You may not be familiar with The Asylum, but you’ve probably watched a few of their movies. The studio is famous for making low budget films comparable to Hollywood blockbusters. Not all of them were naff though.

Here are seven Asylum movies that are better than the originals they’re based on.

7. Hercules Reborn (2014)

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson starred in the blockbuster Hercules movie from the same year. This one though also features an ex-wrestler in the lead role. Former WWE star John Morrison is playing Hercules in this movie. To be fair, he does a pretty good job. His acting is decent, and the film isn’t full of cheesy one-liners that you may expect. Yes, The Rock’s Hollywood version has the better effects and a gigantic budget, but that isn’t everything. The Asylum films normally have a budget of one million dollars. They’ve spent every cent of Hercules Reborn. The costumes and set look great and the supporting cast does a fine job. There’s no explosion of CGI, but it’s a good story that’s well-acted and expertly executed.

6. Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012)

I remember seeing Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter advertised and thinking what a silly idea. The big $100 million budget was spent well as it’s full of CGI and monsters. Where it fell flat, was the weak story and the inability not to take itself too seriously. In stark contrast, Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies hits the sweet spot. Released in the same year, it features a clever historical story that has more substance than the Hollywood version. Credit should also go to Bill Oberst Jr who does a sterling job of playing Lincoln. The Asylum have nailed the atmosphere, photography, and story just right. They also haven’t forgotten to add in a touch of humour. This is an enjoyable watch, which is exactly what it should be.

5. Mercenaries (2014)

Sylvester Stallone has done a good job of building up the Expendables franchise. Originally, there was talk of a female version being made. It never happened, so to coincide with the release of Expendables 3, The Asylum released Mercenaries – an all-female action flick. Expendables 3 was a bit of a damp squib, so the Asylum have found a gap and capitalised on it perfectly. Featuring the brilliant Bridget Nielsen in the cast, this movie kicks butt. The plot has been done a million times before, so you must disengage your brain before watching. But the action sequences are excellent, and the female cast delivers all the punches. Without the cheesy one-liners that litter the Expendables. Add this to your Saturday movie list.

4. Snakes on A Train (2006)

The plane version of this film with Samuel L Jackson has become a bit of a cult classic. Mostly because of the silly idea, but also because it doesn’t really know if it’s supposed to be a horror or a comedy. Coming off the back of the hype of that movie, the Asylum released Snakes on a Train. Now, they knew exactly what they were doing with this. It’s a horror and cleverly, they add in a supernatural twist with a Mayan curse. It works as the film feels creepy and dark and full of dread. As you would expect from a low-budget film from 2006, the effects are poor. Particularly the climactic scene. But the story is clever, the acting is decent, and the atmosphere is perfect. Go in with an open mind and it’s more enjoyable than watching Samuel L Jackson curse at some CGI snakes.

3. American Warships (2012)

Battleship, the big-budget sci-fi action featuring Liam Neeson and Rhianna was a terrible movie. The acting was questionable and the plot? Well, that could have been written on the back of a cigarette packet. Not to mention the awful pacing of the whole thing. American Warships, but, is a welcome antidote. So, you don’t have the big-budget effects, but the plot has more substance to it. Rather than just having boats trying to blow up alien ships, this has a relevant political story. It’s also well-paced with a good collection of actors. I mean, it has Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers in it. If that’s not a good enough reason alone to watch it, then I don’t know what is.

2. Hansel vs. Gretel (2015)

You can’t beat a good movie about killing witches. This effort from 2015 is actually a pretty good movie. One thing that the Asylum do very well is getting the atmosphere just right. They have done it again with this film. It’s dark, brooding, and atmospheric. There is plenty of action and a decent story, but it’s not over-the-top. The film it’s based on (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters) is exactly that. Critics panned it for its over-use of gore and 3D which left them wondering what sort of film it was. Comedy parody or a straight-up bloody adventure? Hansel Vs Gretel sticks to its premise. It’s a decent effort that doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t. Give it a watch.

1. The Day the Earth Stopped (2008)

This was a mockbuster from The Day the Earth Stood Still. That film featured Keanu Reeves, and itself based on a movie from 1951. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a patch on the original classic. Although it was visually stunning, even Keanu Reeves looked bored to be there. The Asylum’s version is a bit better. It doesn’t have the budget for the effects, but what they do have, is used in a clever way. A lot of the alien ship is shot at night, which helps. And they also have the brilliant Sinead McCafferty as the alien messenger on Earth. She does a great job and it’s a cool twist on the part. Director C Thomas Howell also takes a lead role and pulls it off. This is a clever film that does the 1951 original more justice than the 2008 remake.

That’s our list of nine bands who played themselves in movies. Did we miss any of your favourites? Let us know in the comments below.

Read our Arcane review HERE.