So bad, it’s good: Terrible horror that’s still fun

Awful doesn’t mean boring

By Duncan Fingarson, Columnist

A phrase that is sometimes used in relation to movies, or other forms of media, is that something is “so bad it’s good.” In the case of movies, this is often applied to films that have become cult classics. Such films are typically bad, by many standards, but people still want to watch them. Why?

The idea is that these movies have gone so far beyond bad that they wrapped around and become good again, though perhaps not for the reasons the director originally wanted. Most directors don’t want their horror movies to be treated like comedies. Comedy is, however, where a lot of these movies end up. Here, then, are a few horror movies released over the last few years that were objectively terrible, but still kind of fun. Fair warning: None of these are objectively good, and are probably best viewed with a friend. Misery loves company, after all.

The Wolfman (2010)

Admittedly, a great deal of the entertainment value in this film comes from the fact that the police inspector is played by Hugo Weaving, better known for his roles as Agent Smith and Elrond in The Matrix and Lord of the Rings respectively. The story is a fairly typical werewolf tale, so if watching Agent Elrond investigate werewolves doesn’t sound funny, maybe skip this one.

The Last Exorcism Part II (2013)

Easily the worst of the movies on this list, with some truly terrible effects and a barely memorable plot. This one unfortunately might go past “so bad it’s good” straight into “bad” again, but is still worth mentioning for how completely half-assed it is. Friends, and quite possibly alcohol, are not required to enjoy watching it, but would certainly help.

The Quiet Ones (2014)

A British-made film that actually has a couple solid jump scares, and a plot that sounds good on paper. Produced by horror-veteran Hammer Film Productions, the movie follows a university professor attempting to prove that the supernatural doesn’t exist and that there’s no such thing as ghosts. The professor is of course wrong, and the possessed girl he’s trying to cure proves to be a lot more dangerous than he originally thought. Special mention goes to a scene involving the demon/ghost branding people, for reasons which are obvious once you’ve seen it.

Apollo 18 (2011)

A found-footage style movie made in the years following Paranormal Activity‘s popularizing of the technique, Apollo 18 is awful… but it’s also incredibly entertaining. Ostensibly a record of the final, unreleased Apollo 18 moon mission that failed horribly and was covered up, this film’s plot is full of holes big enough to fly the space shuttle through. The monster is stupid, the science nonexistent, and all the characters make frequent terrible decisions. It is a rambling, incoherent mess, and I loved every minute of it.