Since George Romero first pioneered the concept with his Living Dead films, the zombie apocalypse has become a staple of horror films. Combining elements of monster movies and the disaster genre, these stories can evoke many different fears at once. From illness and death to isolation and societal collapse, zombie apocalypse narratives explore different facets of human nature and, often, the undead themselves are the least terrifying part. Generally, the true danger of such films is other people and the paranoia and desperation that develops among survivors, leaving zombies as a secondary threat. The cult classic, Stake Land, however, upped the horror by introducing a vampire apocalypse, making the undead more threatening than ever.

Drawing on many of the classic tropes of the zombie apocalypse genre, the 2010 horror film offered a unique twist on the old formula. More deadly monsters, a protagonist that specializes in hunting them, and elements of a road movie all set Stake Land apart from many of its predecessors and made it a particularly scary and moving story that, despite its lack of commercial success, is still loved by its fans and remains an underrated gem