10 Recent Horror Movies That Blew Great Concepts

10. The Cellar (2022)

Written and directed by Brendan Muldowney, The Cellar begins with an intriguing mystery when the Woods family’s teenage daughter inexplicably vanishes in the cellar of their new home during a blackout. Determined to uncover what happened to her child, Keira (Elisha Cuthbert) begins to investigate the house's history.

From strange symbols carved into the cellar steps, to a hellish, otherworldly dimension and the demonic creature that lurks within, there’s more than enough compelling pieces to this puzzle to grab viewers’ attention. The more answers Keira unearths, the more fascinating the central mystery becomes. However, it doesn't take long for this flick to ruin its unique premise.

Alongside neglecting to explore the nightmarish dimension contained within the home (save for a final scene which only makes viewers wish the film spent more time there), the fun of the mystery is ruined when characters begin spouting exposition dumps, subsequently taking away the thrill of discovering these revelations naturally.

Moreover, the demon that was built up to be a serious threat proves to be a lacklustre addition to a contrive climax, with an unearned twist ending serving as the final disappointing blow in a film that had so much potential to be a chilling mystery.