10 Most Tragic & Heartbreaking Scenes In Horror Movies
Horror films can be incredibly heartbreaking.
Horror films can be incredibly heartbreaking. Some of the best horror movies incorporate tragic and heartbreaking scenes that make the movie much more powerful. When tragedies are incorporated into horror movies, it allows audiences to connect with the characters and story on a deeper level. Some of the most prolific industry creatives are experts at incorporating heartbreaking elements into their stories. Stephen King's movie adaptation of Pet Sematary has a tragic scene that is incredibly brutal and shocking but sets the foundation for the rest of the movie.
Some of the greatest horror movies incorporate tragic scenes that either start the wild adventure for the rest of the movie or bring the ending to a heartbreaking close. Mourning and death scenes in movies will always tug at the audiences' heartstrings. However, some horror movies take more simple approaches to tragic scenes and almost make them uncomfortable to watch, like Hereditary's brutal beheading scene. Some horror movies have such tragedies in them, that audiences can forget they were supposed to be scared and not heartbroken.
10 The Mist (2017)Directed by Frank DarabontYour RatingThe Mist
Release Date
November 21, 2007
Runtime
126 minutes
Director
Frank Darabont
Writers
Frank Darabont
Stephen King's terrifying novel is brought to the screen with The Mist - a horror-thriller film directed by Frank Darabont. When a small town suddenly sees a giant rolling fog arrive, they show mere curiosity. But when people begin to die mysteriously within, several survivors hold up in a grocery store as they attempt to find a way out and survive - unfortunately, the dangers don't just come from outside- they also come from within.
A Stephen King adaptation movie, The Mist, was released in 2007 and is a sci-fi horror movie starring Thomas Jane, Laurie Holden, and Marcia Gay Harden. When a storm damages a town, residents pick up supplies from a local grocery store and get stuck inside when the thick mist rolls through the town and dangerous monsters lurk inside the mist, killing the townsfolk caught in the mist. The Mist is an apocalyptic horror movie with terrifying aliens and plenty of grim moments.
RelatedThe 1 Horror Movie Ending That Completely F***ed Me Up
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The ending of The Mist is one of the most tragic and devastating movie ending scenes. This movie is filled with tragedy after tragedy, from the deaths of young kids to the overwhelming despair that they are all doomed. When faced with the unthinkable between dying by monstrous aliens or taking matters into their own hands, the characters take control of their own fate and kill themselves. Thomas Jane's character, David immediately regrets his decision after killing his friends and his own son when help shows up to rescue them only moments after they died.
9 Hereditary (2018)Directed by Ari AsterYour RatingHereditary
Release Date
June 8, 2018
Runtime
2h 7m
Director
Ari Aster
Writers
Ari Aster
The feature film debut of writer-director Ari Aster, Hereditary tells the story of the unwittingly cursed Graham family. Annie Graham (Toni Collette) lives with her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne) and their children Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro). After the death of Annie's mother, the family is beset by disaster and stalked by a supernatural entity that dredges up a past that Annie had spent her life trying to overlook.
A24's horror movie Hereditary was an instant classic. Starring Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, and Gabriel Byrne, Hereditary is about the death of the grandmother of a family and the terrifying, supernatural events that follow her death. Hereditary has resonated with audiences because it’s a terrifying movie about a seemingly normal family that experiences trauma and horrific events together.
Even though the emotional damage to this family starts at the beginning with the loss of the grandma, the most traumatic and horrifying death comes when the youngest member of the family, Charlie, is beheaded. While the beheading scene itself isn’t shown, the audience experiences the horrified expression of her older brother and the sounds of a headless Charlie in the backseat of the car. It’s one of the few disturbing horror movies that pushes boundaries with the horrific death of a child and uses that as a plot point for the downfall of an already struggling family.
