Slasher films are a
subgenre of
horror films which typically involve a violent
psychopath murdering several victims. These villains often wield bladed tools. Although the term "slasher" is sometimes used colloquially as a generic term for any horror movie involving murder, analysts of the genre cite an established set of characteristics which allegedly set these films apart from other horror subgenres, such as
splatter films and
psychological horror films.