10 Horror Films That Tried Something Different (And Failed)

For a horror movie to leave its mark, it can't just be solid; it needs to give audiences something they haven't seen before. This is easier said than done, since the genre has a nasty habit of being formulaic and predictable. Even though each entry in Saw, Hellraiser, and Friday the 13th does their best to stay fresh, they largely follow the same tried-and-tested structure.

But while adapting an iconic story, rebooting a beloved property, or concluding a franchise, filmmakers know they can't churn out the same old, same old. As such, they may decide to approach a movie in a way no one could've possibly expected.

Although this is risky, it can pay off big-time, breathing life into a flagging series or kickstarting a new franchise. Other times, bucking the trend is the worst move possible. Some horror films try too hard to subvert expectations, to the point where they come across as non-sensical, unintentionally hilarious, or outright insulting to long-time fans.

Even though it's commendable how screenwriters, directors, and studios will do their darnedest to give moviegoers something different, it doesn't always work out.

After The Blair Witch Project made over ten thousand times its budget (yes, really), a follow-up was rushed into development a year later. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 may have an avalanche of problems, but there's one flaw that towers above the rest - it ditched the found-footage motif.

This decision was so absurd, it seemed like the filmmakers didn't understand what made the property special in the first place. The Blair Witch Project didn't break the bank because it was scary, but because the "film within a film" angle made it feel authentic. You know the filmmakers did something right, considering there were plenty of horror fans who thought this "documentary" was the real deal.

Without the found-footage style, there's nothing to differentiate Book of Shadows from any other paranormal flick. For the most part, it feels like a completely different movie that was tweaked into a Blair Witch sequel at the last minute. Also, the camera work is somehow worse than in the previous entry, where it was deliberately bad!

Even though it's inspiring to see a movie going against the norm, Blair Witch 2 would've fared better if it was lazy retread of its predecessor.