20 Horror Movie Happy Endings Nobody Saw Coming

It would've surprised absolutely nobody if The House That Jack Built had the exact opposite of a happy ending, considering it's a Lars von Trier film with an absolutely depraved serial killer protagonist, Jack (a superb Matt Dillon).

Of all the filmmakers who might be tempted to let a psychotic murderer off the hook at the end, von Trier would be right at the top of the pile, but after a gruelling 152 minutes of watching Jack torture and kill, he actually ends up getting his just desserts.

In the climax, Jack is led on an odyssey through Hell itself with Virgil (Bruno Ganz), and upon reaching the perilous ninth circle, he notices a stairway on the other side which will seemingly lead him out of Hell.

Jack then tries to climb his way across to salvation, only to end up slipping and falling straight into the ninth circle of Hell itself.

It's an undeniably cathartic and satisfying ending that frankly couldn't have happened to a more fitting individual, and if the triumph of it all isn't evident enough, von Trier hilariously sets the credits to the cheery bop "Hit the Road Jack."