Top 10 Most Tragic Horror Movie Moments

“28 Days Later” (2002)

An aggression-based epidemic is the catalyst for tragedy in “28 Days Later.” The zombie-inspired apocalypse film sees its protagonist, Jim, awake from a coma only to find that his family has chosen death over the threat of an infection they saw as inevitable. Shortly afterwards, he meets Frank, a single father who attempts to help him and another survivor named Selena. Unfortunately, a drop of infected blood falls into Frank’s eye, and he is killed as a preventive measure. Soldiers offer the remaining group safety, but are soon revealed to have ulterior motives. In an attempt to save Frank’s daughter, Hannah, from further trauma, Selena tries to drug her …but the pair (and viewers’ tear ducts) are thankfully saved before anything more can happen.

“The Final Girls” (2015)

“The Final Girls” may look like a lighthearted satire, but its opening scene makes it clear that it also can pack an emotional gutpunch. Following a disappointing audition, actress Amanda Cartwright joins her daughter, Max, in the car and attempts to lift both their spirits with Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes.” Sadly, the joyful moment quickly turns tragic when Amanda is killed in a crash. Years later, Max reluctantly attends a screening of one of her mother’s movies, and is unexpectedly transported into its world. She befriends her mom’s character, and tells her about their real world connection, leading the fictional Amanda to sacrifice herself for her would-be daughter to the tune of “Bette Davis Eyes.” It’s just as heartbreakingly bittersweet as it sounds.

“Happy Death Day 2U” (2019)

Tree used to share her birthday with her mother, but has struggled to celebrate in the years following her death. So when she accidentally lands in an alternate universe where her mom survived, she wants to stay forever. In this world, however, the killer from “Happy Death Day” has not been caught, and Tree is unable to stop their carnage. Her boyfriend, Carter, even becomes one of the victims, forcing her to choose between him and her mother. She ultimately decides to go back to her reality, but not before saying goodbye. Julie does not realize that her daughter will be leaving forever, but her words are heartbreakingly poignant nonetheless. You can’t get everything you want, but you’ll find what you need.

“The Fly” (1986)

Audiences in 1986 likely expected “The Fly”s grotesque body horror, but were in for a surprise when lead actor, Jeff Goldblum, began this emotional monologue. Confronted by his girlfriend, Ronnie, Seth expresses his desire to be the first “insect politician.” It’s an imagined position that he believes would set himself apart from the other insects, who he describes as brutal beings without compassion or compromise. It may seem silly without context, but this pivotal dialogue serves as one of the last gasps of humanity left in the character’s rapidly changing body. By the time Ronnie sees him again, he’ll be too far gone to save.

“Jacob's Ladder” (1990)

War is already a harrowing topic to put on film. Add some psychological horror into the mix, and you have the equally shocking and emotionally affecting film, “Jacob’s Ladder.” There are clues laid throughout the movie that our protagonist, Jacob, is actually dead or dying. But you don’t get confirmation of this fact until the film’s last act, when Jacob finds himself back at home. His son Gabe, who died in a car accident years prior, is sitting on their steps, and embraces him before leading them both into a bright white light. The touching scene is immediately followed by a glimpse at Jacob’s grim reality. Laying in a tent surrounded by military doctors, he is declared dead.

“Train to Busan” (2016)

This Korean horror film takes the threat of zombies to the next level by setting itself in an enclosed space. Seok-woo and his young daughter, Su-an, are among the passengers on the ill-fated train and fight to survive throughout the film’s runtime. Almost two hours into the movie, it appears as if they might make it out alive…and then they are approached by a slowly deteriorating Yon-suk. The businessman desperately pleads for help before attacking the protagonist. Seok-woo manages to fight off his attacker, but is bitten in the process, and realizes he must leave his daughter with the only other survivor. He reminisces about the day Su-an was born before letting himself fall off the train, sacrificing himself for his only child.

“Hereditary” (2018)

When Peter’s younger sister Charlie begins to have an allergic reaction, he does what any good brother would do and rushes her out to his car, speeding down the road towards a hospital. Unfortunately, she died before they reached their destination - not because of her allergies, but because Peter swerving to avoid a deer caused a fatal impact. Shaken by the brutality of her death, Peter simply returns home and lies awake until his mother’s anguished cries confirm what he already knew to be true. The screams echoing through the Graham household are equally haunting and devastating, perfectly illustrating the enormity of the family’s sudden loss. It’s a grief that hangs over the rest of the film, coloring every interaction.

“A Quiet Place” (2018)

Regardless of whether or not you agree with every decision made by the family at the center of “A Quiet Place,” you have to agree that the adults’ love for their children is unmatched. This is never more true than in the film’s last act, when Lee sees two of his kids trapped inside of a truck by a “Death Angel.” Knowing that the creatures attack whatever is making the loudest noise, he realizes what he must do. After signing ‘I love you. I have always loved you,’ he lets out a scream that ensures his own death, but allows his children a chance at safety. We don’t see his death on screen, but the pained expression of his daughter, Regan, says it all.

“The Mist” (2007)

Hindsight is 20/20. That’s the lesson of this soul-crushing ending to a Stephen King horror. Discovering that his home has been destroyed and his car has run out of gas, David decides with his fellow adult survivors that death would be better than facing the monsters of the mist. He takes on the role of killer, shooting his young son and all of the people they met over the course of the movie. He is meant to take his own life next, but as he exits his vehicle he sees tanks driving out of the mist towards him. Help had only been minutes away. The film’s final moments are positively gut-wrenching as David falls to his knees and cries out with grief and regret.

“The Sixth Sense” (1999)

Even if you haven’t seen “The Sixth Sense,” you probably know the scene in which a young boy, named Cole, tells Malcolm that he sees dead people. One of these dead people is his own grandmother, who he delivers a message for in the film’s most touching scene. From beyond the grave, the older woman recalls an argument she had with her daughter before one of her childhood dance recitals. Cole’s mother, Lynn, had always assumed her mom didn’t attend, but he reassures her that she “saw [her] dance.” The scene was so moving that it earned actress Toni Collette an Oscar nomination. Bruce Willis also gives it his all as Malcolm, who realizes the truth about his own death at the film’s end.