The ‘Bad Ben’ Series Is Funny, Witty, and Ridiculous

I love independent cinema. There is something so awe-inspiring about people without Hollywood connections or multi-million dollar budgets picking up a camera and running with an idea. Despite the lack of production values or the presence of funky CGI effects, I appreciate the authenticity, the originality, and the fighting spirit of indie film. Who cares if the star isn’t an A-list actor? Am I entertained? Am I compelled by the story? That’s what’s important to me. With that said, I am pleased to turn your attention to the Bad Ben series by Nigel Bach.

On my quest to find independent horror films, I came across the trailer for Bad Ben. I was so delighted that I showed it to numerous people before I even watched the film. You can see the trailer for this off beat found footage flick in the player below. The films in this outrageous series follow Tom Riley. Tom is a middle-aged man who bought a house at a sheriff’s sale. He has plans to flip the property for a profit. However, things don’t go as planned. In time, dark forces within the house attack Tom.

As I mentioned before, the trailer floored me. I love the sequence where an invisible entity spells out ‘Not your home’ in ashes and Tom just erases the message and says, “Well I got news for you, it is my home.” That reeled me in. Shortly after finishing the trailer, I watch the first film in the series. And I just kept going!

These Are the Films in the Bad Ben Series:

• Bad Ben is the picture that started it all.  
• Steelmanville Road is the prequel to Bad Ben. It explains the history of the house
• The series’ third installment is Badder Ben: Tom Riley is back, this time with a documentary crew
• Bad Ben: The Mandela Effect is the fourth franchise installment. This time, Tom Riley experiences similar horrors in the same house. But they transpires in a series of parallel universes. 
• The Crescent Moon Clown is the fifth in the franchise. The house has new owners. They must deal with a mysterious presence
• The series’ sixth installment is Bad Ben: The Way In: The home has new owners. They hire Tom Riley to clear and cleanse the house of its entities.
• Bad Ben: The Haunted Highway is the seventh film in the franchise. This time, Tom Riley takes a job as a driver for an Uber competitor on Halloween. Naturally, he ends up embroiled in paranormal shenanigans.
• The eighth film in the series is Bad Ben: Pandemic. In this installment, Tom Riley works as an online supernatural consultant. 
• Bad Ben: Benign is the ninth outing. This time, Tom attempts to rid his home of otherworldly forces and faces off with a presence stronger than any with which he’s previously tangled. 
• The tenth film is Bad Ben: Eulogy: This series installment functions as a video eulogy for Tom Riley. 
• Bad Ben: Undead is the eleventh Bad Ben film. This time around, Tom Riley must contend with a zombie epidemic. 
• The twelfth film in the franchise is Bad Ben: Alien Agenda: This installment sees Tom Riley facing off against aliens. 

But Wait, There’s More!

The franchise also includes a behind-the-scenes film that covers the first three movies. It’s appropriately called The Making Of The Bad Ben Trilogy. And did I mention there is a Christmas special called Bad Ben’s The Night Before Christmas that runs just over 30 minutes? 

After watching all the films, I have to say the entertainment value is unquantifiable. My favorite film in the series, Badder Ben, had me laughing so hard. I kept having to pause the movie to gather myself. But the other series installments also offer plenty of silly fun. 

A Few Highlights from the Bad Ben Series:

• Tom Riley drop-kicking a doll with a knife
• A possessed doll driving an RC car
• The series’ lead character running in his house in his underwear swearing
• Tom Riley talking to a severed human head
• Our lovable protagonist using a cane as a defense weapon against demons
• Tom Riley getting dragged down the basement steps

The franchise is truly scrappy, delivering plenty of gags on a nonexistent budget. That becomes especially apparent in the behind the scenes film, The Making Of The Bad Ben Trilogy where Nigel Bach reveals he actually had a crew for the first Bad Ben. But everyone dropped out at the last minute. So, with the help of a couple friends and his iPhone, Nigel used his own home to make Bad Ben. He notes that he improvised much of the script for the first entry. That makes sense because the film feels natural, as if it is actually happening.

The Bad Ben franchise, in my opinion, has become more than an independent horror series. It’s an experience. The franchise has amassed a loyal following over the years and it’s easy to see why. With the increasingly calloused nature of the film business, the Bad Ben movies offer a genuine sense of community.  

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Updated June 4, 2024

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