6 Horror Movie Best Bros with Beautiful Friendships Throughout Terrifying Situations

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, a day typically celebrated by romantic couples. And today is Galentine’s Day, a day for best gal pals to celebrate their non-romantic love for each other. But what about dudes who aren’t in a romantic relationship? To my knowledge, a day for celebrating healthy platonic male friendships hasn’t been (successfully) established. And maybe guy friends don’t need a special day and that’s why it hasn’t been done… However, in my 40+ years of existence, I’ve had more than one male friend confess that Valentine’s Day, when they’re single, really bums them out. So, I wanted to write a little something to spotlight my favorite non-romantic male friendships in horror movies. The Best Bros of horror!

I’m not going to focus on friendship groups. As you get older, it gets more and more rare to have an entire group of friends. Nor am I going to share “bros” who are literally/biologically brothers. There are a lot of awesome sibling friendships in horror movies, but I don’t want any of my fellow only children to feel excluded. I’m focusing solely on platonic duos!

Every entry below features two male friends who aren’t biologically related or romantically involved. They’re also not villains! I wanted to celebrate cute/healthy male friendships that make me smile. If you’re a fella who’s alone today or tomorrow, this is your sign to call up your own Best Bro and watch a horror movie together. It doesn’t have to be any of the films I talk about (though they are great movies!), but I hope that reading about the solid friendships below will make you think about that one special friend in your own life and remind you that you’re not alone.

Oh, and, Gals… You’re more than welcome to read this one! Male friendship duos in other genres can get pretty “ick” sometimes (I’ve had a “yikes!” reaction to more than one raunchy “comedy” film), but the horror movie Best Bros I’ve selected are all extremely wholesome. Although my initial idea came from wanting to share something for lonely fellas during this romantic time of year, friendship is for everyone. And I think these duos will make you smile, too!

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Val and Earl in Tremors (1990)

I’ve talked about how much I love Tremors as well as how much I enjoy the friendship between Val (Kevin Bacon) and Earl (Fred Ward) many times over the years. Most recently, I gassed on about these awesome dudes when I wrote about the best PG-13 horror films last month!

Val and Earl are freelance handymen for their (very) small town. They drive around in a truck and do their best to fix things that need fixin’. Their lives and jobs aren’t glamorous, but they’re good men who do what they gotta do to pay the bills via honest work. No one looks up to them, but no one really looks down on them either. They’re an appreciated necessity, but they also kind of blend into the scenery. Sort of the way you never really realize how much you need and appreciate your refrigerator until the power goes out and all your food starts to spoil – it’s just there, doing its job.

These Best Bros have quips for days! They’re always poking fun at each other, but never in a way that’s mean-spirited or crosses the line. Their comfortable ribbing is the foundation of their camaraderie. They joke for fun, but they also use their shared sense of humor to soften the blow when they need to get through to each other about harsher truths. Val (whose full name is Valentine) is a “romantic” who’s looking for “love,” but Earl is able to call him out on why his previous relationships were doomed from the get-go. On the other hand, Earl is always looking to better his financial situation, but Val is able to explain that doing something now will get him closer to his ultimate goals than sitting around vaguely planning/dreaming what the future “should” be. Those are both major issues in life… May we all be as blessed as Val and Earl by having that One True Friend who can coax us to the right path by using a bit of gentle humor when we’re tempted by our lesser instincts. We all need someone who can remind us to get our heads out of our own butts sometimes – even if that means giving our butts a light kick to dislodge our noggins!

They also know when it’s time to be serious. They work together extremely well! They’re on the same page and can coordinate with ease. They have each other’s backs and look out for each other.

Val and Earl also have a lot of little repeated gestures and dialogue lines that subtly build their background as Best Bros who go waaay back. If you have a longtime friend, there are probably things you say and do around each other that you don’t even realize you’re doing! It’s just a part of the friendship. It’s natural for longtime friends to “mirror” each other, and you can see Val and Earl embody that phenomenon in nearly every Tremors scene they share. It’s never mentioned, it just is. If I may quote “Mr. Plinkett” for a moment: “You didn’t notice it… but your brain did.” Those tiny interactions go a long way towards establishing them as legitimate pals, even when the primary focus is on fighting gigantic man-eating worms!

