Top 10 R-Rated Horror Movies That Aren't Scary
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Top 10 R-Rated Horror Movies That Aren't Scary
Top 10 Horror Movies That Surprisingly Are NOT R-Rated
No children - or scares - allowed. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 R-Rated Horror Movies That Aren't Scary. For this list, we’re looking at horror movies which scored an R-rating in spite of their non-existent fear factor. In order to avoid any misunderstanding, some of these films are perfectly enjoyable, but scares are simply not on the menu. Also, horror comedies like “Leprechaun” will not be considered.
#10: “The Gallows” (2015)
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A found footage, supernatural slasher set in a high school theatre? Sounds intriguing enough. But “The Gallows” was anything but novel. Derivative, contrived, and most importantly, NOT frightening, the film fell flat with both critics and audiences. It was a Box Office success, but only because its budget was a minuscule $100,000. Leaning on jump scares that fail to actually scare, “The Gallows” was described by critics as a cliche, predictable, and “incredibly dumb”. It’s difficult to be scared when the movie is so bad that you’re barely watching the screen.
#9: “Deadly Friend” (1986)
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How did a horror master like Wes Craven go from "A Nightmare on Elm Street" to a stalker movie starring a twisted version of "Short Circuit's" Johnny 5? To be fair, "Deadly Friend" can’t be entirely blamed on the legendary director, as Warner Bros. forced Craven to replace much of the original story with gory death scenes in a film that originally had none. The end result is a shockingly misguided trainwreck that was critically panned and works better as an unintentional comedy than as a horror movie.
#8: “The Happening” (2008)
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Leading up to its release, M. Night Shyamalan compared his film “The Happening” to Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." The director later changed his tune, however, labeling "The Happening" as a B-movie. Take a wild guess at which description was the most accurate. Despite being built up as Shyamalan’s first R-rated movie, "The Happening" squandered its potential on comical death scenes and a central threat that is about as terrifying as a field of daisies. Still, if you’re a fan of movies that are so bad they’re good, we totally recommend watching Shyamalan's accidental comedic masterpiece!
#7: “Texas Chainsaw 3D” (2013)
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Ah, those good old days when tired franchises slapped a 3D to a title and called it a day. In a baffling move that continues to defy common sense, "Texas Chainsaw" thought what fans really wanted to see was a domesticated Leatherface who’s part villain and part anti-hero. 1974's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" is a tough act to follow, but this sequel fails as a horror movie even when not measured up to the lofty standards set by the original. About as generic as slasher films come, "Texas Chainsaw" is best enjoyed as a parody of the franchise.
#6: “Halloween: Resurrection” (2002)
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Creating compelling horror sequels is an uphill battle, as fear and the unknown are practically inseparable. While 2018’s “Halloween” pulled it off with panache, 2002’s “Halloween: Resurrection” showed just how badly awry a horror sequel can go. Featuring a fight scene between the serial killer and Busta Rhymes, this tension-free abomination is a far cry from John Carpenter's 1978 classic. Boring and goofy, instead of scary, it’s only gotten worse with age. Fans of the series should watch Laurie Strode's opening sequence and then pretend "Halloween: Resurrection" is only a short film.
#5: “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2” (2000)
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“Cash Grab: The Movie” would’ve been a more honest title. Despite being made on a shoestring budget, 1999's "The Blair Witch Project" was a huge commercial hit, so the studio quickly developed a sequel to try and double its earnings. Instead of a found footage movie, “Book of Shadows” was an analysis of mass hysteria, following people who believed that the "The Blair Witch Project" was a documentary. With a setup like that, the film could have been something special, but the execution was beyond laughable. Chaotic and clearly rushed, this sequel squandered the potential of the original.
#4: “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997)
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Written by Kevin Williamsonm, who also penned 1996's "Scream," this slasher film adheres to many of the clichés that were deconstructed in Wes Craven's movie. It’s a revenge tale with a solid cast and a cool central concept that might have been better suited for drama than horror. "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is a bit too formulaic to hold much in the way of scares or surprises, but the bloody death scenes are fun enough to keep things interesting. Putting aside all the gore, "I Know What You Did Last Summer" works as a character study of four guilt-ridden friends.
#3: “House of Wax” (2005)
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A remake of the 1953 classic in name only, this teen slasher film is competently made, but seldom strives to offer anything more than mild distraction. Boasting Paris Hilton's best performance – which isn’t saying . . . anything – "House of Wax" replaces the original's chilling atmosphere with occasionally creative kills. But the hammy acting and paper-thin characters ensure that any tension is fleeting. Unless someone is a huge fan of the Vincent Price film, "House of Wax" is unlikely to enrage anyone. However, the odds of actually experiencing a genuine scare are even lower.
#2: “Jason X” (2001)
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With each new "Friday the 13th" straying further and further away from Jason's glory days, the tenth entry stopped caring altogether and just went full stupid. Set in the future and in space, "Jason X" seems unsure about whether to be a traditional slasher flick or to lampoon the absurd lengths explored by the franchise. As a result, the film falls short of being either one of them. By this point, Jason Voorhees is too recognizable of a villain to be scary, so "Jason X" doubles down on the silliness and graphic violence.
#1: “House of the Dead” (2003)
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Directed by Uwe Boll and based on a video game, "House of the Dead" is frightening for all the wrong reasons. Ugly, incoherent, and funnier than most intentional comedies, "House of the Dead" garnered universal disdain from critics and cannot even boast of being a commercial success. Wasting most of its $12 million budget on bland sets and dull shootouts, the R-rating just meant the makeup team could get a bit creative with the zombies. The scariest thing about "House of the Dead" is the fact it scored a sequel.
