Making good PG or PG-13-rated horror is tricky. Movies don't need to be graphic in order to be scary, but working within the bounds of a PG-13 rating significantly reduces the horror filmmaker's toolkit. They cannot rely on gore or explicit content for their scares and must tread a fine line between frightening and disturbing. It's something many of them fail to do.

The worst PG-13 horror films often suffer from watered-down scares, predictable plots, and uninspired storytelling. Whether they rely too heavily on clichés or lack the necessary tension to truly terrify, these movies leave audiences feeling disappointed rather than unnerved. They chase a broad audience, but often wind up pleasing no one; too intense for younger viewers, too tepid for adults. With this in mind, here are the ten most egregious examples of ten PG-13 horror movies missing the mark...