Which brings me to the plot of the actual movie: Tremors is a creature-feature where enormous wormlike creatures emerge from the ground and start attacking the people living in a teeny Nevada town. It’s an absolutely amazing horror-comedy and one of my all-time favorites. It’s suspenseful, it has great practical effects, fantastic characters (Val and Earl are my faves, but all of the other characters are wonderful as well!), quick-witted jokes, and it’s action-packed and suspenseful without being TOO scary or gory. It’s a great horror film for nearly all ages. I first watched it when I was six, when it came out on VHS around a year after its theatrical release, and I love it more with every viewing.

Where to Watch Tremors (1990):

Tremors (1990) | Rated PG-13 | Runtime 1h 36m

David and Jack in An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Speaking from experience, if your friend tells you to end your own life… they aren’t a good friend. That probably seems like a “no brainer” rule for real world interactions, but I felt it was worth mentioning. That said, in the entirely fictional world of An American Werewolf in London, the rules are a little different.

David and Jack are college graduates who are on a backpacking trip across Europe. As the title implies, they’re Americans, and they’ve been trekking for a little while. When we meet them, they’ve made it to the moors of Northern England. It’s got nice cliffs, a lot of greenery, and it’s pretty remote. They go to a little pub where the customer service leaves a lot to be desired, but they don’t let the hostile vibe bring ’em down and continue on their journey. Unfortunately, they probably shouldn’t have brushed off the locals’ warnings to stay on the main roads and not be hiking around during the full moon…

I’m about to drop a 45-year-old spoiler regarding the first 16 minutes of An American Werewolf in London: Jack is brutally killed by a werewolf and David is mauled. Yeah. One of this horror movie’s Best Bros is dead mere minutes after we meet him! And, slight spoilers for the other films on this list, the overall mortality rate for male BFFs in horror films is not good. Only two of my favorite duos both make it to the end credits of their respective stories; however, I don’t think that should discourage you. It’s just one more reason to be happy you and YOUR best bud live here in the real world and not in a horror film!

While they’re both alive, you get to see a solid rapport between David and Jack that successfully establishes them as great friends. They’re such good friends, in fact, that their friendship continues after Jack’s death.

David is cursed to become a werewolf and Jack is cursed to remain in Limbo (as a gross deteriorating spirit sorta thing) until the werewolf’s bloodline has ended. David is the last in the bloodline. David needs to die.

Jack kind of acts like David’s guardian angel or as a spirit guide, letting David know what went down and what’s at stake. Sure, he would love to be able to go into the Light, so it might seem like him asking David to off himself is purely for selfish reasons… But I don’t think so. If it were, Jack would not be as patient with David as he is!

David doesn’t listen to the apparition of his dead best friend after the first warning. Nor should he! It’s unwise to go listening to hallucinations willy-nilly. Jack, being a reasonable pal, understands this. Even after David experiences solid proof that Jack’s correct (that David is, indeed, a werewolf), David’s reluctant to end himself. Naturally, Jack expresses some frustration, but he remains overall very kind and patient with his buddy. Even while he’s stuck in Limbo and his form is getting more and more decayed, Jack truly wants the best for his friend. He knows it’s a horrible ask to make, but it’s the only option that can save them both. Jack really, really doesn’t want his Best Bro to become a savage, murderous BEAST!

If you don’t think Jack’s a good, extremely patient friend to David, pay close attention how the other spirits treat David. There are other werewolf victims who appear to give David a “nudge” in regard to ending himself and they’re far from understanding!

Where to watch An American Werewolf in London (1981):

An American Werewolf in London (1981) | Rated R | Runtime 1h 37m

Chris and JC in Night of the Creeps (1986)

Chris Romero and James Carpenter Hooper (JC) are a fantastic example of an introvert/extrovert friendship that works!

Chris has seemingly everything going for him, but struggles to see his worth. He’s withdrawn, prone to falling into depression, and is extremely self-conscious. He wants to put himself “out there” and try new things, but he fizzles out before he even gets started. JC, on the other hand, was dealt some challenging cards at birth but doesn’t let anything get him down. He doesn’t care if anyone thinks he’s a geek, he knows he is, and he’s proud of it. He’s confident, extremely funny, and doesn’t hesitate to throw himself into whatever mix is in the blender.

