A terrifying movie antagonist was born in 2001 with Jeepers Creepers. “The Creeper” is a mix of creature and slasher as he feeds on victims every 23 years. He’s an effective villain, but the quality of the films he is in varies. Here is how I rank the four films from worst to best, including the reboot Jeepers Creepers: Reborn. And no, I won’t be talking about the controversy surrounding director Victor Salva and will instead focus on just the films themselves.
4. Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022)
After the failure of Jeepers Creepers 3, most fans thought the series was done. Jeepers Creepers: Reborn came as a surprise announcement, with the series being rebooted without Salva’s involvement. This provided a lot of potential as the series could move in new directions. Unfortunately, Reborn turned out to be pretty awful. It looks even worse than the third film, with amateur green screen effects and overlit scenes throughout. There is a lack of suspense and the Creeper redesign looks like bad cosplay. The plot is jumbled too as cult elements come in that are half-baked. A couple of fun moments and decent music can’t save it. Grade: D
3. Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017)
Fans waited fourteen years for another round with The Creeper, but the wait was not worth it. Jeepers Creepers 3 features a dumb plot (involving a psychic and a severed hand), mediocre acting, and a cheaper look than the first two films. And why is the truck basically a living Batmobile in it? The Creeper is still a cool antagonist here and there are a handful of creative kill scenes, but this entry from Salva is a big disappointment overall. Grade: D+
2. Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)
After the financial success of the first film, a sequel was inevitable. It came just two years later with Jeepers Creepers 2. With the setup of The Creeper out of the way, Salva focuses more on the carnage and ups the body count as the creature goes after a bus full of teenagers. While the characters are one-note and the dialogue is pretty banal at times, the film still provides some entertainment and jolts. Plus it has Ray Wise as a man hunting The Creeper and two excellent truck stunt scenes. Grade: C+
1. Jeepers Creepers (2001)
The first film is still the best of the bunch and the only film in the series that could be called good. It builds the tension and mystery surrounding The Creeper well in the first half before delivering some wild gore and scares in the second half. The opening truck scene is also one of the best horror openings of the 2000s. Gina Phillips and Justin Long have terrific chemistry as Trish and Darry throughout, with Long especially memorable in his role. The psychic stuff and police station climax are a bit silly though. Jeepers Creepers isn’t a great film, but it is a fun one and it birthed an iconic horror villain. Grade: B
