Low Budget Horror Movies on Tubi 2023 - The Good, The Average and The Fugly
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are finishing up our Low Budget Horror on Tubi Feature. We will be summarising the good, the average and the plain old fugly from our month of watching nothing but Tubi horror.
For those who are new here, which is, likely, most of you. We are yet another horror movie fan site. We review horror movies, put together horror lists and explain horror movie endings. But we also try to do things a little different, though. Covering stuff that is slightly less well known or slightly less mainstream. We also prefer to put a lot of effort into our articles. Never writing fluff news stuff or 300 word reviews. Just substantial articles you can get your teeth into. If that sounds like your kind of thing, why not stick around?
For the past month or so we have watched nothing but Low Budget Horror on free streaming service Tubi. Why, you might ask? Well, “because I am an idiot” would be a fitting answer. But it wouldn’t be entirely correct. With the cost of living crises seriously squeezing people’s budgets. Many are deciding to kick their streaming services to the curb. Just being subscribed to three or four of them can leave you close to $70 out of pocket. That’s some serious cash and with Netflix banning password sharing it’s almost impossible to actually save money streaming. What better time to turn our attention to more cost effective options?
Tubi is One Of Many Free Streaming Services
Tubi is just one of a number of free streaming services offering ad supported content at no cost to the viewer. Crackle, Pluto, Plex, Roku and many more have a library of free content available to US viewers. In the UK we are more limited but services like Freevee, by Amazon Prime, are legitimate options for horror on a budget. Even sites like YouTube are starting to host a whole array of movies that come at no cost. The options are quite impressive. Especially if you have a VPN to take full advantage of the various sites located around the world.
Tubi just happens to be one of the better equipped free streaming services. Featuring a ton of genuinely fantastic horror from high profile classics to more recent indie hits. We have covered some of them in a couple of lists and we will probably put together a master list at some point in the future. Tubi has something else lurking in its depths, though. Something altogether more sinister. Something that we have spent the last month cosying up with.
Low Budget Tubi Horror Movies
Tubi has an enormous range of ultra low budget horror. And when I say low budget, I am talking one person in front of a cheap camera. No special effects, no script, no wardrobe budget. The cheapest of the cheap. Hell, some of these movies probably involved the makers skipping meals. They are about as bare bones as you can get. With this in mind, I decided to set myself a challenge. For an entire month I would watch nothing but low budget horror on Tubi.
There were a few rules here. First of all, I had to pick the movies with the worst titles and the most budget looking cover images. I couldn’t read anything about the movies. No interviews, reviews or breakdowns. I had to go in blind. And I couldn’t pick anything with any high profile stars. Pretty simple, really. My task was set and I began watching movies.
Over the course of one month we got through 21 horror movies on Tubi. Believe it or not, there were a few surprises. I actually found a few that are genuinely worth your time. But after a streak of utter dreck. I decided to change up the rules. I allowed myself to pick movies with higher budgets. Stuff that had a well known cast member or two. And things that had been funded from somewhere other than in between the cushions of the director’s couch. The results were… not much better. Without further ado, let’s take a look.
Oh and before we begin, I feel I should just clear up that we are not sponsored by Tubi. I doubt they would sponsor a tiny horror movie site that spends most of its time laughing at their movies. I won’t bombard you with links. All of these movies were on Tubi as of writing and are probably still there now.
Budget Horror on Tubi – The Good!
I say good but that feels like it might be a bit of an overstatement. Compared to other good movies, these might be a little bit lacking. But compared to most of the crap on Tubi, these are amazing. Context is important here. Anyways, six movies that are actually worth a watch before we get into the bad stuff.
ReSet (2022)
We are kicking off with the good. The first of which is a little, ultra low budget, time loop horror from David Sumner. Playing out as something of a Happy Death Day Lite. ReSet sees college girl Danielle passing out at a party. Only to wake up in the house of a strange man who seems a little over insistent on her staying for awhile. Could it be that a family heirloom holds the key to her escape?
