10 Horror Movie Franchises That Forgot How To Be Scary

10. Saw

It's easy to forget, with 6 sequels, a prequel and the upcoming Chris Rock/Samuel L. Jackson-led reboot, that Saw had meager beginnings. Initially just a horror short by James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell featuring the infamous reverse bear trap device, the two expanded the concept into a feature film and, through word of mouth, it made the festival circuit to much critical acclaim - particularly among genre buffs.

Within a year, a sequel would be released, soon to become an annual event. What gets drowned out, however, is how different the first film is compared to its follow-ups.

With the original, it's the horrific imagery and atmosphere that defines it, not the outright grossness of it. Wan even has the decency to obscure or even cut away at more gruesome moments, letting your imagination do the work.

However, each sequel upped the gore factor, becoming one of the lead contributors to the propagation of the term "torture porn." By the last few films, any thought of being scary was secondary to being disgusting.

By the time he was replaced by Darren Lynn Bousman for part II, the bloodier, the better.