JC acts as Chris’ Wing Man, getting intel on Cynthia Cronenberg (college hottie) and hypes up his Best Bro. He also gives Chris much-needed pep talks as well!

Since Night of the Creeps is only 88 minutes long, their friendship might seem a little lopsided in the short time we have with them. But the chemistry of their friendship is there. They joke around with each other throughout their dialogue, not too dissimilar to Val and Earl in Tremors, and hints of their long-enduring bro-ship are referenced. There’s also little visual clues in the set dressing to their shared interests that aren’t specifically mentioned, like the two guitars in their shared dorm room.

Chris wears lumpy sweaters and combs down his hair into a tamed helmet, JC wears the loud patterns and has book-accurate Harry Potter hair. They look and act like complete opposites, but they’re on the same wavelength. Through most of Night of the Creeps, we see JC rallying for Chris in his time of need (he’s recently been dumped for being a dweeb and is trying to find the nerve to date again), but it’s clear that Chris cares about JC and has had his back in the past.

As for the plot, Night of the Creeps is about these Best Bros accidentally releasing alien slug things from a science lab while trying to perform pledge/initiate antics to get into a fraternity at their college. The slugs are parasites that crawl into people, kill them, and basically turn them into zombies. So, uh, Chris and JC start the Zombie Apocalypse. From there, they, Cynthia, and Tom “Thrill Me” Atkins (in my favorite role of his, as a troubled detective) have to band together and save the world from the alien/zombie invasion taking over the college campus!

Where to watch Night of the Creeps (1986):

Night of the Creeps (1986) | Rated R | Runtime 1h 28m

Shaun and Ed in Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun and Ed are best friends and roommates in their very late 20s (Shaun is said to be 29, and I believe Ed is supposed to be as well) who don’t quite have everything “figured out” yet. And that’s okay! The average human brain isn’t even “fully developed” until 25 and, even with fully-developed brains, we all mature at different rates (newer studies have shown that adolescence is closer to 9-32 than the previous 11-25 range were were taught in the early 2000s). I didn’t even start to know what I was doing in life until I was 32 and I’m still working things out at 41! And there’s a bit more grace given to us late bloomers these days but, in 2004, Shaun and Ed were given the “slacker” label.

I think that Ed and Shaun were always relatable as characters, and as friends, but modern context/values/grace has allowed them to “age” really well. The humor is still there, but it felt like they were just for laughs when Shaun of the Dead was initially released (which was a bit frustrating for audience members who could relate to their plight and were also deemed “slackers” despite trying their best) whereas, now, you can see them as the two perfectly regular guys they are.

Let’s look at Shaun for a second: Being a sales advisor isn’t a shameful job, playing video games after work to unwind isn’t a crime, and not having the executive function to plan a perfect date is something that can be resolved through open/honest communication. Shaun never stops loving his girlfriend, Liz, he just isn’t great at doing the “Man’s Job” of planning and when those wires get crossed – when a presumed failure at the Role is seen as a failure at love – people’s feelings can get hurt on both sides. There’s nothing wrong or bad about Shaun, he just struggles to clearly communicate his emotions any time he’s in a 2004 “adulting” situation. So, he’s disrespected at (and for) his job, he doesn’t openly engage in his hobbies, and he’s dumped by his girlfriend because he can’t communicate that he needs a partner when it comes to romance. He has all the pieces in place for a lovely normal life (job, hobbies, love), but he’s lacking the emotional intelligence to fully succeed.

Which brings me to Ed: He’s ALL emotion! He doesn’t hesitate to indulge in the things that bring him joy. He says what’s on his mind. He openly shares his thoughts and expresses his love at every turn. He doesn’t always do so in the most eloquent or polite fashion, but he does. He knows that Shaun loves Liz, he knows that Liz hurt Shaun, and he’s mad at Liz for hurting Shaun. He’s more in-tune with Shaun’s emotions than Shaun is! And, whether he realizes it or not, Shaun leans on Ed for emotional support. Ed hasn’t “matured” into the same roles Shaun has (no money, no love life), and he struggles with impulse control, but Ed is leagues further in emotional expression.

