Top 10 Times Movies Got Unexpectedly Dark

“Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
Superhero movies, particularly those of the MCU, are often criticized for being too safe and predictable. Despite facing the universe’s greatest threats, nothing of consequence usually happens to the heroes. And then there’s “Infinity War.” This movie contains your typical superhero action, but it ends with Thanos snapping his fingers and obliterating half of all life in the entire universe. This includes beloved characters like Groot, Scarlet Witch, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man. The MCU saved its most gutsy story decision for last, taking out beloved main characters and having the bad guy win. And while fans predicted that everything would be righted in “Endgame,” this ending still blew minds, broke hearts, and placed jaws firmly on the floor.

“Home Alone” (1990)
“Home Alone” is a cherished Christmas classic, and even its most violent moments - say, Harry getting his head burned by a blowtorch - are played for comedy. But just when it looks like Kevin will save the day, he is cornered by the Wet Bandits and hung on a door hook. Harry then claims that he’s going to bite off Kevin’s fingers in retaliation, and it just sounds like some threatening thing a bad guy would say to scare the kid. But then he actually opens his mouth and goes for the fingers! He was actually going to do it! It paints Harry as a complete psychopath, and it forces us to reevaluate his otherwise goofy, bumbling character.

“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969)
With the loss of Sean Connery came a far more dramatic and personal Bond film. Before this, the James Bond movies were rather impersonal affairs, as we never really grew attached to Bond as a human. He was just this badass spy who did cool stuff and killed the bad guys in increasingly interesting ways. This film did something a little different - it personalized Bond and gave him a life. Bond falls in love with Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, who eventually becomes Tracy Bond. However, the happy matrimony is quickly cut short when Tracy dies in a drive-by shooting. Audiences never expected to see something like this in a Bond film, and it came as quite an uncomfortable shock.

“Pay It Forward” (2000)
This schmaltzy movie sees Haley Joel Osment playing Trevor McKinney, an 11-year-old child who tries to make the world a better place by starting the titular “pay it forward” movement. The ending sees Trevor helping his bullied friend Adam by stepping in to intervene. Then he gets stabbed in the stomach with a switchblade and dies. It’s the ultimate irony that an innocent boy trying to make the world a better place ends up getting murdered by a bully. The movie is essentially teaching the audience that selfless acts will go unrewarded, and may even literally get them killed. The story ends on a relatively positive note with Trevor’s vigil, but there’s an awful lot of cynicism mixed in that sort of dilutes the message.

“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001)
If there’s one thing from the “Harry Potter” films that gave us the fits, it was Voldemort’s face literally growing out of Quirrell’s head. Throughout the movie, Quirrell is portrayed as the turbaned, bumbling professor who seems afraid of his own shadow. But in the climax, viewers learn that he has been harboring Voldemort’s spirit and that he wears the turban to hide the ghastly truth. This movie contained many eerie and unsettling moments, but this is something else. The music, the visual of Quirrell’s skin stretching itself into a face, and Voldemort’s creepy voice all combine to create a sequence that is pure nightmare fuel. And then we watched Quirrell disintegrate into dust, as if that was any better...

“Click” (2006)
The first two-thirds of “Click” contain traditional Adam Sandler goofiness, like when he pauses time to fart in his boss’s open mouth. But then things get serious. Really serious. The remote causes Michael to jump through time at a rapid pace, forcing him to confront his divorce, his father’s death, his horrible treatment of said father, and eventually his own mortality. To prevent his career-oriented son from making the same mistakes, Michael dramatically runs through the rain to tell him that “family comes first” before dying in his arms. Luckily, the movie contains a happy ending, as Morty gives Michael a second chance. It really earned its happy ending, because that last act was torturous to get through.

“Superman Returns” (2006)
Audiences expect to see the superhero tested in various unique and challenging ways. But they don’t expect to see them viciously beaten and nearly murdered! Superman arrives on the landmass to confront Luthor but quickly grows weakened owing to its infusion of kryptonite. As such, he is viciously beaten by Luthor’s goons and eventually stabbed with a kryptonite shard by Luthor himself, who leaves Superman to die. And he would have too, had it not been for Lois. Adults appreciated the movie’s guts, and kids likely grew legitimately concerned for the movie’s hero. It heralded a far darker approach to the “Superman” mythos, an approach that would be continued with “Man of Steel” and the DCEU.

“Bridge to Terabithia” (2007)
In the summer of 1974, a friend of Katherine Paterson’s son was killed after being struck by lightning. This event inspired Paterson to write “Bridge to Terabithia.” Much of the movie concerns the budding friendship between Jess and Leslie as they create and imagine the fantasy land of Terabithia. But tragedy strikes when Leslie dies in a horrific accident, and the rest of the movie concerns Jess processing his grief and letting go of his guilt. It’s a brutal but unfortunately realistic turn for the story to take, and it tragically represents the random and often senseless nature of death.

“Burn After Reading” (2008)
The Coen brothers are masters at blurring tragedy with comedy. “Burn After Reading” is one of their more comedic and lighthearted efforts, but it still contains its fair share of shocking visuals, like Ted’s butchering at the hands of Osbourne. But the darkest moment, and certainly the most unexpected, has to be the death of Chad. Chad is the movie’s goofiest and most lovable character, but he certainly didn’t have plot armor, as he is shot and killed in Osbourne’s closet by a startled Harry. It’s arguably one of the most unexpected deaths in movie history, and the graphic visual makes it all the more shocking and unbelievable.

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

The Note, “What Women Want” (2000)
Funny Movie About Reading Women’s Minds Turns Dark with Pills

Neil Takes His Own Life, “Dead Poets Society” (1989)
Inspirational Drama Contains a Hopeless Teenager Who Feels He Has No Other Way Out

Emma’s Random Death, “One Day” (2011)
Cute Romantic Film Turns Dark When Emma Is Suddenly Hit by a Truck

“Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971)
If there’s one scene that has been causing nightmares in children for generations, it’s the random boat sequence from “Willy Wonka.” Part of what makes this iconic scene so effective is that it comes out of nowhere and completely without warning. Not only that, but it immediately follows what is arguably the most magical sequence of the movie, creating an effective tonal change. The scene contains strobing lights that create a deeply unsettling effect, various unnerving images (like a chicken getting its head cut off), and Wonka going absolutely mental. Props to Gene Wilder and the filmmakers for creating what is quite possibly the scariest scene in a children’s movie.