Top 10 Horror Movies Where Evil Wins

Much has been written about the social commentary of director George Romero's 1968 zombie classic. The casting of Duane Jones in the lead role as Ben is remembered today as being progressive for the times, and critics saw the character’s tragic fate as being particularly resonant. In the finale, sole survivor Ben seems to have emerged from this night of terror unscathed, only to be mistaken for one of the living dead by a group of zombie hunters and killed. It’s a real punch in the gut, and that hollow feeling you’re left with is further compounded by shots of bodies being burned by the group.

By now, most horror fans already know what’s in the box at the end of David Fincher's 1995 crime thriller. Played by Kevin Spacey, John Doe has committed grisly crimes inspired by the seven deadly sins, but in the film’s climax, police take him into custody, seemingly ending his reign of terror. That is, until Doe’s final act pushes Detective Mills, played by Brad Pitt, over the edge. Upon learning that it is in fact the head of his pregnant wife Tracy in the box, Mills becomes the embodiment of wrath. He shoots Doe’s character and, in doing so, effectively completes the serial killer’s plan to die as a martyr. With this last bit of bloodshed, "Seven's" grim narrative comes to an even more downbeat conclusion.

"The Blair Witch Project" achieved a great deal with very little when it was released back in 1999. The film, which was produced on a shoestring budget, created buzz with an excellent viral marketing campaign, one that made the most of an early internet age. It’s credited with popularizing the "found footage" style of filmmaking pioneered by "Cannibal Holocaust" back in 1980, and delivered a similarly bleak ending. In it, the dark surroundings and shaky cam are used to perfect effect as Heather, Mike and Josh get their wish to meet the mythical Blair Witch. The image of Mike standing in the corner and Heather's anguished screams, cutting to silence, haunted moviegoers for years.

The ending of "The Witch" seemed to divide audiences. Some viewers wanted a more ambiguous ending, others a more grounded rationale behind the supernatural goings on in the film. Old school horror buffs, however, received a satisfying and very spooky sequence that embraces the film's occult elements - which had previously been kept largely off-screen. Black Philip is indeed The Devil, and initiates sole survivor Thomasin into his coven of witches after the decimation of her family. The ending imagery of Satan and his minions laughing and flying into the night is the stuff of nightmares, and a true callback to horror's golden age.

Ok, so for this one, we’re going with the ending shown in the United Kingdom. In this version, Shauna Macdonald's Sarah Carter hallucinates that she escapes from her deadly spelunking adventure, only for it to be revealed that she actually never left the cave, and is about to be the last of her friends to fall victim to the crawlers. It's a kick in the teeth that leaves us shaken and disturbed, but not one that American audiences were able to see until the film was released on home video. Instead, they got a more ambiguous ending in which Sarah escapes the cave and gets in her car, only to hallucinate a jump scare of Natalie Mendoza's Juno Caplan instead. Booo....

All Hail King Paimon. Ok, so by now you might be feeling sick of downer endings, but buckle up, because we still have five to go. 2018's "Hereditary" wowed audiences and critics with its careful balancing act, combining grounded depictions of grief with a dedication to old school, shocking supernatural horror. The ending, in particular, delivered the latter in spades, from Annie's unnerving possession scene to Peter being crowned as king of a new occult coven. It's dark. It’s unsettling. And it’s unafraid to push boundaries with both its graphic execution and relentlessly depressing tone. In other words, don't expect a "Hereditary" franchise of sequels any time soon.

How could one possibly take the life of a child? This is what diplomat Robert Thorn has to ask himself when he discovers that his adopted son is actually the spawn of Satan. "The Omen" continues to pose the same question to audiences all the way to its thrilling finale, when Thorn brings his son Damien to a church altar, determined to kill the Antichrist. Thorn begs God for forgiveness, but isn't given the chance to finalize the deed before being shot by police. The film ends with young Damien victorious, softly smiling at the camera, letting us know that he’s one step closer to fulfilling his unholy destiny.

"Rosemary's Baby" is another horror classic that could've easily taken the metaphorical route with its plot. Instead, it chose to have its titular protagonist literally assaulted by the Devil and impregnated with his child. Roman Polanski's adaptation of Ira Levin's novel isn't mere exploitation, however, exploring pregnancy, neurosis, and women’s rights in a horror context. The ending, where Rosemary's baby is taken in by a coven of witches, is made all the more memorable by the fact that we never actually see the child. Rosemary's horrified reaction and then tentative resignation to her status as the Mother of the Antichrist, however, speaks volumes.

Philip Kaufman’s 1978 classic is one of horror's all time best remakes, a near perfect amalgamation of the decade's internal paranoia with sci-fi body horror. The film is also quintessentially '70s with regards to its ending. The decade saw movies of all genres beginning to turn away from the neat and tidy endings of old. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" has the alien pods swiftly moving towards total assimilation of the populace, with only two of our characters seemingly surviving undercover by remaining as emotionless as possible. The reveal is horrifyingly spectacular, however, when the newly assimilated Matthew howls at Nancy. That pointed finger and terrifying facial expression are burned into our brains forever.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions

"The Vanishing" (1988)
Our Protagonist Is Buried Alive

"The Cabin in the Woods" (2011)
The Elder Gods Return

"Hell Fest" (2018)
From Killer to Family Man

"REC" (2007)
Dragged Into Darkness

"Drag Me to Hell" (2009)
It's Right There in the Title

"Jeepers Creepers" (2001)
The Creeper Gets His Victim

It's one of the most downbeat endings of all time. Forget that Nicolas Cage nonsense, we're going old school for the OG "Wicker Man" from '73, a horror film that makes no bones about killing its lead protagonist. Or does it? Edward Woodward's Sgt. Howie is shown right from the get-go as being distrustful of Pagan beliefs, thanks to his Christian upbringing, so from the villagers' perspective, they might not feel they're doing anything wrong. Still, that doesn't lessen the impact of seeing the character we've been following deceived and ultimately sacrificed by an entire island of conspirators. The sound of Howie’s final pleas to God for mercy, delivered from within the Wicker Man as he’s burned alive, will haunt you.