Featuring very current themes of young person safety, incel community attitudes and drink spiking. As well as a fun time loop based narrative that sees Danielle trying again and again to fix her mistakes. This is a movie that punches a fair bit above its weight. ReSet feels extremely low budget and lacks care in places. With lapel mics and equipment occasionally visible and a few continuity issues. But if you can put that aside. There is a genuinely funny and rather interesting story here with a great performance from its lead star Alyssa Corella. It’s easy to watch and doesn’t demand too much of the viewer. What more could you ask for? Especially considering the price. I really enjoyed this movie and awarded it 3/5 in our review.
Death of a Vlogger (2019)
This one is sort of a cheat. I had no clue that this movie had a bit of a following already. It had managed to pass me by, somehow. I just saw the awful title and thought it would be perfect for our Tubi feature. To be honest, I still feel a little bit mixed about this movie. Following the story of popular online prankster Graham. Death of a Vlogger focuses on the consequences of online fame after Graham releases a video of a supposed haunting.
Experts, viewers, friends and skeptics talk about the events in this mockumentary style found footage. All speculating on what happened to Graham and whether the videos he showed were actually fakes. It’s pretty interesting stuff though it takes a number of missteps here and there. Resulting in a movie that may divide audiences. Still, if you are looking for something similar to Lake Mungo but with a more comedic edge. Death of a Vlogger may very well fit the bill. We awarded Death of a Vlogger 3/5 in our review.
Lexi (2022)
Pretty much a one woman show. Victoria Vertuga’s Lexi follows the story of missing social media influencer Laughing Lexi. Lexi had been experiencing strange occurrences at her home. With people seemingly letting themselves in and filming her while she sleeps. The situation escalates as videos of her most intimate moments are shared online. Resulting in her becoming paranoid and displaying increasingly erratic behaviour.
Lexi, once again, plays out like a Mockumentary. With interviews from fans and experts all speculating on the cause of her disappearance. As well as showing footage supposedly recovered by police and shared with the public. It’s interesting stuff but unlikely to change the minds of anyone who dislikes this type of movie. Lexi is microbudget and it shows in parts. But the story is engaging and Vertuga’s fantastic performance deserves heaps of praise. Completely watchable and a great way to kill just over an hour. We awarded Lexi 3/5 in our review.
The Andy Baker Tape (2021)
Believe it or not, this one isn’t a mockumentary. It is a found footage though so, once again, people who dislike the genre may want to skip this. Tubi sure has a ton of it. The Andy Baker tape follows social media influencer Jeff Blake as he journeys across the country to meet his half brother Andy. Seeing a perfect opportunity to put together a wholesome, feel good, video to pitch to food networks. Jeff and Andy head out on a road trip that soon begins to turn sour. Resulting in Jeff biting off far more than he can chew.
This is a pretty decent little low budget horror filmed during lockdown. Like many of its contemporaries. It feels rather restricted in its presentation but no less interesting. With strong performances from its cast and a pretty engaging tale of two different people’s very different worlds colliding. This one won’t be for everyone. It is a little lacking in energy and not particularly scary. But we found it to be fairly enjoyable and an easy watch. We awarded The Andy Baker Tape 3/5.
Cabin Girl (2023)
What a terrible title. The name here comes from the fact that former van life social media star Ava has now switched the open road for life in a solitary cabin. After an accident left her with head injuries. She decided to park up and follow a life long dream of owning a rural cabin. Beginning the renovation project while sharing her progress with fans. It isn’t long before Ava begins to see strange things out of the corner of her eye. Determined to find an explanation. She starts researching into the history of the house. Potentially uncovering a mystery that involves the entire town. But is it all in her head?
Cabin Girl is a very middle of the road horror movie. Slightly above average and not what I would call a strong recommend. I still feel like this movie belongs in the “Good” section. It is a fair bit more watchable than most of the movies I watched during this feature. Not particularly scary but with an interesting story that leads to an intriguing twist. If you aren’t put off by the later change of pace, you may really enjoy this one. We awarded Cabin Girl 2.8/5 which isn’t great but isn’t too bad, either.
Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism
Yuk, another terrible title. But that crappy title hides a fantastic crime based horror thriller that will stay with you. Following the story of a young woman caught between her desire to treat her mental illness with medication and a highly religious partner who seeks alternative therapy. Godless sees our protagonist undergoing a torturous and brutal exorcism at the hands of a twisted community of religious zealots.
This one is based on a true story which makes it all the more haunting. Playing out as more of a crime movie than anything else. Godless still fits its horror billing thanks to the tremendously disturbing nature of the events portrayed. Godless is a great example of just how good Australian horror movies can be. Proving that they always know how to deliver on horrific, gritty, realism that sticks with you. Fantastic stuff, we awarded Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism 4/5 and our pretty rare Featured tag. And when you have watched it you can take a look at our Godless Ending Explained article for some more information and answers.
Budget Horror on Tubi – The Average!
It doesn’t feel right to include these movies with the bad stuff. The bad here is really bad so everything else is comparatively average. You may find something you really like here. Especially if a particular movie features a subject you are interested in. All should serve as an okay option to fill an hour or so if you are really bored.
Mercy Falls (2023)
This is another Tubi Original, one of a few on this list. Set in the highlands of Scotland. Mercy Falls follows a woman hiking into the woods with a group of friends in search of a cabin left to her by her late father. The presence of a mysterious woman causes tension and it isn’t long before things begin to go completely wrong. Leading to a brutal and vicious game of cat and mouse. This is a fairly interesting thriller that just never manages to fire on all cylinders. Dumb characters, a repetitive plot, and an unbelievable protagonist lead to some issues that can’t be fixed by beautiful scenery and a fantastic antagonist. Still, this one might scratch an itch if you fancy a very milquetoast thriller. We awarded Mercy Falls 2.2/5 in our review.
Captive (2023)
A bit of a difficult one to review here. Captive is a vampire movie that focuses on a group of stoners breaking into a mansion to party. Only to find a mysterious stranger tied up in the basement. Do they release him or should they leave him chained up and leave? Their decision will have dramatic consequences.
While not a particularly offensive movie and featuring a great performance from horror veteran Scout Taylor-Compton. Captive just isn’t that interesting. It never peaks and it’s unbelievable vampire lead lends the movie a sense of silliness. Perfectly fine as a sleepover movie but will leave anyone looking for something to sink their teeth into wanting. We awarded Captive 2.2/5 in our review.
Play Dead (2022)
Boy is this ever a silly movie? The Play Dead Ending Explained Article I put together is one of my most popular posts so that goes to show what a great job they did with this plot. Play Dead follows the story of a young woman, Chloe (Bailee Madison), as she sneaks into a mortuary to recover evidence that would implicate her brother in a crime. How does she do this, you may ask? Why by injecting herself with propofol of course.
The plot here is utterly ridiculous and the movie blows hot and cold for its entire length. Probably fine if you are just looking for some easy thrills. But if you put any thought into some of the events that take place. You will likely end up on your back in a fit of laughter. Play Dead is silly but watchable. We awarded it 2/5 in our review.
The Death of April (2022)
This one is advertised as a movie from 2022 but it actually released back in 2012 and it feels every part of it. Coming on the back end of the Found Footage Mockumentary wave of the late 2000s. The Death of April follows a young woman who moves away from her home to live in New York and decides to vlog her new life. After experiencing strange things. She begins looking into the history of her home only to uncover an unsolved tragedy. A tragedy that she is determined to get to the bottom of at any cost.
This is a bog standard Mockumentary. Featuring interviews with friends and relatives. The Death of April opens up quite promisingly before giving in to genre tropes and a very dull story. If you are a fan of mockumentaries then you may wish to check it out. It is a difficult movie to recommend, though. It’s just extremely average. We awarded The Death of April 2/5 in our review.