8 Train to Busan (2016)Directed by Yeon Sang-hoYour RatingTrain to Busan
Release Date
July 1, 2016
Runtime
118minutes
Director
Yeon Sang-ho
Writers
Yeon Sang-ho
Sequel(s)
Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Su-an, Ahn So-hee, Choi Woo-shik, and Kim Eui-sung, the 2016 South Korean zombie movie Train To Busan revolves around a father's quest to protect his daughter aboard a high-speed train filled with zombies. Its success launched a franchise composed of the animated prequel movie Seoul Station, the heist-themed sequel Peninsula, and the English-language adaptation The Last Train to New York.
Train to Busan is a Korean horror movie about a father and daughter trapped on a train when a zombie outbreak happens, and they must fight to survive. Released in 2016, Train to Busan has become a zombie movie favorite among horror fans. It’s a fast-paced movie that pulls at audiences' emotions because of the relationship between characters, Seok-Woo, played by Gong Yoo, and his daughter, Su-an, played by Kim Su-an.
RelatedLast Train To New York: The Train To Busan Remake Is Delayed Indefinitely — Should It Even Happen?
Last Train to New York was announced as an American remake of Train to Busan in 2016, but since then, there has only been bad news about the film.
Even though Train to Busan follows the same formula as other great horror zombie movies with fast-turning, fast-moving zombies, it also stands out on its own for the tragic story. While their relationship is already strained, the father and daughter realize how much they need each other and, ultimately, they are going to lose each other when Seok-woo is bitten. From the daughter's perspective, it’s the worst-case scenario, since she doesn’t know her mom’s fate either, making it a very tragic scene as she's left in the hands of a woman she just met.
7 The Orphanage (2007)Directed by J.A. BayonaThe Orphanage
Release Date
December 28, 2007
Runtime
105 Minutes
Director
J.A. Bayona
Writers
Sergio G. Sánchez
The Orphanage follows a woman who returns with her family to her childhood home, a former orphanage she plans to reopen. Strange occurrences begin when her son befriends an invisible entity.
The Orphanage is a Spanish-language horror movie that was released in 2007. Starring Belén Rueda, playing Laura, it's about Laura moving into an orphanage where she grew up, and she decides to convert it into a caretaking place for children with disabilities. Her son, Simon, soon disappears, and it sends Laura into a dark spiral. The Orphanage is a haunting ghost story filled with suspense and tragic scenes because of Laura’s despair and heartbreak from her son's disappearance.
Similar to Train to Busan, the relationship between parent and child is the reason the movie stands out. The most tragic scene comes from Laura finding Simon’s body, and she takes her own life because of the pain. In death, she’s reunited with Simon and the orphans who died. The Orphanage embraces the "nothing greater than a mother’s love" expression and incorporates it into the heartbreaking story.
6 Mother! (2017)Directed by Darren AronofskyYour RatingMother!
Release Date
September 13, 2017
Runtime
121 minutes
Director
Darren Aronofsky
Writers
Darren Aronofsky
Producers
Ari Handel, Jeff G. Waxman, Scott Franklin, Mark Heyman
Mother! is a psychological horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky. Released in 2017, it stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a couple whose serene life is upended when unexpected visitors arrive at their home, challenging their relationship and shattering their peace.
Mother! is a horrifying psychological movie about a married couple whose home is overrun with uninvited guests and they bring chaos into their lives. Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, Mother! is a movie about humanity and incorporates Bible themes and references. Jennifer Lawrence represents Mother Earth, playing the role of Mother, and the chaotic people who enter her home are the destructive forces.
Although heavy on symbolism, Mother! is actually a simple story with a tragic ending. In the movie, Mother gives birth to a baby and Javier Bardem's character, playing the role of Him, wants to take the baby and sacrifice it to the worshipers. Mother dozes off momentarily while holding the baby and when she wakes up, the baby is gone. Him sacrifices the baby to the crowd and it's eaten. It’s a horrifying, tragic scene that’s hard to stomach. While the bigger meaning of the scene is meant to represent humanity’s destruction, it’s definitely not an easy watch.
