With the latest installment of the Wrong Turn franchise now available to rent, here’s a rundown of all the films, ranked from worst to best.
Alan B. McElroy, writer of the original Wrong Turn (2003), has teamed up with Mike P. Nelson, director of 2021’s Wrong Turn, to create a new and fresh spin on the franchise that all horror lovers need to see. The Wrong Turn films make for a great drinking game, and taking a shot every time someone dies or makes a wrong turn is certified to get you drunk. All seven instalments have a completely different casting, which makes them all so unique, and it’s always just a group of friends in the woods who make a wrong turn and are suddenly being chased by cannibals. Yes, The Hills Have Eyes (1977) did this sort of thing first, but what makes the franchise so exciting is its originality, as the filmmakers still bring something new (even if it’s bad) to each sequel.
After seeing the most recent instalment of the franchise and rereading my thoughts on all of the previous films, I’m here to bring you my own personal ranking of all of the Wrong Turn films.
7. WRONG TURN 5: BLOODLINES
(2012)
It’s a love/hate relationship with the Wrong Turn films. Are they really worth watching? The simple answer is actually yes. They all make for such a fun watch, especially if you’re into low budget horror movies, and, if you like low budget horror, you’ve probably seen them all at least once. A group of friends are in the woods together on Halloween, what could possibly go wrong? A whole lot could go wrong when a group of cannibals are also there, waiting to feed on anyone who crosses their paths. Despite its Saw-esque vibe with 10x more gruesome kills, including a severed hand on the ground to show the film’s title card, Bloodlines is in last place, as it just doesn’t add anything new to the franchise.
6. WRONG TURN 3: LEFT FOR DEAD
(2009)
Only the slightest bit better than Bloodlines, Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead presents us with a messily edited third instalment. After the streak of pretty decent cannibal kills in the original two, we are plunged into the beginning of a new narrative, in which we are to decide whether we’re on the cannibals’ side, or the side of cops and convicts (in what world are we in for the law and lawbreakers to be working together?!). Our leading lady, Alex Miles (Janet Montgomery) is one of the film’s only redeeming factors. She plays this role convincingly well, considering she’s a British actress putting on an American accent. Although low on my rating scale, I have seen people include this nearer to the top of their own ranking. If you love awfully crafted CGI kills, including people being sliced in half, and girls in bikinis in the woods, then this sure is for you!
5. WRONG TURN 6: LAST RESORT
(2014)
By the sixth instalment, what could possibly be left to cover? Surely enough wrong turns have been taken in various woods occupied by cannibals. Originally set to be the last in the series, Last Resort features more gruesome kills, and what better way to end it than incest! I’ve found that, when a long franchise does come to the end, the filmmakers really do go all out. Wrong Turn 6 is very self-aware that it isn’t going to be the best film in the world, and so it plays that to its advantage, whether that be bike riders riding directly into barbed wire that makes them blind or pumping so much water into a guy’s body that his stomach explodes.
It’s also another film where we’re given more and more fake American accents, and, instead of flying the mostly British cast to America, Bulgaria is passed off as West Virginia! It’s fun, but nothing revolutionary.
4. WRONG TURN 4: BLOODY BEGINNINGS
(2011)
Let’s take it right back to the origins, in an abandoned sanatorium in the snow. The cast is chased by cannibals on snowmobiles and, if that doesn’t sell this film to you, I don’t know what will. The same as Last Resort, Bloody Beginnings is so self-aware that it’s not about to have some Oscar worthy performances, so director Declan O’Brien just has some fun! This one is definitely my guiltiest pleasure and I like it more than I’d like to admit. College students in the snow, having the time of their lives until they start being chased by hungry cannibals. What’s not to love? Wrong Turn 4 is definitely underappreciated, especially when so many people love college student horror films, like Black Christmas (2006) or Cabin in the Woods (2011).
3. WRONG TURN 2: DEAD END
(2007)
Sequels are a hit or miss, and I think it’s a general consensus that Wrong Turn 2 is a hit. It plays homage to its horror sequel predecessors, like Scream 2 (1997) and Halloween 2 (1981). Dead End does a great job of combining everything that makes the first so good, especially when it comes down to the kills. A group of friends are in the woods making a film, when people start to turn up dead. Even the guy who plays the director within the film wears a Battle Royale t-shirt, which is ironic as he’s about to be dead meat, like the characters in BR. What makes this so great is that it sets it up at the end for another sequel. The rest of the films play themselves off as sequels or prequels but are missing that clue at the end that makes us excited for a new instalment, but Dead End does just that.
2. WRONG TURN
(2021)
Full review: A Solid Slasher Film For Genre Fans
The latest instalment to the franchise almost hits the top spot, but in second place, we have Wrong Turn (2021), a new and exciting take on the Wrong Turn films which could be a make or break for fans of the rest of the series. I’d suggest going into this one blind and not reading up anything about it, as you could be pleasantly surprised. Written by Alan B. McElroy, who also wrote the original Wrong Turn, the film brings to the table a cannibal-less movie. “A Wrong Turn film without cannibals?” That’s what I first thought when watching it, but alas, a group of friends (Charlotte Vega, Adain Bradley, Dylan McTee, Emma Dumont, Vardaan Arora and Adrian Favela) are still being hunted in the woods, just this time, with stronger character development and no unnecessary gore. It’s a real step up from the sequels, like the Halloween (2018) remake a couple of years back. It’s a great addition to the already great series of films, and I would 100% recommend it, even if you haven’t seen any of the other Wrong Turn films.
1. WRONG TURN
(2003)
What would a Wrong Turn ranking be without the original in first place? Wrong Turn (2003) is by far the best in the franchise. This is where it all started for the Wrong Turn films, and the original movie continues to spark a cult following to the present day. Ravenous cannibal kills, a 00’s feel to it and a fun cast that is really likable. We’re introduced to the cannibals in such a scary way, and that scare factor continues to keep our heart pounding throughout the short, yet sweet, runtime of 84 minutes. There really isn’t anything to dislike about this film, it’s such a classic and it rightfully earns its place at the top spot.
Signature Entertainment presents Wrong Turn (2021) on UK Home Premiere on Digital Platforms 26th February and Blu-Ray & DVD 3rd March. Read our review of Wrong Turn (2021!)
