20 Best Movie Moments Of 2016
9. 10 Cloverfield Land – Emmett’s Death
Dan Trachtenberg’s nuclear bunker-set 10 Cloverfield Lane might seem as far from its ‘spiritual successor’, 2008’s New York City-set monster invasion flick Cloverfield, as you can get but the clues are there for the diehard ‘Cloververse’ fans. Despite its differences, it’s nonetheless an effective psychological horror boasting a small but brilliant cast and moments of pure tension.
Quite possibly its most tense moment is a confrontation between abductee Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), bunkmate Emmett (John Gallagher Jr) and crazed kidnapper Howard (John Goodman) after the latter discovers the former two have been stealing tools to make their escape from the bunker. Emmett takes the blame and just as it seems the situation has been defused, Howard whips out his gun and shoots the poor dude point blank range in the head. There’s not much gore with just a blood splatter, Michelle’s horrified shock and the disorientating ring of the gunshot to mark his death, but it’s a scene made all the more effective for its minimalism.