10 Most Surprising Deaths in Horror Movies
You'd be lying if you said these deaths didn't blindside you!
When watching a horror movie, you'd really be a fool to assume that you're going to make it through without seeing someone bite the bullet. Death is as common in horror as jokes are in comedy movies, as kisses are in romance stories, as unfunny quips are in superhero flicks. The genre is designed to make audiences feel unsafe and scared, which is why most viewers go in expecting to see some gruesome kills.
The hardest job any spooky filmmaker has is to take the audience by surprise with death, since very few characters are safe in a horror picture. However, just because it's difficult doesn't mean it's impossible. In fact, there are some examples of horror movie deaths so surprising, shocking, and unexpected that you'll be left wondering how the hell they managed to get you.
The following ten films are the finest examples of this, as each of them features a character death that completely pulls the rug out from under you and leaves you speechless.
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This list will contain major spoilers for every movie discussed, the most recent being Bring Her Back and Obsession.
10. Helen Holloway - Cube
It's always fun when a horror movie can bait and switch you, and the character arc of Quentin in the delightful '90s sci-fi horror Cube is a fine example. This movie, which follows a collection of strangers stuck in a high-concept, trap-filled, cube-shaped prison, lures you into seeing this character as the typical de facto leader. He's a macho cop who makes an effort to protect the other characters and seems dead-set on getting everyone out - of course, he's the hero.
However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Quentin isn't as kind as he seems. He still leads the group, but tensions between him and the others, especially Dr. Helen Holloway, begin to rise. Then, that tension snaps, as while holding Holloway outside of the cube, Quentin unexpectedly drops her to her death, convincing the others that her fall was an accident.
This surprise death served as a powerful stepping stone in the collapse of Quentin's heroism and slide into pure villainy, and you'd be lying if you claimed you saw it coming.