5 The Descent Part 2 (2009)Directed by Jon HarrisYour RatingThe Descent Part 2
Release Date
December 9, 2009
Runtime
94minutes
Director
Jon Harris
Writers
Jon Harris
The Descent: Part 2 is the follow-up to 2005's horror thriller. In the sequel, Sarah Carter (Shauna Macdonald) goes spelunking again to follow authorities back to where she was attacked by terrifying cave-dwelling creatures. While theatrically released in the UK, The Descent 2 got a straight-to-DVD in the US in 2010.
The Descent was released in 2005 and is a monster horror movie about a young woman named Sarah and her group of friends who explore an unknown cave. Released four years later, The Descent Part 2 follows Sarah’s journey as she survives the horrible monsters and wakes up in a hospital without any memory of the cave or what happened to her friends. The police are convinced Sarah was involved in the disappearance of her friends and force her to return to the cave, only for the horrific memories to come flooding back.
RelatedThe Descent 2: Ending & Sarah's Fate Explained
The Descent 2 ups the stakes of the claustrophobic horror film and contains a surprising ending that will lead to debate amongst audiences.
Sarah has lost her husband and child in a car crash and then loses all her friends to the cannibalistic monsters. After this ordeal, she discovers her friend who she thought was dead is alive inside the cave. But even after experiencing multiple tragedies, her friend ultimately dies in her arms. Sarah has fought for her life over and over again and realizes it's too much to handle. She sacrifices herself by luring the monsters to her and allows Rios, the sheriff, to narrowly escape in a heartbreaking ending to her story.
4 Would You Rather (2013)Directed by David Guy LevyWould You Rather
Release Date
February 8, 2013
Runtime
93 Minutes
Director
David Guy Levy
Writers
Steffen Schlachtenhaufen
Would You Rather is a psychological thriller directed by David Guy Levy. The film stars Brittany Snow as Iris, a young woman who competes in a deadly game of "Would You Rather" hosted by the sadistic millionaire Shepard Lambrick, played by Jeffrey Combs. The contestants, all desperate for a financial windfall, must navigate a series of increasingly brutal challenges, testing their morals and survival instincts.
Would You Rather is a thrilling horror film, starring Brittany Snow. Released in 2012, Would You Rather is about a group of cash-strapped people who are tricked into playing a deadly game where the winner takes home a large sum of money. Brittany Snow's character, Iris, joins the deadly game to help pay for her brother's cancer treatment but discovers there will only be one winner who survives the game, as each round of the game is meant to kill someone.
While the entire movie is tragic as people start to die, including an elderly woman, the most tragic scene is the finale.
Iris goes through hell in the movie to survive. She has to hurt other people and hurt herself to stay alive. While the entire movie is tragic as people start to die, including an elderly woman, the most tragic scene is the finale. When Iris returns home and discovers her brother has killed himself, Iris breaks down. At the moment, Iris is distraught, but as a viewer, it's evident that the entire game and the murders of everyone were all for nothing. Would You Rather is a menacing horror movie with one of the most heartbreaking endings.
3 Doctor Sleep (2019)Directed by Mike FlanaganYour RatingDoctor Sleep
Release Date
October 30, 2019
Runtime
153 minutes
Director
Mike Flanagan
Writers
Stephen King, Akiva Goldsman, Mike Flanagan
Prequel(s)
The Shining
Based on Stephen King's book of the same name and the sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep follows an adult Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) as he confronts his past at the Overlook Hotel. When a young girl named Abra reaches out to Danny using the telepathic Shine, he learns that she is being hunted and reluctantly becomes her protector. With the Overlook Hotel holding the key to Danny's own power, he's forced to return in order to finally move on.
Another great Stephen King novel adaptation, Doctor Sleep, is a sequel to The Shining. The movie follows Dan Torrance, now an adult, who meets Abra, who also has the same supernatural gifts as him. They are being targeted by a group called the True Knot who hunt down people with "the shining" gift and kill them to keep themselves immortal. Released 39 years after The Shining, Doctor Sleep is filled with tragic scenes that push audiences' comfort zones.
