Ranking The Horror Movie Sequels That Sent Their Monsters To Space – Den of Geek

8. Dracula 3000

Alright, Ill admit Im pushing it on this one. Dracula 3000 is not part of an established franchise, such as the Universal horrors. Its a new story, written by Ivan Millborrow and director Darrell Roodt, that puts a vampire on a spaceship in the year 3000. Furthermore, it operates as something of a reboot, with Caspar Van Dien playing Captain Abraham Van Helsing, Alexandra Kamp as Mina Murray, and Langley Kirkwood as Draculas German non-union equivalent Count Orlok. However, the movie doesnt work without audiences bringing their knowledge of previous Dracula stories.

That said, Dracula 3000 doesnt really work in any way at all. Roodt has a reputation as a prolific South African director, but he cant wring anything worthwhile from this lackluster cast and cheap production design. Like so many of the bad entries on this list, Dracula 3000 relies on references to Aliens and fails to use its budget limitations to any effect. Perhaps worst of all, it is incredibly boring, a movie that mistakes bad actors staring in horror with actual horror.

Space aliens played major roles in the original Cloverfield and its excellent sequel 10 Cloverfield Lane, but those were alien invasion movies, which took place on Earth. The direct-to-Netflix third film breaks the model by focusing on scientists on a research station. When the scientists use a particle accelerator, they open the door to a parallel universe, resulting in all manner of strange phenomena.

Helmed by future Captain America: New World Order director Julius Onah, The Cloverfield Paradox boasts an impressive cast, including Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Daniel Brhl, and Elizabeth Debicki. Even better, the movie includes some striking sequences, such as a person manifesting in the middle of a steel wall. However, despite these attributes, The Cloverfield Paradox remains a surprisingly inert movie, one that recognizes the potential of a story set in space but never manages to convey urgency. Its worth putting on for background noise while you do your laundry, but does not reward careful viewing.

Honestly, the most shocking part of Critters 4 occurs during the opening credits, when the words Angela Bassett pop up on screen. Just two years before her Oscar-nominated performance in Whats Love Got To Do With It?, Bassett plays Fran, pilot of a ship transporting Crit eggs off of Earth. Sadly, Bassett doesnt get much to do, and thus makes much less of an impact than her co-stars, which include Anders Hove as a surly captain and Brad Dourif as a irritable, but well-meaning scientist.

Sadly, Dourif might be the only worthwhile thing about Critters 4. The Chiodo Brothers designs of the Critters remain great, but theyre still tiny puppets who dont look terribly menacing when on the attack. Previous entries in the series have addressed that problem by putting them in crazy scenarios, but this entry chooses to largely ignore the monsters. In its place, director Rupert Harvey relies on character development for franchise regulars Charlie and Ug (Don Keith Opper and Terrence Mann, respectively). Even superfans would have to admit that none of Critters 4s charms come from its space setting.

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Ranking The Horror Movie Sequels That Sent Their Monsters To Space - Den of Geek