they did what needed to be done. I mean if anything I was disturbed by what they'd been through, and not what they had to do to make it out alive.

The point is the social commentary of how the mutants got the way they were, the mutants themselves were once the "normal American family" and had no interest in hurting anyone either, again until their land was blown up by a corrupt, greedy, selfish government, turning them into brutal savages; which is exactly what the the typical American family that we meet at the beginning (whether they had to or not) turned into during the latter part of the film. The bottom line is that both were typical American families that had horrible acts of violence committed on them that caused them to react with more horrible acts of violence.
The movie is an allegory for Modern America and terrorism(look where the film takes place, out in the desert), if one monstrous act did not occur, it wouldn't lead to another, and another...
There were a few cliches here and there, but the film hardly centralized on them.

 

[Showtime]

I would say my favorite horror film of the 21st century would have to be Session 9. Very good creep factor to it.

 

[Abaddon]

The point is the social commentary of how the mutants got the way they were, the mutants themselves were once the "normal American family" and had no interest in hurting anyone either, again until their land was blown up by a corrupt, greedy, selfish government, turning them into brutal savages; which is exactly what the the typical American family that we meet at the beginning (whether they had to or not) turned into during the latter part of the film.
The movie is an allegory for Modern America and terrorism, if one monstrous act did not occur, it wouldn't lead to another, and another...
There were a few cliches here and there, but the film hardly centralized on them.

well that might've been the point, but it was hard to imagine the mutants were ever anything other than savages. And I'm not sure I understand they were forced into becoming savage, cannibal, rapists. But yeah, I can see the violence begets violence dealy. Maybe if the mutants were a little less generic, I would've fully understood what was being communicated. Meh, overall just wasn't my cup of tea.

 

[Mr.Webs]

My choices have already been stated, from The Descent to Saw, to The Hills Have Eyes. But, alas, they all have their fair share of flaws, and while 28 Days Later does as well, it is the most 'perfect' in my mind out of them all.

 

[The Dark Defender]

That was the idea of the film, they didn't bother showing us who they were as people because the family that we are now watching is who they were before their land was bombed, hence the idea of Brain's "you made us what we've become" speech. They used to be normal families like the rest of us prior to the nuclear testing.
That type of graphic violence isn't everyones cup of tea, but it really was part of the characterization as well as the films message.

 

[L0ngsh0t]

I still think Slither is much much better than Descent, I don't know if it is the best horror movie of the 21st century or not

Devils Rejects also happens to be one fantastic movie

 

[The Dark Defender]

I thought Slither was a fun movie, but The Descent reminded me of why I love horror so much and movies in general.

The Devil's Rejects is also a great movie, but I'd take The Descent over it.

 

[JTStarkiller]

Silent Hill would be my choice.

 

[Golgo-13]

Violence and horror movies do not always go hand in hand. Comedies and humor do. Your analogy is flawed. Less would've been more in The Descent (that goes with seeing the ridiculous looking ape-men as well)

The riduculous looking ape-men as you call them, were necessary. The cave painting the girls saw in the cave showed, to me, that they were once humans but evolved to live underground, so they are the same as you or i, just evolution pushed them in a different path because of their enviroment..i thought it was a nice touch.....

 

[Shuley]

So far...they all suck.

 

[KenK]

I agree with those who nominate The Descent. Even without the monsters, it was still a very gripping, emotionally-driven thriller that had plenty of scares in that regard. You've got all the common fears exhibited, heights, the dark, and enclosed spaces. The monsters, in all actuality, were just icing on the cake. It really does earn its comparisons to Alien, in my opinion.

As for the Ring, still the only good J-Horror remake, and one I think actually outshines the original. It essentially rewrites the second act from scratch and still manages to reach the same conclusions. It still addresses the themes of the original and hits the same beats storywise, and none of it ever feels forced. Then adding to that, you've got some stunning cinematography, a very chilling score, great use of color for moods, and the subtle jump scares like the girl in the closet. To this day, it still freaks me out. And of course, the crawling out of the television. That kind of imagery stays with you, as it did me.

 

[L0ngsh0t]

So far...they all suck.

