10 Horror Movie Sequels That Are Just As Good As The Original

While none of the Saw films were particularly well-received by critics, the series is still considered an iconically gruesome franchise amongst horror audiences. Regardless, there is a common consensus that each sequel is weaker than the last, with every film offering increasingly outlandish and implausible twists and turns.

That being said, Saw II manages to largely avoid the tired clichés and poor storytelling which afflict the later films in the franchise, featuring a solid cast (including Donnie Wahlberg), some pretty unique deaths, and a genuinely surprising final twist.

The film follows Detective Eric Matthews (Wahlberg) as he attempts to rescue his son from the grips of the Jigsaw killer (Tobin Bell), who has trapped a group of potential victims in a run-down house.

Featuring the (in)famously sadistic furnace trap, as well as the disgusting syringe pit, the sequel also manages to deliver a gut punch twist in which we realize that Matthews’ son has been safe this whole time.

While other sequels in the series leave audiences scratching their heads with their confusing, often repetitive endings (seriously, how many secret accomplices can one killer have?), Saw II is definitely still worth a watch. Whether the same can be said about the upcoming ninth (yes, ninth!) installment remains to be seen.