With his first family film releasing later this year, The Munsters, it seems that Rob Zombie is taking a break from his usual trademarks of gore, profanity, and screaming, and fully embracing the campy, loveable nature of the iconic family. As with his music, his past movies fully delve into garish horror in order to shock viewers.
From evil clowns to reinterpretations of John Carpenter's horror classic Halloween, Letterboxd s each offer their thoughts on Rob Zombie's films, some faring more positively in their rankings than others as a result.
Halloween II (2009) - 2.4
Halloween II is the only sequel Rob Zombie has ever directed that was not part of his infamous Firefly Trilogy. Continuing the story of his 2007 remake of Halloween, this film follows Laurie Strode, who has just barely escaped with her life after being attacked by her brother, Michael Myers. One of the most intelligent characters in Halloween, Myers once again rampages through Haddonfield, using violence of any means to find her again.
One reason that this scored low on Letterboxd could be attributed to this film being a part of one of the most notable horror franchises in cinema, meaning that there may be more varied opinions from longtime fans. Also, it is possible that David Gordon Green's ongoing sequel trilogy (a vastly different direction from Zombie's overly brutal style) has established certain expectations for new fans as to what to expect from the franchise.
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009) - 2.5
The adult animated movie The Haunted World of El Superbeasto is Zombie's shortest feature film at 77 minutes. It also happens to be the only animated feature he has ever helmed, telling the story of a retired wrestler who must save Monsterland from a villain named Dr. Satan with the help of a sidekick.
Many Letterboxd s may have failed to see the humor in the intentionally comedic cartoon, which was bolstered by the voices of actors such as Paul Giamatti and Rosario Dawson. Additionally, many agreed that the storyline left much to be desired, feeling less like a coherent narrative and more akin to a series of skits.
31 (2016) - 2.5
The Running Man. This is one of many films in his filmography that references the circus, the story focusing on five young carnival workers who are forced to compete and fight for their lives against evil clowns in a prison-like building.
Letterboxd audience seem to have come to a consensus that the exploitation felt more toothless than emotionally impactful, while the cinematography was criticized for being underlit and shaky. While 31 was a film not based on an established property, audiences seemed to only think back to similar films executed in more fulfilling ways.
3 From Hell (2019) - 2.7
3 From Hell was the final film in the Firefly Trilogy, continuing the story of Baby Firefly, Captain Spaulding, and Otis Driftwood, finding themselves in prison after their previous crimes catch up to them. The clan must now work with Winslow, the half-brother of Otis, in order to escape from the police and create more havoc than ever before.
More s appear to have enjoyed the film than disliked it, praising the bombastic tone and its unexpected sincerity. However, many agreed that the flaws could be pinpointed to the drawn-out pace, as well as the characters being so unlikeable that it dragged the film down as a whole.
Halloween (2007) - 2.7
Halloween was Rob Zombie's first remake, as well as the first film he made that was not directly connected to the Firefly Trilogy. A reinterpretation of John Carpenter's world, Zombie replaced the original backstory of Michael Myers with a concrete, in-depth flashback, as well as an angrier version of the beloved character, Dr. Loomis. The film tells the story of how Michael Myers grew to become the iconic horror villain that fans recognize today while introducing the feisty Laurie Strode as an adversary.
The significant increase in gore and cynicism was met with a divisive response from Letterboxd s, hence the mixed but positive reviews. s found the battle between Myers and Laurie Strode far more intense and scary, but disliked how Myers' backstory removed much of the mystery about how he became a villain.
The Lords of Salem (2013) - 2.9
As the title suggests, The Lords of Salem is set in the renowned town located in Massachusetts. The narrative centers on a radio DJ named Heidi, who must stop the titular Lords after coming into with supernatural records.
Many s commended the film for being influenced by heavy metal and its sub-culture, as well as Zombie taking a more surreal, dream-like approach to the screenplay. Other s complained that the "style over substance" negatively hindered the film's pacing and entertainment value, but ired the stark change in his direction compared to the Firefly Trilogy and Halloween.
House of 1000 Corpses (2003) - 3.2
Otis, who had a number of freaky scenes.
s praised the film for its creativity and in-depth looks into the depraved villains and complimented the cast for their commitment to the challenging material. The first entry in the Firefly Trilogy, it's one of his most positively received films ever, although s seemed to find more enjoyment overall in the sequel.
The Devil's Rejects (2005) - 3.4
horror film captures the style of the 1970s, continuing the story of House of 1000 Corpses. It focuses on Otis and Baby specifically, who make their way across the South in search of their father, destroying anything that prevents them from doing so.
s felt that Zombie brought a more confident, consistently imaginative approach to the Firefly family. The consensus continued with the mix between violent kills and character development, which s felt was well-balanced and narratively sturdy. While minor issues involving Zombie's overindulgent style seemed to come through more often than audiences would have liked, this film cemented itself as a welcome return to these characters.
