10 Movies That Got Real Dark, Real Fast

For a movie to find success of any kind, it has to evoke some sort of emotion from the audience. Whether it is joy, excitement, intrigue, or nostalgia, those watching a story have to feel connected to it. It's no easy task, but there are plenty of ways it can be done.

Certainly, positive emotions aren't the only path. Movies can make you feel sad, angry, or scared, as an effective method to commit you to the story. Usually, there are certain types of movies in which an audience would expect this kind of darkness, but that's not always the case.

Any story can take an unexpected turn down a dark path at any time, with some coming completely out of the blue. How about a comedy that shows a hitman killing a child? Mass slaughter and desolation in a Disney movie? Watching a young cartoon lion trying to revive its dead father?

Such darkness, particularly coming so abruptly and seemingly out of nowhere, can be quite jarring for an audience, and it can often then change the complexion of the entire film. On the other hand, it could potentially add that touch of genuine emotion, even if that emotion is depression, to make a memorable and often iconic moment.

This is the first of two zombie movies on this list, but it is very different from most others in the genre. Zombieland, even with the living dead and the gory deaths, was still first and foremost a comedy.

The movie was goofy, weirdly heartwarming, and outright hilarious at times, but there was one moment of pain and darkness just waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting audience. This revolved around Woody Harrelson’s character, affectionately known as Tallahassee by his new friends.

The whole point of using destinations as their names was to avoid getting too close or attached to each other, but still, Tallahassee found himself discussing his dog, Buck. He loved the dog so much, they were best friends, but he was taken away from him by the damn zombies.

It’s not until he is playing a game of Monopoly with Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock that the realization hits - Buck wasn’t Tallahassee’s dog, he was his son. His young boy that was killed by the zombies and that he would never see again. Woody Harrelson wasn't the only one crying at this point.