Horror comedies have played a big part in the horror genre for decades, and we have been blessed with many great horror comedies over the years, such as Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and Army of Darkness. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that the sub-genre really took off, giving us some of the best horror comedies of all time. Here are some of the best horror comedies from the 2000s, ranked.
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9 Jennifer’s Body (2009)
20th Century Fox
Starring Megan Fox as a flesh eating cheerleader, Jennifer’s Body is a fresh, satirical comedy, which was way ahead of its time. While Jennifer’s Body was considered a commercial and critical flop, the film has more recently become a cult classic. Jennifer’s Body was ahead of it’s time by at least a decade, with its social commentary and feminist take on the genre; many are saying the reason it is now getting more praise, is due to audiences only now understanding its messaging and comedy.
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An article from Constance Grady at vox.com further explains why this movie has more recently become a feminist cult classic, over a decade later, after being a critical and commercial flop. The movie isn’t necessarily a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it shines with its more satirical comedy instead of hitting the audience over the head.
8 Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Shot in a mockumentary style, much like the acclaimed series The Office US, The Rise of Leslie Vernon offers a hilarious take on the slasher genre, peeling back the layers to deliver a genius horror comedy. Critics praise the movie for its fresh take on a genre that was starting to feel a little stale, and its smart, and hilarious but affectionate skewering of the slasher genre. The Rise of Leslie Vernon, wasn’t necessarily a box office success due to its limited release in the US; however, it was a smash hit with critics and quickly became a cult classic, winning numerous awards, such as the “Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film” at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival.
7 Slither (2006)
Bright Light Pictures
As the directorial debut of acclaimed director; James Gunn, Slither is a hilarious and creepy B-movie homage, with critics praising the directors comedy and show of affection for low budget horror movies. This slimy homage was a box office failure, but received mostly positive reviews from critics and has since become a cult classic. The horror magazine Rue Morgue, named Slither “The Best Feature Film of the Year”, additionally, the film managed to pick up the 2006 Fangoria “Chainsaw Award” for the highest body count. Slither featured an incredibly talented cast, with Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, and Michael Rooker in the lead roles, which is a huge reason why it is so loved by fans. James Gunn delivered a respectable love letter to the beloved sub-genre of B-horror movies, which some claim to be the last great B-horror movie.
6 Bubba Ho Tep (2002)
Vitagraph Films
Bruce Campbell stars as the great Elvis Presley, who resides in a retirement home and is forced to face off against a re-animated Egyptian mummy, along with the help of a man who claims to be John F. Kennedy. As bonkers as the movie sounds, Bubba Ho Tep is a surprisingly somber reflection on what it means to be old and discarded. Critics and fans praise Bruce Campbell’s performance as “The King” and claim that he is the best interpretation of Elvis we have seen to date. The film is adored by horror fans, due to its hilariously dark humor, inventive action scenes, compelling dialogue, and Bruce Campbell’s pitch-perfect performance.
5 Scary Movie (2000)
Dimension Films
Basing the story and the majority of characters on the hit horror movie; Scream, this comedy is a hilarious parody, which cements itself as one of the greats. Scary Movie is absurd, bonkers, and off the wall, but is a hilarious look at the slasher genre nonetheless. This horror movie spoof was a smash hit with fans and quickly became one of the best early horror-comedies, due to its crude and satirical humor. While many critics slate this movie for its lack of originality and not breaking any new ground like Airplane!, the majority praise its humor and satirical take on the slasher genre. Joe Leydon From Variety magazine writes, that the film is “practically guaranteed to make you laugh until you’re ashamed of yourself”.
3 Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
Warner Bros. Pictures
This anthology horror comedy is a great Halloween horror tribute, hitting every genre trope to perfection while showing much admiration for the horror genre. Hailed as the ultimate Halloween movie, Trick ‘r Treat is a regular Halloween watch for every horror fan. The film has won many awards from fans, such as “The Audience Choice Award” in 2008 at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival, similarly in 2009, the movie won “The Silver Audience Choice Award” at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. As well as being loved by fans, Trick ‘r Treat released to critical praise, with the entertainment company IGN calling the movie a “well-crafted Halloween horror tribute” and a “scary blast”, while also giving the movie a score of eight out of ten. Dread Central also rated the movie five out of five, stating that the film “ranks alongside John Carpenters Halloween as regular October viewing”.
2 Zombieland (2009)
Columbia Pictures
The chemistry between the star-studded cast is the biggest draw to this hilarious zombie comedy movie, with the quick and witty dialogue between one another, as well as the sense of camaraderie between the four. While the majority of zombie and post-apocalyptic movies lean much more into the horror aspects, Zombieland offers a source of hope and fun that makes the end of the world seem a lot less scary. Zombieland also happens to feature one of the best cameos of all time, with the great Bill Murray appearing as himself, which gave audiences a true laugh-out-loud moment. Roger Ebert claimed the cameo to be the “single-biggest laugh” of the year. The movie even won an award for the cameo, at the Golden Schmoes Awards, winning the “Most Memorable Scene of the Year award.
1 Shaun of the Dead (2004)
StudioCanal
This iconic and hilarious zombie comedy has truly cemented itself as not only one of the best horror comedies, but as one of the best comedies of all time. Praised for its witty humor, fast editing, genius writing, and perfect direction from Edgar Wright, Shaun of the Dead is adored by both casual audiences and horror fans. Being nominated and winning many awards, such as claiming the “Best Screenplay Award” at the British Independent Film Awards in 2004, the hit zombie comedy movie quickly became a cult-classic among fans and critics alike.
The movie takes much inspiration from zombie movies such as Dawn of The Dead and Night of the Dead, showing much appreciation for the George A. Romero classics, while also delicately poking fun at the genre with much affection. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost deliver hilarious and engaging performances in the lead roles, having infectious chemistry while delivering witty dialogue, making audiences instantly fall in love with the two characters.