Bed Rest (2022)
Bed Rest is a very by the numbers haunted house horror with a bit of a silly premise. Following the story of a heavily pregnant woman being forced to spend a number of weeks bed bound due to an accident. Bed Rest sees our protagonist finding opportunity after opportunity to defy doctor’s orders and get out of bed to chase spooks around the house. There’s nothing new here but it might fit the bill if you are looking for a haunted house horror. Bed Rest takes minimal risks and benefits for its tried and tested approach to scaring the viewer. It doesn’t bring anything new to the genre, though, and can be rather boring in parts. Still, plenty of people like this movie more than me so you may enjoy it. We awarded Bed Rest 2.4/5 in our review.
Shark Bait (2023)
Man there are a ton of shark movies on Tubi.. Shark Bait is one of them, as you might have guessed. A Tubi Original, Shark Bait sees a group of friends stealing a pair of jet skis and promptly crashing them in shark infested waters. Playing out like pretty much every serious shark themed horror ever.
Shark Bait is basically an exercise in patience as we watch a few people bob around on a jet ski while arguing over interpersonal drama. Entirely too much drama and entirely too little shark action. This is one of those movies that doesn’t demand too much from a viewer but doesn’t offer a great deal either. It’s okay if you are desperate to watch some of us Brits faking american accents and being eaten. Otherwise, there isn’t much to recommend here. We awarded Shark Bait 2.5/5 which is bang on average.
Budget Horror on Tubi – The Fugly!
These movies are terrible. A couple of them are among the worst horror movies I have ever watched. I wouldn’t recommend any of these. Just stay the hell away from them unless you are a huge fan of one of the actors or the particular genre in question. There is very little here to grab onto.
The Lost Vlog of Ruby Real (2020)
The lowest of the low budget found footage horror. The Lost Vlog Of Ruby Real follows a group of social media influencers heading into the woods to disprove a local legend. Poorly acted with the exception of one character and laughably bad at points. This is a movie that desperately attempts to force in Lovecraftian elements to elevate the story above generic found footage crap and fails spectacularly. Awful stuff, we awarded The Lost Vlog of Ruby Real 1.5/5 in our review.
The Sleepless Unrest (2021)
Ironically titled as this movie literally put my partner and me to sleep. Forcing us to watch it over two sittings. The Sleepless Unrest is an utterly yawn inducing mockumentary style movie that follows a group of paranormal investigators staying at the real conjuring house.
Nothing happens, everyone overreacts to none events and the cast are completely annoying. This is one of those movies that makes you wonder why it exists. A complete waste of time. we awarded The Sleepless Unrest 1.5/5 in our review.
Chest (2020)
In 2016, a group of filmmakers disappeared in the mountains of east Tennessee. Unfortunately, their footage was found and the result is Chest. This is the exact type of thing people think of when you say low budget found footage. Poorly made, poorly acted and with a ridiculous story. This is a movie that heavily lampoons movies like The Blair Witch Project while never managing to be anywhere close to as interesting. An easy skip, we awarded Chest 1.2/5 in our review.
I’m Haunted (2022)
Following the story of a woman vlogging strange paranormal encounters in her apartment. I’m Haunted feels like someone went to a particularly special effort to make a movie that feels even cheaper and lower budget that its compatriots.
Boring, poorly edited and not at all scary. This movie is a result of a director knocking out as many movies as he can for as little money as possible. Not even remotely worth your time. We awarded I’m Haunted a meager 1/5 in our review.
Something Walks in the Woods (2023)
Something Walks in the Woods is one of those rare movies that describes itself perfectly. A man investigates the source of a recent viral video involving a supposed spirit walking across a treeline opposite a person’s house. That’s it, nothing else happens. This movie is utterly boring and a really good example of the recent found footage trend of not bothering to write an ending. One person movies can be made interesting and watchable. Just look at Leaving D.C. Something Walks in the Woods is just another movie that gives found footage a bad name and, as a fan of found footage, it makes me dislike them all the more. We awarded it 1/5 in our review.
