8 More Underrated Slashers That Deserve Your Attention Right Now

Slashers set in the wilderness always evoke an element of unease. Just Before Dawn follows a group of friends who go on a camping trip to the Oregon wilderness, only to discover someone is looking to kill them. The film is relatively underseen and can be difficult to find.

In terms of '80s slashers, it hits the nail on the head of the vibes that most slashers during that decade were delivering. There's a dreamlike quality to the cinematography, which makes the eerie moments all the more unsettling. This film features one of the most bonkers (in the best way) scenes featuring a final girl. It's worth checking out, if you're able, especially if you're a fan of '80s slashers. 

A killer that sings? Look no further, folks. Slumber Party Massacre II follows a survivor of the original film and her friends, whose birthday weekend turns deadly when the driller killer is reincarnated as a ghost. The premise sounds ridiculous, and it is, but not in a bad way!

Our lovely Digital Editor, Angel Melanson, questioned whether this film counts as underrated, but it still made this list because it doesn't quite have the widespread love it deserves. If you're a fan of perfectly weird '80s horror, this will absolutely be your jam. Additionally, musical moments are woven throughout the film, which only adds to the comedic elements (the garage band song is also catchy). It's not the type of follow-up that anyone would expect for 1982's Slumber Party Massacre, but you should give it a watch for curiosity's sake (and because it's fun as hell).

There's something about a good twist in a slasher film, you know? Edge of the Axe follows a rural California town terrorized by a masked killer with a brutal streak. The film features a few scenes involving animal deaths, so this is a fair warning for those who may be sensitive to such content. Aside from the unnecessary animal killings, it's a slasher that manages to present a twist that you might not see coming.

Edge of the Axe doesn't hold back when it comes to the kills, the killer has a menacing costume, and the small town vibes are relatively on point. The film is a lesser-known and not as widely discussed late '80s slasher that deserves a little more attention. If you find yourself intrigued, it's worthy of at least one watch.

In terms of a 2000s slasher, this one does exactly what it promises. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning is set four years before the 2003 remake and follows two couples that end up in a perilous situation when they are taken hostage by a young Leatherface (Andrew Bryniarski) and his family. Does this film go to gorier places than its predecessor? It absolutely does. 

This film is often chastised as pointless because it's a prequel. If you take away what you already know about Leatherface and his family, it's simply a gory slasher that relishes in the grime and grit of the universe it's happening in. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning will mostly appeal to folks who don't mind gore and enjoy slashers with a bleak tone. It pays homage to the '74 original, but ups the deranged feeling and violence by several notches. 

For more, read Michael Gingold's original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning review.

The popularity of slashers wasn't as high in the 2010s, but this underseen slasher is waiting to be appreciated. Kristy follows a young woman who ends up being stalked and pursued on her college campus by cult members. The cat and mouse of it all works in a very specific way, the setting is unique enough, and Justine (Haley Bennett) ‘s endurance as a final girl is memorable.

Kristy incorporates the more terrifying aspects of the internet, and the situation becomes akin to a bizarre true crime case. There aren't many people in the cast, and that works in the film's favor. Justine shines as the protagonist, especially when the worst begins to happen, and it's an overall enjoyable slasher experience. If you want a college campus set slasher with good chase scenes, you're in for a treat. 

Sometimes, pivoting away from the first film is a good idea for a sequel. The Strangers: Prey at Night follows a family whose pit stop in a trailer park turns deadly when the masked strangers from the original attack them. The sequel pivots from the psychological horror of the first film and goes for classic slasher with '80s neon. It's a fun experience if you don't go in with heavy comparisons to The Strangers. 

The film doesn't break the slasher formula, but it does have a very memorable pool scene that deserves to be mentioned more often. The soundtrack is excellent, brimming with bops you know and some you might not. If you like '80s slasher vibes in modern slashers and a final girl who does her best, you'll like this one. 

A haunted house is often dangerous/scary in horror films because of the twisted minds behind it. Haunt follows a group that goes to a lone haunted house on Halloween and soon realizes that the workers are trying to kill them. Instead of something supernatural going on, the haunted house is merely run by people looking to kill.

From the filmmaking duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place, Heretic), Haunt is relatively straightforward and serious about what it's doing, rather than adding a lot of comedy throughout. If you're looking for a slasher with scares, practical effects, a serious tone, and a genuine feel to the violence, then this might be for you. It makes for a fun watch on a late evening. 

Lake Bodom follows Finnish teens whose decision to camp out at Lake Bodom, where people were murdered in the '60s. Of course, it goes horribly wrong. This international slasher that slipped under the radar, let's remedy that. Lake Bodom (or Bodom) is creepy with plenty of twists, and its isolated setting adds to the overall unsettling vibe. 

There's no happy ending for anyone involved, with brutal kills, and unexpected turns. It's enough to make you think twice before camping in a remote area. It's not a total bloodbath, and there's a somewhat slow build to the deaths, but that works for what this film is. Watch this one in the dark and enjoy.