All of the best horror franchises have one thing in common: sequels. There’s just something about watching your favorite serial killer or supernatural creature cutting down the local kids that fills our hearts with a sadistic kind of glee. That being said, it’s only natural that we’re extra intrigued by the prospect of seeing this happen again…and again…and again. While horror movie sequels are usually intended to add more depth to mythologies and enhance character development, some tend to do the opposite. Instead of pushing the franchise forward and audience members, some sequels push us away. You don’t believe me? Well, here’s six examples of crappy horror movie sequels.
1. "Lost Boys: The Tribe" (2008)
A disappointing sequel to the 1987 cult classic “Lost Boys” takes place in a small seaside town in California after the main characters (a brother and sister) lost their parents and moved to the town for a “fresh start.” Long story short, the sister gets roofied with vampire blood at a party and everything goes downward from there. In all honesty, it’s not the plot or even the filming that makes this movie so terrible. I mean, it was shot nicely and the story moves along just fine. The only problem is that there is literally nothing interesting about the movie. It was essentially the 1987 prequel set in more current times. And no, I’m not exaggerating. One of the characters’ lines was the exact same as they were in the first movie.
2. "Saw IV" (2007)
Okay, so before I begin on this one, I want to make one thing clear. Yes, I’m fully aware that the "Saw" franchise is built upon depictions of violence and the grotesque. However, the movies preceding this one provided a purpose for such atrocities. Jigsaw was a demented serial killer who used physical and psychological torture to “help” his victims atone for their past indiscretions. Granted, that isn’t the best purpose but it was a purpose nonetheless. However, the gore, violence and sex depicted in the fourth installment of this series seemed to only show these things because they could. I suppose this movie would be great for those who just enjoy seeing people being torn apart (because that’s normal) but, for those of us who enjoy plot and explanations, this movie is a no-go.
3. "The Grudge 3" (2009)
Let’s be honest, "The Grudge 2" was already pushing it but this third and final installment in the series put the nail in the coffin. If the fact that this movie went straight to DVD didn’t tip you off that this was going to be a crappy movie, the writing, editing, acting and filming definitely clued you in. There were, at maximum, two jump scares and the rest of the movie was basically there to set up those two jump scares. The actors completely failed in delivering any form of depth or relatability to their characters but that could also be attributed to the hallow shell of a script they were working with.
4. "Jason X" (2001)
They put Jason Voorhees in space. Someone actually spent their hard earned money funding a movie where Jason Voorhees goes to space. I’m 100 percent convinced that everyone working on this movie was stoned beyond belief. Sobriety played no part in this.
5. "Friday the 13th VIII" (1989)
Not nearly as bad as the weird Star Trek-y vibe in "Jason X" but still quite horrible. This movie was probably the biggest let down to me, personally, out of all of the movies on this list. And yes, that’s including "Jason X." This is because, unlike "Jason X," the eighth chapter of this series had so much potential. Jason was in a big city with thousands of teenage victims just waiting to be brutally slaughtered. Instead, most of the movie is spent with him lurking around alleys and creeping through sewers like some weird "Law & Order: SVU" villain. Not to mention the multiple Ferris Bueller-esque moments where Jason decided to look directly into the camera. Like seriously, was this a horror movie or a dramatic comedy?
6. "Scream 4" (2011)
Again, we have a move with so much potential. While the writing was top notch, the acting and directing definitely left something to be desired. There were many times throughout the movie where the actors pretty much sounded as if they were still rehearsing and there were a few sketchy camera angles littered throughout the film. Basically, this movie could have been amazing given the right director and cast but instead it was a flop.
