10 Shocking Moments From Family Films

7. Artax Dies - The Neverending Story

Here's a moment that really milks its cruelty, dragging it out to near-unimaginable lengths for the sheer sake of making small children cry. The Neverending Story goes from being a fun, harmless adventure film to a completely devastating one when Atreyu's trusty steed, Artax, gets mired in a swamp, and slowly, painstakingly sinks to his demise, as Atreyu tearfully looks on. It's one of the most brutal, unforgivably harsh scenes in a film aimed at children, because it nearly seems to savour the moment a little too much; Artax sinks so slowly, there's a profound focus on Atreyu's agony, and once he sinks, all we can think about is how long it might have taken Artax to suffocate underneath all that swampy mulch. It's almost too much; we're turned off in a sense by how aggressively the filmmakers want our tears. Or maybe we're just big wusses for weeping over a film aimed at children...