15 Most Unexpectedly Depressing Movies Of All-Time

3. The Grey (2011)

We all thought it: The Grey would depict a badass Liam Neeson facing off against hordes of CGI wolves in the Alaskan wilderness. And no, that's not really what we got at all. In fact, The Grey emerged as - pretty much - a serious drama masquerading as an action movie. There are a few "big" scenes, of course - set-pieces that seem designed solely for use in the trailer. Ultimately, though, The Grey had another agenda entirely: it set out to be an intelligence meditation on heavy subjects such as life and death. Neeson plays a depressed Irishman named John Ottway in the movie, who we later learn is mourning the loss of his wife (this hits harder when you realise that Neeson lost his own wife the year before he made this film). The Grey focuses on John's attempts to survive in the bitter cold, and you come away wondering how this thing slipped through the studio system. It's actually a great movie, but everything about it is super, super depressing.
Contributor

Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.