10 Horror Movies That Abandoned Awesome Ideas Halfway Through

10. The Boy

2016's The Boy began in gripping fashion.

A young nanny is tasked by an eccentric old couple with the care of Brahms - a life-size porcelain doll, who they treat (in entirely non-creepy fashion, obviously) as their son. A sinister tale of mystery with a healthy dose of terrifying supernatural elements appears primed to unfold after a series of paranormal events, before any potential for a satisfactory experience goes up in flames north of the midway point.

Simply put, The Boy's infamous twist completely ruins the movie - a complete U-turn in identity and tone that shears William Brent Bell's picture of any credibility as a well-written horror movie. As opposed to taking advantage of the eerie atmosphere cultivated from the first moments, the reveal that the real Brahms has been living in the house's walls the entire time has the effect of uprooting the film from the horror genre and plonking it down clumsily in psychological thriller territory.

This would all be fine but for the considerable effort The Boy had carefully taken to establish itself as a horror, meaning that the entire experience feels somewhat cheapened. A vengeful young boy represents a compelling character in himself, with the notion of him being able to manipulate the real world through the creepiest of dolls providing a solid bedrock for an enjoyable fright flick. As such, what appeared to be a bona fide hit in the making stands as yet another case of what might have been.