In the vast and ever-expanding world of horror, there are countless iterations that captivate viewers. These include prequels, requels, and sequels, among others. Each film offers a unique perspective on its universe, delving deeper into its mythology. Let’s take a closer look at prequels to start. A prequel is similar to a sequel, except it takes place before the events of the previous film, providing insight into the current situation and expanding upon the established lore.
The First Purge
One of the most successful examples of a prequel is The First Purge, from The Purge series. This franchise revolves around the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA), a government regime that institutes an annual event called The Purge. The Purge is a 12-hour time period where all crime is legal. On the surface, The Purge seems like a way for citizens to release their pent-up anger and aggression, creating a more peaceful society for the rest of the year. However, underneath this facade lies a darker motive – to rid the country of the lower class. And no film portrays this better than The First Purge. Set in Staten Island, NY – one of the poorest areas in America – this prequel follows the NFFA’s first “experiment” with The Purge. As protests erupt and people flee the city, the NFFA must ensure that enough violent crimes occur to justify their radical plan. To achieve this, they even pay individuals to stay and purge. Despite these efforts, there isn’t enough crime to meet the NFFA’s expectations, forcing them to send in mercenaries to carry out their sinister agenda.
Leprechaun: Origins
Leprechaun: Origins is collectively considered one of the worst prequels in history, and it’s easy to see why. The beloved Leprechaun franchise thrived on its unique blend of horror and comedy, with Warwick Davis delighting audiences as the titular character. But this film takes a much darker turn, straying from the winning formula that fans had come to love. It feels like a completely different origin story for a new character, rather than a continuation of the Leprechaun legacy. The producers’ attempt to bring a more traditional horror approach to the film was their first mistake. Fans of the series were not looking for a dark and gritty reboot, they wanted the same cheesy, yet entertaining, experience they had grown to cherish. Unfortunately, this film fails to deliver on all fronts. The writing is cliche and predictable, while the direction lacks any real creativity or depth.
Halloween (2018)
Now, let’s talk about requels – sequels within a franchise that ignore all previous installments and act as a direct follow-up to the first film. While some may find this frustrating, there have been some successful requels in recent years.
One standout example is Halloween (2018), which disregarded all previous sequels and timelines to go back to its roots as a direct sequel to the original 1979 film. Admittedly, as a die-hard Halloween fan, I was disappointed by one major change made in this requel – Laurie Strode’s blood relation to Michael Myers is removed. But despite this alteration, the film still holds its own and remains worth watching. The focus shifts from pure terror to exploring the lasting effects of trauma on Laurie and her family over the 40 years since her encounter with Michael. Her strained relationship with her daughter and granddaughter add an emotional depth to the story as they all come together to face Michael once again, three generations of Strode women.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)
One of the most disappointing sequels in recent years is Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022). While it has its moments of fun and decent kill scenes, its existence is unnecessary. As a requel, it disregards all previous films and serves as a direct sequel to the original, but with major changes that ultimately affect the integrity of the first film. This is their biggest mistake. If you’re going to make changes, keep them isolated to your own story, and don’t tamper with the original. Anyone who has seen the original can see that it largely takes place in the Sawyer house and its surrounding area. The ending sees one character escaping while the film comes to a close. However, this sequel alters that ending and shifts the setting to a small town where Leatherface has been residing in a rundown orphanage, which makes little sense considering he was an adult in the first film. Nevertheless, they bring back Sally Hardesty, the sole survivor from the original, for a final confrontation. It’s one of the few redeeming qualities of this otherwise blatant cash grab.
Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Moving on to successful sequels, one that stands out is Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Coming off of mixed reviews for the second chapter, this third series installment needed to blow audiences away. And that’s exactly what it did. Maintaining its horror roots while also incorporating Freddy’s newfound sense of humor, this film hits all the right notes. It manages to expand on the story without going overboard, increasing the kill count and introducing new elements like bringing back Nancy and having Freddy haunt a teenage psych ward. The film also delves deeper into Freddy’s backstory, providing fans with an origin story.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
And finally, we have one of the worst sequels ever made: Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. While there’s nothing wrong with a sequel taking a different direction, it becomes a problem when it strays too far from the subgenre that made the original successful. The first Blair Witch Project is renowned as one of the earliest and most influential found footage films, but this sequel abandoned that concept in favor of a more traditional horror approach with sparse use of the found footage technique. It also attempts more psychological and supernatural elements that ultimately fall flat and feel contrived. Even years later, I still have a bitter taste in my mouth from watching this disappointing sequel.
