10 Horror Movies That Divided Rotten Tomatoes Critics & Fans

Horror has always been a divisive genre, but some movies have divided audiences and critics dramatically on Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes compiles reviews from general audiences and critics, proffering an analysis from each. While these often bear similar outcomes, several horror movies have split critics and audiences noticeably.

Horror movies tend to foster cult followings that push back against critical review, and many horror classics were roundly rejected upon their initial releases. It’s clear that some viewers have different desires going into horror movies than others. This can be seen clearly in the discrepancies of critics’ and audience reviews for certain films.

RELATED: The 10 Best Horror Movies Of All Time (According To Rotten Tomatoes)

10 Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)

Critics Score: 30%, Audience Score: 88%

The Five Nights at Freddy’s movie was praised by audiences, particularly fans of the original game franchise. It features several references to the Five Nights at Freddy’s games and comprehensively adapts their infamously convoluted lore and backstory — positives for longtime players. It also features sterling central performances from Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard. However, critics were far less impressed with Five Nights at Freddy’s. Many claimed that Five Nights at Freddy’s was only enjoyable for fans of the franchise, noting a distinct lack of scares and a muddled narrative. This discrepancy is likely due to established fans being prepared for these shortcomings and subsequently forgiving them.

9 The Witch (2015)

Critics Score: 90%, Audience Score: 60%

Robert Eggers’ The Witch was extremely well praised upon its release. Several critics applauded the cinematography, performances, and The Witch‘s connection to history. Many movie critics also complimented the movie’s pace, which proved less favorable among audiences. Audience reviews criticized The Witch‘s slowly unfolding plot, suggesting the moments of horror were too few and far between. Several audience reviewers even called The Witch boring, displeased with the movie prioritizing aesthetic over action. This disparity between critics and audiences suggests that horror critics are more interested in a concept, while standard audiences favor thrills.

8 Silent Hill (2006)

Critics Score: 33%, Audience Score: 63%

Silent Hill was harshly reviewed by critics but was readily enjoyed by general audiences. Critics have suggested the narrative was too muddled and had an overlong running time. Many criticized Silent Hill‘s interpretation of the source material and its lore, which, much like Five Nights at Freddy’s, was pretty unfair. Considering the multitude of lore expansions and hours of gameplay that has to be boiled down to a singular narrative, adapting video games to movies is a gargantuan task. Horror fans were substantially more forgiving (in both cases), recognizing that the narrative in Silent Hill was the best an adaptation of the game could realistically offer.

7 House Of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Critics Score: 21%, Audience Score: 65%

Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses got harsh critical reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, many decrying the gore and suggesting it was derivative of other horror movies. Audiences, on the other hand, widely praised the movie. House of 1000 Corpses created a terrifying gallery of villains and subsequently became a cult classic. Many audience reviews praised the innovative direction and horror movie references, recognizing them as pastiches rather than imitations. Horror movies are often unfairly castigated by critics who dismiss the genre too readily or have entirely missed the point. House of 1000 Corpses is a prime example, dismissed as vulgar by critics but completely adored by fans.

6 Saw (2004)

Critics Score: 50%, Audience Score: 84%

Saw spiraled into one of horror’s most successful franchises, but critics were very dismissive of the original movie. Primarily, many critics decried the gore in Saw, suggesting the movie was reveling in its cruelty and nastiness. Fans, however, praised the gore for its realism and for pushing the genre’s notions of acceptability. Saw‘s ending was widely hailed as one of horror’s best twists, and several scenes from the original became iconic within the genre. Every subsequent Saw movie has been met with similarly divisive criticism.

5 Nefarious (2023)

Critics Score: 35%, Audience Score: 96%

2023’s Nefarious boasted one of the largest divides between critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Nefarious‘s narrative — which followed a man on death row claiming to be possessed by a demon — was considered too heavy-handed by critics, with religious themes bordering on propagandism. Horror audiences, on the other hand, adored Nefarious. Many audience reviews praised the writing, the performances, and the aesthetic — particularly the cinematography. Interestingly, in the case of Nefarious​​​​​​, the difference in opinion appeared to be predicated on the perceived intent behind the movie rather than the finished product itself.

4 Perpetrator (2023)

Critics Score: 81%, Audience Score: 29%

Audience reviews for 2023’s Perpetrator were far less favorable than those from critics. While critics lauded the movie’s ambition, art design, and genre-blending, viewers were not so impressed. Many audience reviews suggested that Perpetrator favored style over substance, supplementing a weak narrative with eccentricities and striking visuals. Perpetrator was a perfect example of a horror movie critics thought audiences should like because of its commentary on societal issues and sophisticated genre exploration. These factors proved far less important to viewers, many of whom preferred a more coherent horror movie that tried less hard to be innovative.

3 Halloween Kills (2021)

Critics Score: 39%, Audience Score: 66%

Interestingly, audiences and critics had a similar assessment of 2012’s Halloween Kills. Both observed that the movie did very little to advance the Michael Myers saga and primarily functioned as an opportunity for fan service, fun, and creative kills. However, while many critics used these points to condemn Halloween Kills, the audience admitted that this was precisely what they wanted from another Halloween movie. Critics decided Halloween Kills should proffer some deeper meaning rather than simply being a fun slasher movie, which audiences roundly disagreed with.

2 The Covenant (2006)

Critics Score: 4%, Audience Score: 62%

The Covenant received one of the lowest critics scores of any movie on Rotten Tomatoes. Many proposed that it was a cheap reproduction of The Craft, but it failed to repeat the cult classic’s success. Critics harshly lambasted The Covenant for its poor acting, lazy writing, and cliché-ridden narrative. Horror audiences, however, seemed indifferent to these factors. If anything, these qualities helped foster a cult fan base for The Covenant, which became known for its flaws and virtues. Indeed, many audience reviews cited the film’s imperfections as enjoyable.

1 Satan’s Little Helper (2004)

Critic’s Score: 83%, Audience Score: 36%

Considering 2016’s Satan’s Little Helper accumulated a cult following, it got a surprisingly low audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. One of the main criticisms was the prominence of humor throughout Satan’s Little Helper, which many felt detracted from the horror rather than bolstering it. Others commented on the low production value and the narrative’s plot holes. Critics, however, lauded the comedy in Satan’s Little Helper, also praising the gore and character design. The discrepancy between the audience and the critics seemingly hinged on the difference between the concept and the final product — a recurring theme for horror movies that divided fans and critics on Rotten Tomatoes.