Job description: An inescapable part of the modern condition is a fear of nuclear holocaust, and
of a bleak, blasted dystopic future where radiation has caused unspeakably hideous mutations to both man and beast. Few things strike more terror in the average cinemagoer's heart than a slobbering, twisted, slimy freak of nature lurking in a dark corner.
Recently seen in: The Hills Have Eyes (right), a remake of the cult 1970s slasher film that brought nascent horror-meister Wes Craven to widespread attention (he lurks in the shadows of the remake as producer). This is a gorefest, ranging from complete dismemberment to graphic shotgun damage. A tight-knit suburban American family breaks down in the middle of a wasteland of abandoned atomic test sites. In the bleak hills lurks a shuffling, misshapen and murderous clan of cannibals.
Most likely to say: 'Kill the baby. It's breakfast time.'
Classics of the genre: Based on an idea of H.P. Lovecraft's and directed by Stuart Gordon (Re-animator), Dagon (2001) is a creepy, slimy, oozy film about mutant fish-people, and the unfortunate yuppie yachties who stumble on their foggy island.
Bryan Singer's X-Men (2000), adapted from Stan Lee's enduring Marvel Comics favourite, boasts hot and cold running murderous mutants, from the shape-shifting and shapely Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) to the vicious Sabretooth (Tyler Mane) and the nimble-tongued Toad (Ray Park), with old Shakespearean stage buddies Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart camping it up as arch-mutants Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier. Fortunately, there are also plenty of good mutants to save the day. Fans will be happy to note that the third instalment of the franchise, X-Men: The Last Stand, is out next month.