Halloween is here, which means it’s time for pumpkins, costumes, and the classic horror movie marathons that, in theory, should be keeping us up at night. Yet, for every Exorcist or Hereditary that delivers on spine-chilling terror, there’s a list of horror movies that just… flop. They’re supposed to be scary, but somehow, they end up being laughable, cringeworthy, or just straight-up awful. Here’s a countdown of five horror movies that completely missed the mark—and why they belong in the Hot Garbage archives.

5. One Missed Call (2008)

Tagline: When the call comes, hang up… or don’t even answer.

The Japanese original, Chakushin Ari, was unsettling, atmospheric, and deeply rooted in Japanese cultural fears around technology and death. Then came the American remake, One Missed Call, which dropped all subtlety and pretty much turned into a horror-comedy (minus the intentional comedy).

Instead of using suspense, this one relies on endless jump scares that are about as effective as someone loudly sneezing in the theater. Even the ghost in the movie looks like she’s annoyed to be there. You could practically hear the actress thinking, “Wait, you want me to wear these fake contact lenses and overacted look of doom?” There’s even a CGI flip-phone sequence that would make a tech-savvy ghost roll its eyes. Moral of the story: not everything that works in Japan translates well across the Pacific.

4. The Wicker Man (2006)

Tagline: Some sacrifices must be made. (Apparently including logic, plot, and sanity.)

Nicolas Cage. In a bear suit. Punching women. If you haven’t watched the infamous Wicker Man remake, this might sound made up, but I assure you, it’s all true. Cage’s performance in The Wicker Man is the stuff of meme legend, especially when he’s screaming about bees (or lack thereof).

The original 1973 film is disturbing, creepy, and laced with tension. But the 2006 version? It’s just Cage running around a bizarre, nonsensical cult island, getting progressively angrier and somehow less coherent. The scenes are so unintentionally funny that it’s hard to believe this was ever marketed as a horror movie. In the end, The Wicker Man isn’t so much a scary movie as it is a bizarre fever dream of Nic Cage being Nic Cage, and while that’s entertaining in its own right, terrifying it is not.

3. Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

Tagline: This time, it’s personal (for the shark, apparently).

Who could forget the grand finale of the Jaws franchise? This fourth installment is infamous for its absurd plot, which suggests that a shark is actively hunting down a family across state lines… just because. Yes, Jaws: The Revenge dares to give a shark a personal vendetta, proving that even great whites have family feuds.

It’s hard to say what’s worse: the fact that the shark somehow swims to the Bahamas to exact revenge, or the fact that Michael Caine shows up in this movie like he’s collecting a paycheck for a phone commercial. The dialogue is laughable, the effects are so bad they look like rubber toys from a bargain bin, and the story is the most absurd of all the Jaws sequels. Instead of being scared, you’ll be scratching your head wondering if this was all one big practical joke.

2. The Happening (2008)

Tagline: We’ve Sensed It. We’ve Seen the Signs. Now… it’s Happening.

Oh, M. Night Shyamalan, where do we even start? The Happening is supposed to be a thriller about nature turning against humanity. Plants release a neurotoxin that drives people to commit, let’s say, acts of self-harm, but the only thing driving viewers to despair is the acting and plot.

Mark Wahlberg, portraying a high school science teacher, is possibly the least believable teacher in cinematic history. The line delivery is so stiff it’s like everyone took sedatives between takes, and the threat of “killer trees” quickly loses its shock value. There’s an iconic scene where Wahlberg talks to a plastic plant. It’s intended to be a moment of tension, but instead, it’s so ridiculous that it cements this movie as a horror-comedy rather than an environmental thriller. When plants are the main villains, it’s safe to say the movie missed the mark.

1. Leprechaun (1993)

Tagline: Your luck just ran out (and so did the film budget, apparently).

Nothing says “scary” quite like a maniacal leprechaun on a killing spree, right? The original Leprechaun is almost endearing in how little it cares about being scary. Instead, it’s a borderline slapstick journey of Warwick Davis (who’s a great actor, by the way) running around in green tights, tormenting anyone who dares take his gold.

What’s supposed to be scary is the leprechaun himself, but he ends up coming across more like a mischievous trick-or-treater who went overboard with his costume. The kills are ridiculous, and the humor is cheesy enough to feel intentional at times. Even Jennifer Aniston’s first big-screen role can’t save this one from being a mess. And just when you think it can’t get worse, there’s a whole franchise that includes Leprechaun in Space and Leprechaun in the Hood. If that doesn’t sound like horror, it’s because it isn’t. It’s campy, bizarre, and best enjoyed as a comedy.

Why We Love These Terrible Movies

So, maybe these movies don’t deliver the kind of terror that will have you checking under your bed. They’re a reminder that even horror movies can go hilariously wrong. Sometimes, the combination of bad CGI, over-the-top acting, and laughable plots create something so wrong it’s almost… right. Horror’s supposed to scare you, but sometimes it’s okay to laugh at the ridiculousness.

Happy Halloween, and remember: If your Halloween horror binge starts getting too scary, just pop in one of these movies and laugh your way through the “terror.”