Top 10 Most Unexpected BRUTAL Deaths in Movies
#10: Chad Feldheimer
“Burn After Reading” (2008) In this darkly comedic spy film from the Coen brothers, Brad Pitt plays lovable goofball Chad Feldheimer. Chad comes into the possession of a disk containing information written by ex-CIA agent Osbourne Cox, but it eventually leads to his death. Chad breaks into Cox's house, but inside is Harry Pfarrer, a U.S. Marshal who’s having an affair with Cox’s wife. Chad hides in the closet, but when Harry opens the door and sees his awkwardly smiling face, he instinctively shoots Chad in the head. The death not only comes as a complete surprise, but the shooting is surprisingly graphic. It’s tough to see the goofball resorted to such a state.
#9: Emma Morley
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“One Day” (2011) Adapted from David Nicholls’s novel of the same name, “One Day” follows the lives of Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley. The story spans over 20 years, beginning in 1988 with their graduation from university. Dexter and Emma eventually marry and start planning a family, but Emma is suddenly hit by a truck and dies. Not only is her death unpredictable, but the method is surprisingly brutal for such an otherwise grounded and non-violent film. The visual effects are also impeccable, as the impact is filmed in one smooth take, which makes it look like Anne Hathaway was actually hit by a truck. We see the grisly impact, and it’s completely heartbreaking.
#8: Wash
“Serenity” (2005) This film served as a continuation of Joss Whedon’s “Firefly,” which was swiftly and controversially canceled by Fox. While the universe is packed with unforgettable characters, Alan Tudyk’s Wash is especially memorable. Unfortunately, being a fan favorite does not guarantee survival. Shortly after crash landing the Serenity, Wash is impaled straight through the torso by a Reaver spear. His death is so unpredictable that it comes mid-sentence, and it’s over in a flash. Before we even know what happened, Wash is slumping over in his chair, the spear having instantly taken his life.
#7: Tracy Mills
“Seven” (1995) One of David Fincher’s most popular films, “Seven” follows a mysterious serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as a recurring theme in his depraved works. In a major twist, protagonist David Mills embodies the sin of wrath by shooting the killer. To make him angry enough to do so, the killer slays David’s pregnant wife, Tracy. The numerous twists make this one of the most famous endings in movie history, with Tracy’s ghastly death being particularly well known. While we never actually see what’s in the box, the brilliant acting from Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey paints a suitably disturbing picture. And really, that picture is all we really need. Or want.
#6: Casey Becker
“Scream” (1996) This tongue-in-cheek slasher famously opens with Casey Becker just trying to have a quiet night in with a movie and some popcorn. But she receives some increasingly creepy phone calls, and…well, you know the rest. The surprising nature of Casey’s death comes through in the superb casting. Drew Barrymore is obviously a major star, and she has been since the early ‘80s. As the filmmakers correctly reasoned, watching someone like Barrymore get killed so early into the movie would imbue the rest of it with a terrific sense of unpredictability. Plus, Casey’s death is arguably the most brutal one of the entire series. These opening ten minutes do not mess around.
#5: The X-Force
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“Deadpool 2” (2018) The “Deadpool” series loves subverting superhero tropes, and that includes killing off the big team. In the spirit of The Avengers and the Justice League, Deadpool forms the X-Force. This team of superheroes assaults a prison convoy with the hopes of freeing Russell Collins. Based on other superhero movies, viewers expect some amazing action and interplay between the characters. Instead, after a pretty thrilling skydive, most of the team are killed in uproarious, and horrifically violent, fashion. What makes this even more hilarious is that the team is made up of many major names, including Brad Pitt and Terry Crews. The fact that they signed on just for this is amazing.
#4: Jack Harmon
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“Mission: Impossible” (1996) The first “Mission: Impossible” movie establishes the entire IMF team, only to kill most of them off at the beginning of the movie. That alone comes as a major surprise, and it essentially does what “Deadpool 2” did, only it’s not played for laughs. Perhaps the most shocking death of them all is Jack Harmon’s, who is played by Emilio Estevez. He’s one of the biggest names in the movie, and he’s killed off in the first twenty minutes. Not only that, but the method of his demise is unbelievably gross, complete with one of the nastiest squishing sounds ever committed to film.
#3: Charlie Graham
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“Hereditary” (2018) Ari Aster’s horror masterpiece is a perfect example of a movie subverting its own advertising. Milly Shapiro’s Charlie Graham was all over the trailers and posters, and viewers were led to believe that she would be a major character in the movie. However, she’s killed off about half an hour in, and in a grotesque manner to boot. Charlie is suffering from an allergic reaction, so she pokes her head out of the car to get some fresh air. However, her brother swerves to avoid an animal and Charlie’s head slams straight into a telephone pole. We don’t see the gruesome aftermath, but we don’t need to. Alex Wolff’s fantastic acting says it all.
#2: Russell Franklin
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“Deep Blue Sea” (1999) Samuel L. Jackson is such a commanding presence, and he plays so many tough guys that it feels weird watching him die. In “Deep Blue Sea” he plays Russell Franklin, who is one of many characters to be hunted by genetically engineered sharks. His demise comes in the middle of a motivational speech, as a shark suddenly pops out behind him and drags him into the water. We don’t know what’s more surprising - the fact that they killed off Samuel L. Jackson, or the fact that they did it in the middle of his speech. One thing’s for sure - they both combine to create one of the most memorable death scenes in movie history.
#1: Marion Crane
“Psycho” (1960) There are iconic movie deaths, and then there is Marion Crane. Alfred Hitchcock threw out the playbook when it came to “Psycho” and crafted one of the best movies of all time in the process. Viewers are led to believe that Marion Crane is the protagonist and that we’ll be following her throughout the duration of the film. But, as everyone knows, she is famously killed by Norman Bates while taking a shower. And with that, the story pivots its focus away from Marion and turns into a detective mystery. While Marion’s death is quite tame by today’s standards, it was shockingly violent for 1960 and generated some controversy with censorship boards.
