Even a fantastic final girl or the creepiest setting imaginable can't save a horror movie if the plot isn't there. Fans of the genre have high expectations since they want to leave the theater or finish a film at home feeling like they just wanted a stunning, unique, original, and most of all, frightening story. The most interesting horror movies take classic ideas and build on them, whether the movies are considered "elevated horror" or just entertainment.
Sometimes, a horror movie has a disappointing plot that doesn't keep audiences engaged the way that they should be, or the idea for the film seems more silly than scary. There are several horror film concepts that don't work as well as some others.
The Last House On The Left (1972/2009)
In 1972, horror audiences were stunned by The Last House On The Left, which told the story of Marl Collingwood (Sandra Peabody), a girl who was tortured and murdered and whose parents went after the killers. This sticks out when compared to the horror movies Wes Craven has directed as it's just so disturbing. The 2009 movie sees Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn playing Marl's (Sara Paxton) parents Emma and John.
While it's shocking to see parents going after the people who hurt their daughter, and it's definitely effective, these movies are both considered to be "torture porn" and they have become very controversial. Since the plot is so harsh and dark, it's impossible to enjoy watching either the original or the remake, and there are many horror fans who wouldn't want to sit through either film.
The Hunt (2020)
The Hunt was surrounded by controversy as soon as people found out about the plot of the movie, and the story doesn't sound compelling: 12 people find themselves in the middle of nowhere and they don't know what's going on. It turns out that rich, elite people are going to "hunt" them, hence the name of the movie.
The movie has a talented cast of Emma Roberts, Hilary Swank, Betty Gilpin, and Ike Barinholtz, but none of it seems to work very well. The fact that Roberts' character is named "Yoga Pants" seems silly, not scary. Even though the movie has Damon Lindelof and Jason Blum as produers and Lindelof co-wrote it, most would say that it wasn't a horror movie that was worth making because the concept is so disturbing and upsetting. It's fair to say that most wouldn't consider The Hunt to be one of the best 2020 horror movies.
Ouija (2014)
When compared to other horror movies about ghosts, Ouija doesn't have a very strong plot, which makes it a bit dull to get through. Laine Morris (Olivia Cooke) is devastated that her good friend Debbie Galardi (Shelley Henning) becomes possessed by a Ouija board and dies.
There are some amazing teen horror movies, but Ouija doesn't have a big, compelling enough plot to interest audiences. The main idea is that a Ouija board is evil and has the power to kill people. While that does make for a movie that seems like it would be fun to watch, especially around Halloween when people are getting into the spirit of the holiday, the movie skims the surface of the characters and the premise.
The Final Destination (2009)
While Final Destination 3 is a great movie in the horror franchise, the 2009 entry The Final Destination tells the story of a group of friends who are involved in an accident at a racetrack. When compared to the other Final Destination movies, this premise doesn't feel as wild or scary. This might be because most people don't spend time at a racetrack so unlike some of the other settings in the franchise, it doesn't feel like this could really happen.
An epic car pile-up, a rollercoaster ride that malfunctions, and a bridge collapse might be intense and over-the-top, but they do feel a bit more realistic, which makes them more horrifying.
Old (2021)
Old is adapted from the graphic novel Sandcastle, and while horror fans usually enjoy M. Night Shyamalan's work in the horror genre, the concept for this movie is a bit awkward. The idea is that when characters spend time at a tropical resort, they start aging and fast. The characters have no idea why this is happening, but it turns out that they each have a health issue, which is the reason why they have ended up here. Audiences finally learn the truth: the characters are part of a trial for a new drug.
The idea that characters could age every 30 minutes is a little silly and tough to take seriously, and while it always takes a while to get to the plot twist or explanation in a movie, this reveal feels especially slow here.