8 Horror Movie Sequels Everyone Thought Would Suck But Didn't

The Paranormal Activity series was already hated by the time the credits rolled on the first film with it launching the found footage genre back into the mainstream. The films could be shot on a shoestring budget to gain huge profits, and the genre quickly became oversaturated.

The Marked Ones looked to be just another tired entry in a stale series, but then when it dropped people found out the franchise had learned to evolve with the times and not simply replicate the diminishing returns that came before.

Gone was the grey boredom of American suburbia, and in its place was a Latin America flair with a focus on kids finding out their black magic crazy neighbor is a witch, all while getting possessed in the process.

The characters actually have some personality this time beyond being a concerned parent or scared homeowner, and we get to see them enjoy the benefits of having ghost powers before the real danger comes around.

The film also shows that the series had finally discovered the meaning of pacing and moves along briskly with twists and discoveries, rather than crawling to the credits like before. The scares are also on point with some expertly done sound design that will chill you to the core.

The Marked Ones showed detractors that the series could not only be terrifying, but humorous and exciting too. The climax that follows a gang of hoods having a shootout with a coven of witches was worth the price of admission alone.