Shaun and Ed balance each other out. Even before the zombie apocalypse hits, they’re shown as friends who support each other with each of their personal strengths (Shaun supports Ed financially while Ed supports Shaun’s mental wellbeing) while also having a lot in common (they have shared hobbies and senses of humor!). After shiz hits the fan, they continue to look after each other. It’s not always effective, but it always comes from a place of love. They’re true friends who are there for each other during all the awkward stages of life, no matter what goes down!

As for the plot of the actual horror film, Shaun of the Dead is similar to George Romero’s “of the Dead” zombie movies. Everyone’s lives are pretty normal, zombies happen, and folks just gotta survive. It has a lot more silly moments, but it also has plenty of scares and the social commentary you’d expect in a zombie film. There are multiple characters, who all have their own interpersonal dynamics, but what really makes Shaun of the Dead work as a horror-comedy film – and as a movie in general – is the friendship at its core. Shaun and Ed aren’t badasses when we meet them, nor do then instantly become skilled warriors when disaster hits – they do their very best with who and what currently they are, together.

Where to watch Shaun of the Dead (2004):

Shaun of the Dead (2004) | Rated R | Runtime 1h 39m

Finn and Robin in The Black Phone (2021)

The friendship between Finn and Gwen, the brother/sister main characters, gets most of the attention in The Black Phone. And they’re great! Those siblings have an extremely solid relationship that’s very supportive and stays strong even when their environment is crumbling. They’re growing up in a rough familial dynamic (dead mom; abusive, alcoholic father), but they take care of each other. If I ever write a list about awesome horror movie siblings, Finn and Gwen will definitely make the cut!

Let’s not overlook the Best Bros friendship between Finn and Robin though! The Black Phone is one of the few horror films from this decade that I’d call “perfect,” so if you haven’t seen it… Just watch it. I’m going to get into some heavy-duty spoilers in my next couple paragraphs (it’s unavoidable, when talking about this particular duo), and I don’t want you to miss out on the experience of going into this one cold. It’s only five years old, and there’s a good chance you haven’t seen The Black Phone yet. Don’t let me be the one to ruin the magic!

Okay. You watched it? Good. Now, where were we…?

Well, you may have noticed that, much like Jack and David in An American Werewolf in London, we don’t get to spend much time with Finn and Robin while they’re both among the living. Robin is kidnapped and murdered fairly early on. However, in the time we do get to spend with them, they have a really cute friendship!

Finn is good at academics and Robin is good at fighting. They give each other tips in each of their areas of expertise. Finn helps tutor Robin in math, while Robin gives advice on how Finn can stick up for himself via slight attitude/confidence adjustments and physical combat prowess. The latter of which comes in crucial to Finn’s survival later on in the film, when they manage to go into it more in-depth. (I won’t say how they manage that conversation, in case you didn’t actually watch The Black Phone and kept reading due to burning curiosity over what I was about to write).

They also share a love for horror movies! Finn is a bit more timid (he’s shown getting scared by William Castle’s The Tingler) whereas Robin is more hardcore (he was ecstatic to have seen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), but they both have big grins while talking about the latest horror films they’ve seen or intend to see. Even with differing horror tolerance levels, horror friends love to gab with one another about their recent watches! Although the moment is short, I think any horror fan would recognize it as a meaningful connection that successfully establishes them as Best Bros. Especially since The Black Phone is a 1970s period piece, when discussing horror films not among likeminded friends was more taboo.

Where to watch The Black Phone (2021):

The Black Phone (2021) | Rated R | Runtime 1h 43m

Tucker and Dale in Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

If you’ll allow me a moment of romance for just a minute (I’ll keep it to this paragraph, if you want to skip it), my husband and I watched Tucker and Dale vs Evil for the first time in 2020 and we loved it. And, also, Dale reminded me quite a bit of my husband (I’d argue that Frank is smarter and savvier, but they have similar builds and sweetness!). There were the parallels of out-of-touch City Kids (I was born and raised in Los Angeles with parents who worked in the entertainment industry) and “Hillbillies” (Frank is originally from an area of Ohio that borders West Virginia, the area Tucker and Dale hail from!). So, while watching the movie, we were able to confirm – from both sides of the various characters’ situations – that prejudices against Country Folk do exist, are often entirely wrong, and… True Love between a “Redneck” and “A Girl Who Went to Fancy Actor Parties” (as Frank calls me hahaha) is entirely possible. Frank and I will have been together for a decade in 2027 and we’re celebrating seven years of marriage this April. So, if you, too, are a “Dale” and you’re side-eying the validity of the romance in Tucker and Dale vs Evil: Don’t lose hope, Man! Listen to the “Tucker” in your life and just go talk to her!

