Known for its inbred cannibals, brutally gory kills, and copious amounts of unusually graphic nude/intimate scenes, the Wrong Turn franchise is truly unlike any other.

What started as nothing more than a simple, straightforward slasher has evolved into a seven movie franchise that has a reputation for being trashy, which it kind of owns.

So, with the release of 2021’s reboot (which is vastly different), we thought it would be fun to look at the series as a whole, and rank the movies from worst to best!

7 . Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead (2009)
It’s definitely a bad movie, but that’s not necessarily what’s wrong with it, as most of this list is made of “bad” movies.  That said, this series really shines when it has interesting (even if unlikable) characters, and it’s so over the top or makes such strange choices to be memorable.

This third entry in the series does none of these.  It’s a cool concept, pitting the inbred cannibals against prison convicts, but it never realizes its potential.  Every character is boring and forgettable, and the film isn’t so bad it’s entertaining, it’s just dull and uninteresting.

6. Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings (2011)
When a franchise resorts to prequels for later installments, it’s often a bad sign.  And while some turn out successful, this one did not.  The only “prequel” we really get is the first 10 minutes, but then it just becomes another slew of annoying college students getting killed one by one.

Admittedly, the snowy setting did make for a nice change in scenery.  However, this movie probably would have been much more effective had it focused entirely on the family in the asylum, and ended with them taking it over.

5. Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort (2014)
It’s unclear whether this is technically a sequel, prequel, or reboot, but to its credit, it does try new things.  It delves deeper into the history and mythos of the inbred cannibal family, and shows them “recruiting” a fellow family member.

All that said, it’s also one of the worst put together movies in the franchise with its screenwriting and acting.  In some ways, it’s the most frustrating out of all them because its premise had a lot of potential.  It’s just all wasted on bad everything.

4. Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines (2012)
On a technical level, this movie is no better than the last few mentioned.  However, it has a huge saving grace in the form of Doug Bradley.  After playing the elegantly demonic Pinhead, it was a lot of fun to see Bradley just go full backwoods and downright despicable.

He spends the whole movie gleefully taunting the sheriff about all the grisly things that will befall her at the hands of “his boys”.  It’s still not a great movie by any means, but a better villain like him elevates it greatly.

3. Wrong Turn (2021)
Honestly, this was by far the hardest movie to place on this list.  In a lot of ways, it doesn’t even really feel like a Wrong Turn movie.  While it does feature a group of young people making the titular wrong turn on the Appalachian Trail, it trades the inbred cannibals for a sort of survivalist commune, and isn’t as cut and dry with its “heroes” and “villains”.

Ultimately, it does bite off more than it can chew (no pun intended), and doesn’t live up to what it could be.  But it’s still well written, shot, and acted.  In a series that prided itself on being so bad it’s funny, this entry is actually pretty solid and decent.

2. Wrong Turn (2003)
Looking back on the movie that started it all, it’s kind of surprising just how simple and straightforward it is.  The movie never really gets into the disturbing backstory of the family, nor does it try to make bold social statements.  It set out to just be a decent and gory slasher, and it ultimately succeeds at that.

It has a strong cast with Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, and Emmanuelle Chriqui, and it has no expectations to live up to, and doesn’t feel like a direct to video sequel.  It’s bloody, tense, and simple, but that’s all it ever set out to be.  So the result is an incredibly efficient (and fun) backwoods slasher!

1. Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007)
It would have been so easy for this first sequel to just do a lesser copy of its predecessor, as is so common with horror sequels.  However, it goes from a straightforward slasher, to a manic, over the top meta slasher that’s hilarious, brutal, and knows exactly what it wants to do.

The characters, while insufferable, seem like real people who actually grow as the movie goes on.  The kills are gory and plentiful, and it actually does a perfect job of both embracing and critiquing the reality TV boom that completely took over the world.  It’s smarter than it gets credit for, and it’s just the most fun out all of the movies.

Which one is your favorite and least favorite?  Let us know in the comments!

For more rankings, reviews, and other fun horror/sci-fi/fantasy content, follow Halloween Year-Round on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!