Slasher movies have always been one of the most popular sub-genres in horror. Going back to the days of Halloween and Friday the 13th, slasher movies tend to feature an intimidating figure in a mask who slices and dices their way through a cast of teenagers. While plenty of slashers stick to this formula, others branch away into different directions, perhaps by telling the story from the villain's perspective instead.
2022 has been a fantastic year for horror movies, with films such as Barbarian, Nope, and Smile being hits at the box office while also winning over plenty of fans. This has trickled down to the slasher genre, where there have been more than a few fantastic new entries. We had the revival of beloved franchises, sequels to modern favorites, and a few fresh-faced killers who arrived on the scene with a glorious splash of red.
'Bodies Bodies Bodies'
Operating like a live-action version of Among Us, Bodies Bodies Bodies follows a group of friends as they gather at a mansion while a hurricane rages outside. As the combination of alcohol, drugs, and party games brings out old wounds between the group, things quickly escalate into murder.
Bodies Bodies Bodies does away with a masked killer to instead focus on a more genuine fear: being trapped with people you don't like. While the characters are mostly unlikable, that is kind of the point as they accurately portray some of the worst characteristics of today's generation. Plus it makes it more satisfying once they ultimately die.
'Piggy'
Teenager Sara (Laura Galan) is routinely mocked by the other teens in her town for being overweight, and is nicknamed Piggy. When their latest cruel prank goes too far, it draws the ire of a lurking serial killer who takes a keen interest in Sara. After she witnesses the man kidnap her tormentors, she is torn between helping the one who helped her, or the ones she hates.
A unique take on the revenge tale commonly found in slasher movies, Piggy sees Sara not having to lift a finger, as those who bully her soon cross paths with the vengeful killer. It is all anchored by Galan who gives a fantastic performance as the central figure, effortlessly able to draw sympathy from the viewer even as her morals become murky.
'Halloween Ends'
Image via Universal
The final chapter in the recent revival of Halloween, Halloween Ends sees Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Allyson (Andi Matichak) living together and moving on after the events of Halloween Kills. When newcomer Corey (Rohan Campbell) arrives in their lives, evil is unleashed upon Haddonfield once again.
Halloween Ends is definitely the weakest entry in the reboot trilogy, but it is still an entertaining enough watch with more than a few great kills. While it definitely stumbles the landing and feels disjointed compared to the last two movies, at least it gifts fans one last battle between Laurie and Michael on the big screen.
Halloween Ends is available to stream on Peacock.
'Christmas Bloody Christmas'
Finally answering the question "what would the Terminator be like if it was dressed as Santa Claus", Christmas Bloody Christmas sees a robot version of Saint Nick unleashed on a quiet town during the holidays. When record store owner Tori crosses paths with the killer Santa, she finds herself enduring a Christmas more terrifying than the one at your racist uncle's house as the robot hunts her down.
Directed by indie horror favorite Joe Begos (Bliss and VFW), Christmas Bloody Christmas is full of blood and gore as Santa and his axe carve their way through anyone who dares to cross his path.
Christmas Bloody Christmas is available to stream on Shudder and AMC+.
'Studio 666'
What do you do when your band has sold millions of albums, won countless awards, and traveled all over the world? Make a horror movie of course! Studio 666 sees the Foo Fighters travel to a supposedly haunted house to record their new record, and they soon fall prey to the sadistic figures that stalk its halls.
While Studio 666 has some genuinely funny moments, the humor will prove hit or miss depending on your tastes. Dave Grohl takes the lead as he becomes possessed by the evil that haunts the place, leading to some surprisingly great practical gore effects as he murders the rest of the band.
Studio 666 is available to stream on Starz.
'Terrifier 2'
The follow-up to the cult hit from 2016, Terrifier 2 takes the sequel tag seriously as it increases everything, from the cast, the kills, and the runtime. Resurrected after his killing spree in the first film, Art the Clown is back to raise hell as he crosses paths with a teenage girl and her younger brother on Halloween.
Easily the goriest slasher movie of the year, Terrifier 2 is infamous for the sheer amount of cruelty Art inflicts on his victims. Characters are flayed, dismembered, and decapitated as Art resumes his crusade of carnage. While the 138-minute runtime is a bit too long, Terrifier 2 is still worth watching for anyone who likes their violence dialed up to 11.
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Pitched as a standalone sequel to the original film, Texas Chainsaw Massacre fails as a legacy entry but succeeds as a gory good time. When a group of young developers travels to Texas to redevelop a small ghost town and transform it into a modern hub, they soon fall prey to Leatherface and his blood-crusted chainsaw.
As to be expected, Texas Chainsaw Massacre works best when Leatherface is on-screen and the big man does not disappoint. He demolishes anyone he comes into contact with, and a special shout-out must go to the bus massacre scene, which is easily one of the bloodiest moments in horror from 2022.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is available to stream on Netflix.
'X'
A throwback to the slasher films of the 1970s, X feels like a long-lost Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel, minus the chainsaw. Arriving at a remote farmhouse to shoot a pornographic movie, the cast and crew of the production soon fall victim to the owners of the property as they are killed one by one.
One of the breakout horror movies of 2022, Ti West's X quickly gained a loyal fan base. These fans were swiftly treated to a prequel film that was also released this year. Pearl follows X's villain in her younger years, and while it is still a horror movie, it is more of a character study of its protagonist than a slasher movie.
X is available to stream on Showtime.
'Sissy'
Influencer Cecilia (Aisha Dee) is doing her best to leave a positive imprint on the world around her, but she leads a lonely existence outside of her followers. So when a chance encounter with her childhood best friend Emma results in an invitation to her hen's weekend away, she accepts. Things turn sour, however, when Cecilia discovers their remote getaway home is owned by her old bully, resulting in deadly consequences for all.
Sissy is a satire on the current era of social media and influencers, and it works as both a comedy and a horror film. As the body count rises, Cecilia will find herself doing anything to maintain the perfect image she has crafted online.
Sissy is available to stream on Shudder.
'Scream'
Scream is one of the greatest slasher franchises of all time, and easily one of the most influential. The fifth entry is the first in over a decade, and it was worth the wait as it delivers the same quality combination of slasher thrills and meta humor that fans of the franchise expect as Ghostface stalks a new cast of characters.
Perhaps one of the best examples of a legacy sequel in the horror genre, Scream introduces a new batch of likable teens while still showing respect to the beloved original trio. Ghostface is just as nasty as ever as they kill the new blood in a variety of creative ways, offering up some of the best deaths in the franchise.
Scream is available to stream on Showtime.