10 Most Devastating Movie Openings That Totally Broke You

1. Finding Nemo

After Pixar dialled up their fondness for sad story-telling with Toy Story 2 in 1999 and then threw some serious emotional weight into Monsters Inc two years later, they went full heartbreak in 2003 with Finding Nemo.

While it's an uplifting tale of Marlin the Clownfish finding himself as he literally finds his lost son and coming to the realisation that being an over-bearing parent is not good for either of them, it doesn't half start from a heartbreaking point. We're introduced to Marlin's idyllic family life as he and his wife (can fish marry?) Coral move into their new home with a clutch of eggs. Things seem great until it all goes to hell very quickly when a barracuda attacks, knocking Marlin out.

He wakes to find Coral and all but one of his children killed - and presumably eaten - and he vows to let no harm come to little Nemo. It's like Batman's beginning, only much, much more devastating, even though it's about fish. That's the true testament to Pixar's magical ability to make us feel.

Which of these opening scenes most broke you? Share your reactions below in the comments thread.