I disagree

there are a couple of gems

Descent is very good, I don't think it is the best, but it is quite good

Descent
Slither
Devil's Rejects
Dawn of the Dead
Hills Have Eyes

I think all of those where very good horror movies

 

[chamber-music]

A bit off topic but I watched Night of the Demons today and it was hilarious. They shamelessly riped off evil dead, the acting was terrribble and the characters so cliche. That said it was still one of themost enjoyable horror movies I have watched in a long time. The 80's real was a golden era for horror movies.

 

[chamber-music]

I didn't care for The Descent. It had no plot, no characters that I cared about (which really makes a horror movie tense for me), was violent simply for the sake of it. The only thing it had going for it was creepy atmospheres.

I'd say The Ring remake is my favorite so far.

The originals where better. I have yet to see any J-horror thats been given a hollywood remake better the orginal.

 

[Bat Attack]

Best Original Horror film: The Descent
Best Non-Original: The Hills Have Eyes

But I'll take 80's horror films over this decades horror films any day.

 

[L0ngsh0t]

Best Original Horror film: The Descent
Best Non-Original: The Hills Have Eyes

But I'll take 80's horror films over this decades horror films any day.

see the descent isn't even all that original though

it basically played off of the whole theme of 2006 which was mutants/monsters in caves

like every good horror movie outside of Slither was mutants in caves

 

[Bat Attack]

True dat.

 

[KenK]

see the descent isn't even all that original though

it basically played off of the whole theme of 2006 which was mutants/monsters in caves

like every good horror movie outside of Slither was mutants in caves

Wasn't the Descent originally in 2005? And how many other "mutant in cave" movies came out recently for The Descent to play off of?

 

[L0ngsh0t]

Wasn't the Descent originally in 2005? And how many other "mutant in cave" movies came out recently for The Descent to play off of?

well there is hills have eyes, wolf creek was like in a cave, the cave, the cavern, there where a couple others too that i can't think of off the top of my head, but 5 movies about mutants, caves, or mutants in caves for 1 year is alot

I still think Hills Have Eyes was possibley a bit better than Descent too

 

[Warhammer]

Why are people listing Saw?
That movie was a psychological thriller. Not horror.
The only scary thing about it is that it could really happen.
The sequels were straight up gorefests with a bit of mystery built in.

Anyway, I'd have to agree with Matt and Kevin Roegele.
The film was good and so much tension is built up during the movie.

 

[L0ngsh0t]

Why are people listing Saw?
That movie was a psychological thriller. Not horror.
The only scary thing about it is that it could really happen.
The sequels were straight up gorefests with a bit of mystery built in.

Anyway, I'd have to agree with Matt and Kevin Roegele.
The film was good and so much tension is built up during the movie.

Its easy to say saw isn't that great in hindsight

but the first time everyone saw the first one, it blew there ****ing minds unlike anything that has come out this century, i think it deserves to be on the list, I also think it is better than the Descent

 

[Warhammer]

I like Saw and it's sequels.
I didn't say that they sucked, but it is not a horror movie.
They are thrillers. The latter 2 being gorefest thrillers.

 

[Golgo-13]

All you 'The Ring' fans, this movie used to be a fav but 'The Ring 2' just killed it for me.....absolutely the worst horror sequel of all time, imo. It was sssssooooooooooooooo bad, it made me change my love for the original into hatred, because i knew, while watching the first one now, what ridiculous events are to follow Noami Watts character in the sequel.

 

[The Dark Defender]

well there is hills have eyes, wolf creek was like in a cave, the cave, the cavern, there where a couple others too that i can't think of off the top of my head, but 5 movies about mutants, caves, or mutants in caves for 1 year is alot

I still think Hills Have Eyes was possibley a bit better than Descent too

None of those films are centralized in caves at all, and The Descent has much more of a psychological aspect to it.
As for The Cave and The Cavern, both of those were made after The Descent as Americanized carbon copies before most of the American audience was aware of The Descent's existence.
The Descent is also based on a book from 1999.
The Descent was also slated for a 2005 release in the US, but after The Cave, they didn't want to release them so close together.

I love HHE too, I'd rank it as one of the closest to The Descent.

 

[Bat Attack]

"The Cave"...*shudders*