Blumhouse and horror movies go together like peanut butter and jelly. Fans of the genre are always interested in what the production company is doing next and what great films will be put out each year. The past few years have been particularly exciting, with Blumhouse releases like Get Out and Happy Death Day exciting fans in 2017, and Freaky, The Craft: Legacy, and The Invisible Man coming out in 2020. In October 2022 alone, Blumhouse has Halloween Ends, The Visitor, which is part of their eight-movie deal with EPIX, and the Stephen King adaptation of Mr. Harrigan's Phone.
But even though there are some fun and scary Blumhouse movies, some can be considered overrated. Fans love these movies and they have gotten people talking, but it's possible to say that some of these stories just aren't that compelling. When looking for scary movies, fans might want to skip these and seek out more impressive releases.
Updated October 20, 2022 by Aya Tsintziras: From Halloween to Halloween Kills, it's fair to say that the movies released by Blumhouse are beloved and always part of mainstream pop culture. When looking for scary movies to watch on the weekend or to show a friend or partner, Blumhouse movies are always going to be at the top of the list.
With Halloween Ends finally in theaters and so many releases on the horizon, the love for Blumhouse will continue for a long time. But while so many films are perfect when nothing but a scary movie will do, there are a few popular movies that might not live up to the hype that they have received.
8 The Purge (2013)
The Forever Purge is the franchise's best movie and it's definitely possible to say that the first film in the franchise is overrated and not all that interesting. While horror fans were pulled in by the idea of crime being legal for twelve hours a year, since that sounds absolutely terrifying, the film just isn't that exciting.
Although The Purge franchise is popular, the movies have never become as talked about or beloved as other horror franchises. The general plot does pull people in but there might not be enough to really make horror fans want to watch every single film several times and get excited about new releases. Although there is one good Purge movie, there are many other Blumhouse horror movies that fans should see instead, from Ma to Happy Death Day.
7 Oculus (2014)
Mike Flanagan's Netflix TV series are incredible, from The Haunting of Hill House to Midnight Mass, and his movie Before I Wake is impressive, too. But while Oculus sounds promising and has an interesting story about siblings whose parents died and who are still processing that trauma, it's not one of Flanagan's best movies or Blumhouse's greatest, either.
While the movie has a 75 percent rating on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, it gets bogged down by the haunted and evil mirror at the center of the story. Since the focus is on the evil presence in the family home, the siblings don't get as much character development as they should, and the story leans into the depressing family saga rather than the horror elements.
6 The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)
The 2014 Blumhouse movie The Town That Dreaded Sundown focuses on the Phantom Killer. Things get meta here, as the movie is a sequel to the 1967 film and the main characters also head to the movies to watch a movie called The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
Critics and horror fans like the way that the movie looks, but the Phantom Killer can be considered one of the worst horror movie villains as he's just not that compelling. The film received a 66 percent rating on the Rotten Tomato Tomatometer, which isn't the worst rating, and some people like the meta tone that the story takes. The movie doesn't really stick out beyond that, though.
5 Halloween (2018)
The 2018 Halloween was a thrill for horror fans to check out, with Jamie Lee Curtis back as final girl Laurie Strode and Judy Greer as her daughter Karen Nelson. It was also fun seeing Laurie's granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) as she's the new generation going up against Michael Myers.
It's possible to say that this movie is overrated, however, as it feels too similar to the 1978 movie and also doesn't bring that many new and fresh elements that horror fans can get excited about. Mostly, the film makes audiences wonder if it will ever be possible to defeat Michael Myers, and while that's scary, it shouldn't really feel quite this hopeless. The tone just doesn't work as well as the original film and it's a bit disappointing and flat. Fans have been more hopeful about Laurie and Michael in Halloween Ends.
4 Halloween Kills (2019)
From Karen's Halloween Kills death to Laurie Strode being wasted as a character, there isn't a lot to love about the second movie in the trilogy.
Halloween Kills can be seen as overrated as seeing legacy characters fighting Michael Myers isn't actually as exciting as it should be. With Karen losing her life and Laurie in a hospital bed for the whole movie, it's hard to know what will happen in Halloween Ends, and the entire trilogy feels more depressing than it should. While of course Laurie and Karen are dealing with the trauma of Michael Myers, and they have lost so much joy from their lives, Halloween Kills has a sad and frustrating tone that doesn't make it an enjoyable movie-watching experience. It's also not a film that horror fans are likely going to want to watch more than once, making the 1978 Halloween still the best bet in the franchise.
3 Insidious (2010)
If debating which Blumhouse horror series is the best, many fans do love The Conjuring universe, which includes the first film, Insidious, released in 2010. While the movie made a huge splash when it came out, when compared to other haunted house horror movies, it's hard to say that this film feels really unique. The direction by James Wan is impressive and the performances are great, but the main premise doesn't stand out enough.
Renai (Rose Byrne) and Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) are living in a creepy and horrifying home. While there are some genuinely scary moments, including jump scares that people always talk about, there are so many stories of demon possession that Insidious doesn't stand out anymore. This might be a favorite for many, but after someone has seen it once or twice, it doesn't feel that special. The story will remind horror fans of many others about houses that have demons who try to take over families who are living there.
2 Creep (2014)
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Creep is an overrated found footage horror movie that some might find too slow to continue watching. The movie has gotten lots of critical attention over the years as Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice came up with the story and stars as the main characters, Josef and Aaron. When Aaron (Brice) begins working for Josef (Duplass), Aaron can tell that this isn't a regular situation.
Creep isn't often brought up as one of the best 2010 horror movies as it has flown under the radar a bit. While the movie has its fans and some appreciate the filmmaking style, the story is a bit thin as it's just about two characters, one who is obviously evil and strange. There are no real surprises here as audiences can tell that Josef is up to something terrible. The movie might not impress the most seasoned horror fans and, therefore, can be considered an overrated Blumhouse release.
1 Creep 2 (2017)
The 2017 sequel to Creep was released in 2017 and the same problems from the first film are present in this one. While some Blumhouse sequels are underrated, Creep 2 doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from the first. This time, Duplass's character calls himself Aaron and finds another victim. The object of his attention is Sara (Desiree Akhavan), who doesn't seem all that scared of him and seems to find him interesting.
Both Creep and Creep 2 are super dark, and the sequel in particular might be a bit too disturbing for some horror fans who don't want to see discussions of potentially triggering topics. Most of all, this sequel won't be surprising or entertaining for those who have seen the first, and it would have been more compelling if something new had been added to the story.