Forest of Death (2023)
Holy fake reviews, Batman. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone buy so many ratings for a low budget horror movie before. This is always an issue with sites like IMDB. Especially with low budget stuff that, otherwise, wouldn’t get any attention. But there are nearly 50 10/10 reviews for this terrible movie on IMDB. Despite the fact that only 200 people have even bothered to rate the movie at all. A rating that is still hovering around 4/10 even with the producers trying to manufacture the score.
This is a great example of Ali Express horror. Movies designed to be cheap and fast to produce. They are low quality and barely worth your time but they turn a profit. Following a group of friends spending time at a cabin that seems to hide a bloody past. Forest of Death is terribly acted, boring, full of cliches and not at all scary. Unless you are a megafan of skin walkers, just avoid. Don’t believe the paid reviews and don’t waste your time on this. I refuse to even link it due to its attempts to deceive viewers. We awarded it 1/5 in our review.
Dead Hot: Season of the Witch (2022)
Less a horror movie and more a Vanessa Hudgens vanity project. Dead Hot sees the former High School Musical star set out to Salem with her best friend musician GG Magree to learn about the history of Witches. Featuring a few amateur paranormal investigations, a few interviews with hokey “experts” and a whole lot of two people in their mid 30s acting like teens. Dead Hot describes itself, bizarrely, as a coming of age tale. A statement that seems increasingly strange as the movie goes on.
Unless you are a Hudgens fan with a massive tolerance for two incredibly privileged people complaining about their lot in life. You might want to skip this one. It is nauseating and painful to watch. I think Hudgens is a talented person but this movie ain’t it! We awarded Dead Hot 1/5 in our review. Weirdly enough, this one disappeared briefly and shows as available in late July?
The Amityville Curse (2023)
Man I didn’t think a movie with a decent enough budget and a well known cast could be so bad. The Amityville Curse is awful. Following a group of friends purchasing the notorious Amityville house with the intention of converting it into condos and flipping it. It isn’t long before things start going wrong and the purchase looks like a huge mistake. This has a well known group of actors and is based on the Hans Holzer novel but still manages to be complete garbage. Featuring terrible visuals, no scares, a ridiculous plot and some truly laughable scenes. This movie misses on just about every shot it takes. It might actually be the worst movie to bear the Amityville name which is really saying something. Not at all worth your time. We awarded The Amityville Curse 1/5 in our review.
Caviar (2022)
This might be the worst movie on the list. Following the story of a social media influencer taking over the channel of her deceased brother. Before uncovering a world of conspiracy and deceit. Caviar is a movie that very much fancies itself as an artsy exploration into the darker side of misinformation. What it actually comes across as is a movie made by a director that has limited skill and a grade school level curiosity in conspiracy theories.
Utilising deep fake technology that often looks utterly farcical to progress its story. Caviar is a silly movie that looks beyond bad in parts. With terrible effects and misguided visuals. Boring, pretentious and poorly acted. I would take any movie on this list over Caviar, even Forest of Death. We awarded it 1/5 in our review.
Thanks for Reading!
So that’s 6 decent movies, 6 that are pretty average and 9 that are simply awful. Not a great result from our month of watching nothing but Low Budget Horror on Tubi. To be honest, I think I actually managed to pick pretty well. I am fairly sure I missed out on some of the worst stuff on Tubi. Actually managing to find 12 movies that are average or above. It could have been a lot worse. I will be adding to the Horror on Tubi category constantly. There’s just too much stuff to mine there. I will go back a few times a month, maybe even a few times a week.
Thank you very much for spending a few minutes with us. Why not stick around? We will be putting together more horror movie lists. We review around 3-5 horror movies a week. We explain horror movie endings and we update almost every day. There is always something new and never any fluff. Only substantial horror content written for horror fans by a horror fan. Support your local tiny Horror Movie Review site.
