Review Of Three Good Horror Movies On HBO Go That Are A Blast, And One That Should Have Never Been Made


If you’re looking for some good horror movies to watch with a comedic touch, HBO Go has several that make for a fun-filled night. While some of the best horror movies can be found on HBO Go, there are a few that should probably be skipped. Listed below are three films that are a fun thrill-ride, and one feature that should have never been made.

The Belko Experiment

Directed by Greg McLean, this horror film has plenty of dark humor and a talented cast: John Gallagher Jr., Adria Arjona, Tony Goldwyn, Michael Rooker, John C. McGinley, Melonie Diaz, Josh Brener, and Brent Sexton.

The Belko Experiment tells the story of a twisted social experiment. A group of 80 Americans is locked in their corporate high-rise building in Bogota, Colombia, and they are ordered by a mysterious voice from the company’s intercom system to kill three workers in 30 minutes or six of them will be executed. What’s worse, the tracking devices that were planted under their skin wasn’t to keep them safe, but rather, they are explosives ready to detonate if they don’t cooperate with the experiment.

Casual genre fans should probably pass on this HBO feature, but longtime fans will likely enjoy it. If you appreciate over-the-top horror movies, such as Battle Royale, then this film is a must-watch. Several films made in a similar vein have a deep message under the layers of gore, but not this one. The Belko Experiment is an outrageous thrill-ride from beginning to end that seemingly only has one objective, to entertain, and it certainly does that.

Bride of Chucky

This was the fourth installment into the Child’s Play franchise and the first film that dropped the Child’s Play title in exchange for Chucky. While all the horror movies in this franchise utilize some humor, as the title may indicate, this was the first one to fully embrace comedy. Directed by Hong Kong action guru Ronny Yu, this film features more action-packed sequences than most other Chucky entries.

Fandango describes one of the best horror movies on HBO Go.

“After being cut apart by the police, killer doll Chucky (Brad Dourif) is resurrected by Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly), an ex-girlfriend of the serial murderer whose soul is inside the toy. Following an argument, Chucky kills Tiffany and transfers her soul into a bride doll. To find the magical amulet that can restore them both to human form, Chucky and Tiffany arrange to be driven to New Jersey by Jesse (Nick Stabile) and Jade (Katherine Heigl), who are unaware that their cargo is alive.”

In addition to the impressive above-mentioned cast, the legendary John Ritter also co-stars.

The late ’90s provided fans with several slasher movies that poked fun at the genre in a tongue-and-cheek manner, and this was one of the best entries from that epoch. The opening shot is an officer looking at various lockers in the police department evidence depository, and Jason’s hockey mask, Freddy Krueger’s glove, Leatherface’s chainsaw, and Michael Myers’ mask can be seen. The Easter eggs of the horror baddies were huge at the time, and it also implied that all of them share the same universe.

We’ve already seen Freddy battle Jason, and who knows, in time we might see Chucky square off against Michael. The fun of this horror film continues after the amazing opening, and it builds to an unforgettable climax that begs for a sequel. Fortunately, three more movies were made, and a Child’s Play TV series is in the works.

Jennifer’s Body

Directed by Karyn Kusama, this tells the story of a demon-possessed high school cheerleader, Jennifer (Megan Fox), who turns into a succubus and claims her male classmates as her victims. While the guys are clamoring for a chance to spend some intimate time with Jennifer, her best friend, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), steps up to protect the town’s young men.

This is one horror-comedy that does have a deep meaning, of sorts. While it is witty and thrilling throughout, Jennifer’s Body takes a close look at the darker side of friendship, sexual power, and the struggles that high schoolers go through. Deep meaning aside, this gory horror film is an absolute blast. Fox has never been better, and her chemistry with Seyfried is laugh-out-loud good.

Wolves at the Door

If you’re looking for edgy horror movies that hit the mark, then the previous titles mentioned are perfect. Unfortunately, HBO Go also offers some horror films that should be skipped, including this atrocity that should have never of been made in the first place. The last thing the genre needs are more movies about Charles Manson, much less one that offers an inaccurate and cheap retelling of one of the most gruesome crimes in American history.

With a well-deserved score of zero percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the site provides the premise for one of the worst horror movies on HBO Go.

“A shocking thriller based on the true story of the Manson Family’s night full of terror.”

That lackluster premise parallels the film perfectly. The famed Sharon Tate murders by the hands of the Mason Family, who claimed the lives of five people, are shamelessly depicted in graphic detail.

When Wolves at the Door was first announced, as The Hollywood Reporter documented, it was not going to be a retelling of the actual murders, and it was not going to reference any connection to Charles Manson. As revealed in the plot, that plan clearly changed. In the biggest reference possible, the horror picture ends with real footage of Charles Manson and his cult members being interviewed.

Horror movies are like edgy comedians; envelope-pushing material and graphic details are often encouraged and welcomed, but there should probably be a line drawn somewhere. Director John R. Leonetti and writer Gary Dauberman seemingly went out of their way to make this as tasteless as possible.

Moreover, Wolves at the Door is a generic entry into the home-invasion subgenre. The scenes are predictable, the suspense is largely absent, the dialogue is weak, and not even Katie Cassidy (Sharon) could make this horror film watchable. Rather than being frightened, viewers are likely to just end up feeling bad for the victims’ families that may have stumbled upon this panned movie. It’s hard to believe that Annabelle director Leonetti, who also produced Insidious, could make a horror flick this bland, and it’s puzzling why such a talented cast and crew agreed to do this project.

With titles like The Belko Experiment, Bride of Chucky, and Jennifer’s Body, some of the best horror movies are on HBO Go, but beware of the bad ones, like Wolves at the Door.

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