10 Great Movie Characters Who Die At The Beginning

A character death can be gutting. Watching a character you know and love lose their life can raise a film's stakes, devastate a protagonist - as well as the audience - or change the very meaning of a piece of media.

Character deaths can create a huge emotional impact, especially when the character who dies has played a large role in the story for a while.

However, sometimes, a character dies before they have a chance to make much of an impression in audiences' minds. Early character deaths can be a great way to establish that no one in a story is safe, and even characters who seem like they will be around for a while won't necessarily make it out of act one.

That said, some characters are still able to become great despite early deaths. Whether it's a strong first impression, multiple appearances after their death via a flashback or vision, or a strong hold over the narrative even after their passing, some characters still manage to prove themselves despite not having much of a chance to shine.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople, directed by Taika Waititi of Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok fame, follows an unlikely father-son duo, Hector "Hec" Faulkner and Ricky Baker, as they find themselves as the targets of a manhunt.

The two share a zany yet heartfelt adventure throughout the film. However, they never would have been brought together in the first place without Hec's wife Bella Faulkner.

It is Bella's idea to take in Ricky in the first place, and between her and Hec, she is far more eager to have him around. In fact, Hec appears cold towards Ricky at first, with Bella playing mediator in all of their conflicts. Bella's kind heart and hilarious portrayal by Rima Te Wiata leads to some sweet and silly moments, such as her performance of the "Ricky Baker birthday song".

Unfortunately, Bella's early death kickstarts the film, shattering the possibility that the three of them could be a happy family after all. Once she is gone, it becomes evident how impactful she was at keeping the peace between the two leads.