Most great horror films can’t be outdone by a sequel, but I have a few favorites that do, and for good reason. My three favorite horror sequels are: “Hatchet II” (2010), “Annabelle: Creation” (2017), and “When A Stranger Calls Back” (1993).
I absolutely love these sequels more than the originals, and here’s why.
Hatchet II (2010)
The first film had some upsides, such as its comedy and badass intro. However, the characters were uninteresting, making the film overall slow and boring until the action takes place.
One of the best aspects of “Hatchet II” is that Danielle Harris (“Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers,” Rob Zombie’s “Halloween”), is the lead “final girl.”
Another horror icon, Tony Todd (“Candyman,” “Hell Fest”) is a character with unexpected intentions. Kane Hodder (“Jason X,” “The Devil’s Rejects”), plays the vicious slasher, Victor Crowley.
After Marybeth Dunston witnesses and survives Crowley, she meets with Rev. Zombie (Tony Todd), bloodthirsty for revenge. Together they gather volunteers to hunt and kill Crowley.
It’s good that Harris is the lead, since she has an energy that the previous actress didn’t. As Dunston, she’s determined, and ruthless after everything she went through, and goes through it all over again.
It’s just awesome seeing horror legends together in this comedic, bloody, slasher that reminds you of those ole splatter flicks. As the tagline goes, it’s, “Old school American horror.”
Annabelle: Creation (2017)
“Annabelle” (2014) wasn’t bad, but “Annabelle: Creation” (2017) was much more compelling. The sequel is also a prequel to the first film.
The first film is kind of slow, and wasn’t scary, but the second is much scarier. The tension buildup is essentially more effective. Even scenes with simple terror tactics left an impression.
The plot follows a group of children from an orphanage and their caretaker, who move into a doll-maker and his wife’s home, 12-years after the death of their daughter, Annabelle.
The doll-maker is secretive, and he kept Annabelle’s room locked for a reason. As an outcast, one of the children is vulnerable to what is contained in that room. She ultimately unleashes an evil that seeks soul sacrifices.
This is one of my favorite films from “The Conjuring” universe. To me, it’s a unique demon and possession-related plot that stands out from most films about possession. I believe it’s because of the unique setting in a house, such as this.
In general, I love how the franchise connects everything, with homage’s and hints. For instance, Sister Charlotte holds a photograph of her sisters at an abbey in Europe. In the dark corner, an unfamiliar sister lingers. This hints at “The Nun” (2018), and it’s also one of my favorites in the franchise.
When A Stranger Calls Back (1993)
I cannot stress enough how boring and slow the first film was. The only appealing part was the beginning, and somewhat towards the end where the action picked back up.
The middle was completely irrelevant filler material to meet the typical film length requirement. This sequel is everything that could’ve been in the first film, replacing said filler content. The story was so much better with a unique antagonist.
Carol Kane (“The Princess Bride,” “Gotham”) plays babysitter Jill Johnson, who survived a home-invasion attack.
This plot follows another young woman, Julia Jenz, who experienced a similar terror to Johnson’s, where someone was stalking her as a babysitter, but he was never caught.
Years later, she is certain that her stalker is back from noticeable, yet small, changes in her home. Jenz is introduced to Johnson to help her, but things begin taking a turn for the worse as her stalker becomes provoked.
One of the great aspects of this storyline is that over the years, Johnson took back control of her life, from beginning to end; she’s a counselor who works at a women’s crisis center, and teaches self-defense.
It’s a really good movie portraying how trauma really impacted and altered her life, as well as herself. It’s a message that reflects society, the trauma that women go through, as well as the empowerment we gain.
Overall, I really enjoyed these three films more than their originals. The originals will always be iconic for jumpstarting their franchise’s, but these sequels will always be more enjoyable to me.
With that said, I hope my insight has enlightened you and I’d love to talk about things horror and more! If you’d like to see more of my content or would like to contact me, you can find me on Instagram or Twitter. You may also email me at jrnw99@gmail.com if you prefer.