In one of the heartbreaking scenes, the True Knot stalks a young boy after his baseball game to take his “shining” gifts away from him. After they capture him, they hold him down and torture him. As a result, he releases his “shining” steam, and they absorb it for themselves. Unlike Hereditary where the child's death takes place off-screen, Doctor Sleep uses the tragic scene and showcases everything. It’s a disturbing and brutal torture scene that’s hard to digest because of Jacob Tremblay's incredible acting, which makes his death scene feel all too real.
2 Speak No Evil (2024)Directed by James WatkinsYour RatingSpeak No Evil
Release Date
September 13, 2024
Runtime
110 Minutes
Director
James Watkins
Writers
James Watkins
Speak No Evil is a 2024 horror-thriller film by writer-director James Watkins. A remake of the 2022 movie Speak No Evil follows a family who head to the country for a much-needed vacation - but the situation quickly deteriorates, thrusting them into a horrific nightmare.
Released in 2024, Speak No Evil is about a family who spends the weekend at an abnormal family’s home and discovers they are harboring some dark secrets. Starring James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi as the offbeat couple and Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy as the normal couple, they make the perfect set of couples because of their opposite behaviors. The odd couple's secret comes to light that their son, Ant, played by Dan Hough isn't really their son, and they've mutilated him by taking out his tongue.
Speak No Evil is a remake of the Danish movie with the same title. Writer and director of the 2022 original movie, Christian Tafdrup, was inspired to create the project after meeting an odd couple on vacation in Tuscany with his wife.
When this discovery is revealed, the movie turns from horror to heartbreaking. It’s even more tragic when they plan to escape with Ant, and he’s tossed into the pond by his parents even though he can’t swim. Riddled with sad moments, Speak No Evil is able to blend the horrific moments with the most upsetting moments, making it an amazing horror movie.
1 The Strangers (2008)Directed by Bryan BertinoYour RatingThe Strangers
Release Date
May 30, 2008
Runtime
86 minutes
Director
Bryan Bertino
Writers
Bryan Bertino
Sequel(s)
The Strangers: Prey at Night
The first film in the horror series, The Strangers, follows an unsuspecting couple on vacation who find themselves at the mercy of a group of murderers who seek to physically and psychologically torture them. After a series of unfortunate events that lead the couple to commit an accidental crime, they find themselves fighting for survival against three masked intruders that chose to attack them "because they were home."
The first installment of the franchise, The Strangers, is an unsettling horror movie about a couple who are tormented by masked murderers in their quiet, secluded home. Starring Liv Tyler as Kristen and Scott Speedman as James, they return home from a night out and things are tense between the couple as Kristen has turned down James’ marriage proposal. As things grow tense between them, in the middle of the night, they receive multiple knocks at their door and soon realize they are being targeted for no apparent reason.
RelatedThe Strangers True Story: Real-Life Crimes That Inspired The Horror Movie
The terrifying 2008 home invasion horror film The Strangers was inspired by real-life violent crimes, including some brutal and notorious murders.
While the tragedy comes from the finale, the movie builds up to the heartbreaking ending. Although they are in the middle of a breakup, James and Kristen not only fight for their lives but fight for each other. They work together, but ultimately, they are outnumbered. In the end, James and Kristen realize there’s no escaping, and they are going to die at the hands of the crazed murderers. James looks at Kristen's hand and realizes she's wearing the ring she rejected from him earlier. It’s a sad ending to a brutal serial killer movie.
 Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun chat with ET's Denny Directo about their sci-fi drama film, 'Love Me,' in theaters on Jan. 31. The two open up about the post-apocalyptic romance, where a buoy and a satellite meet online and fall in love after the end of human civilization. Kristen agrees it's a 'trippy romance' and that their roles were like a 'weird acting exercise.' Then, the pair shares what piece of pop culture they would leave behind for other worldly beings to find and piece together. Meanwhile, Kristen also opens up about making her directorial debut in 'The Chronology of Water' and Steven talks about his upcoming 'fever dream' film, 'Mickey 17.'
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