Okay! Back to the horror movie Best Bros friendship between Tucker and Dale!

The film starts with a group of college students showing up in West Virginia, getting supplies for their upcoming camping trip. You know; the ol’ slasher film cliché! That’s when they (and we) meet BFFs Tucker and Dale. Tucker has purchased a “fixer upper” vacation home in the woods (it looks like the cabin from Evil Dead haha) and he and Dale are going to spend some time there fixing it up, doing some fishing, and bonding as buddies. Dale establishes early on that Tucker has zero issues with the ladies and basically has his life together (he could afford to buy a vacation home!) whereas Dale self-describes himself as “a fat idiot.” Well, Tucker is having any of that nonsense! They’re going to have a great Guys Weekend and pump up Dale’s confidence while fixing up their new place.

From the get-go, it’s easy to see that Tucker and Dale care about each other. There are also snippets of dialogue, interactions, and set dressing that show their shared interests as friends: They’ve always wanted to have their own cabin to fix up, they have complimentary skill sets, they both enjoy bowling, they have a shared collection of board games… They hype each other up, but also give each other guff.

Though a series of, uh, cultural misunderstandings, Tucker and Dale are assumed to be psycho killers by the college kids and there are multiple bloody accidents that are misinterpreted as killings. Meanwhile, poor Tucker and Dale think the college kids are part of a cult who have some sort of suicide pact and are trying to frame them for the deaths and may be in danger themselves! It’s a horrific situation for the characters but absolutely hilarious to watch as a viewer (Tucker and Dale vs Evil is one of the funniest horror-comedies I’ve ever seen!). All the while, Tucker and Dale work together to protect each other and Dale’s newfound love interest (Allie) and figure out what the heck is going on.

We also see them have a little spat! Tucker grows increasingly frustrated with Dale because Dale is dedicating more time/attention to Allie than him. He eventually gets pretty grumpy about it. But it’s understandable! Tucker wants his Best Bro to feel good about himself and have a successful romance but now is not the time. Dale’s breaking Bro Code by essentially having a date on what was supposed to be their Guy Time. It might seem a little silly, but if you’ve ever found yourself as the third wheel on a romantic outing that you were told was going to be Quality Friend Time with your buddy, you’ll get where Tucker’s coming from. I was put in that situation several times when I was younger and it sucks, no matter how happy I was that my friend was feelin’ the love. But they eventually communicate their feelings to each other and move past it, as truly Best Bros do! (They also have to get past the fact that Dale doesn’t love fishing as much as Tucker does – which hurts Tucker’s feelings at first, but I think it’s really sweet that Dale likes fishing “enough” to go anyway because he knows how much Tucker loves fishing and he loves seeing Tucker happy).

If you haven’t seen Tucker and Dale vs Evil, I highly recommend it! It’s laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end, the kills are some of the slasher genre’s very best (they’re as creative and bloody as you could ever want), and the characters – especially the main duo – are great. There’s quite a bit of genuine suspense/horror during all the comedy antics as well! Plus, I’d say Tucker and Dale vs Evil has the most pure/touching Best Bro moments of all of the films I’ve recommended here – and that’s saying a LOT considering their competition! Love these dudes. I think you will too. ♥

Where to watch Tucker and Dale VS Evil (2010):

Tucker and Dale VS Evil (2010) | Rated R | Runtime 1h 29m

Who are YOUR favorite horror movie Best Bros…?

I didn’t include Billy and Stu from Scream because their friendship wasn’t particularly healthy (and, I’d argue, not entirely platonic). But there are probably some other great duos I didn’t include either because I forgot or I simply wasn’t familiar with them. Or, because I was on the fence! I briefly considered adding “J” and “K” from Men in Black to this list, but it took them a whiiiiiiiile to establish a friendship and they didn’t feel like BEST Bros to me… But maybe I’m wrong about that!

Let me know in the comments who YOUR favorite non-romantic non-related best buddies are in horror films! I’d love to hear about them. ♥

Images for this article were purchased via MovieStillsDB (stills) and CineMaterial (posters).