If you’re looking for the best horror movies of 2017 and you’ve already seen Split, there is another title that’s worth watching. Since 2016 is regarded as one of the best years for horror movies, fans are hoping that 2017 will bring them more of the same. Don’t Hang Up and Don’t Knock Twice are two new horror movies, and coincidentally both titles have one thing in common: they have specific instructions of what one shouldn’t do when it comes to phone calls and door-knockers. But that’s about the only thing they have in common, as one is worth the viewers’ time and the other one is definitely not.

Horror Movies 2017: Don’t Hang Up

A small group of jerk-like teenagers make viral videos of themselves performing cruel pranks on complete strangers. One night, two of those teenagers learn that not everyone finds public humiliation to be funny.

Where Split was one of the most thought-provoking new horror movies of 2017, this one requires no mental prowess at all. Critics and audiences have panned this formulaic film. Aside from the acting, the biggest issue in the movie is that there are no redeemable characters (except for the actual killer). Since the audience isn’t rooting for anyone, except for the killer, we are just watching teens get what they deserve. Okay, maybe a bit more than what they deserve. One character is presented to be empathetic to the audience as he is going through heartache, but no one cares about a sociopathic-teenager’s angst. We have Carl from The Walking Dead for that.

“The Village Voice describes why this is one of the worst horror movies of 2017.

“Right from minute one, Don’t Hang Up breaks the cardinal rule of horror movies: It gives us characters you immediately wish would die slow, painful deaths. In this case, it’s a couple of teenage dudebros… It all plays more like a demo reel that directors/visual effects artists Alexis Wajsbrot and Damien Macé are throwing out there so major studios might give them blockbuster work… Don’t Hang Up is a hire-me sign masquerading as a slasher film.”

There is one redeemable quality about this movie, though it feels unintentional; there are a couple of laugh-out-loud moments due to how the characters react at what are supposed to be horrifying scenes. But there are much scarier and funnier horror movies out there worthier of your time. If you are in the mood for just a really bad movie, if that’s an actual mood, then this will fit the bill. But if you like your horror movies to provide you with quality entertainment then don’t watch Don’t Hang Up.

Horror Movies 2017: Don’t Knock Twice

A mother tries to reconnect with her daughter and they end up haunted by an urban legend involving a demon.

“Knock once to wake her from her bed, twice to raise her from the dead”

Compared to the last feature this is a horror tour de force. Katee Sackhoff portrays the mother and Lucy Boynton plays the teenage daughter; the duo has great chemistry together which makes their complex relationship feel real. They are truly empathetic characters.

Although it deals with a demonic witch, the movie plays as a ghost story. It doesn’t give the audience anything that they haven’t seen before, but it delivers the haunted-tropes masterfully. Throughout the entire film there are truly edge-of-your-seat suspenseful scenes. Nerdist describes why this is one of the best horror movies of 2017.

“Not only are the scary moments framed, photographed, and scored with a firm sense of creativity, but the special effects are also more than a little impressive… So while a substantial early portion of Don’t Knock Twice may feel a bit familiar, it quickly finds its feet and settles into a nice spooky groove that fans of indie/import horror will be sure to appreciate.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cdZCC9gHDY

This is the perfect title to watch if you’re a genre fan looking to find a horror flick that you haven’t seen before; because it’s downright creepy. The solid cast, artful scenes, and genuine jump-scare moments make this one of the best horror movies of 2017.

OTHER HORROR MOVIE ARTICLES FROM THE INQUISITR

Four Of The Best Horror Movies 2016 Are On Amazon Prime

Six Of The Best Horror Movies 2016 That Are Truly Scary

Horror Movies 2017 Marks The Return Of Horror Icons

The Best Horror Movies 2016 Year In Review

The Best Horror Movies For 2017 On HBO

[Featured Image by IFC Midnight]