Top 20 Unexpected Movie Deaths
#20: Lt Col Austin Travis
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“Executive Decision” (1996) We thought it was in Steven Seagal’s contracts that he couldn’t die. His demise in this 90s thriller is even more shocking when you look at its cast of characters: you’ve got the badass army dude; a nerdy, spectacled intelligence consultant; Halle Berry; and a guy called Rat. Who would you think dies? At least Seagal does go out in style. As the good guys dock a stealth plane to a hijacked 747, Seagal’s character sacrifices himself to save the others - getting sucked into oblivion. Like 40 minutes into the film!
#19: Carolyn Fry
“Pitch Black” (2000) This flawed hero crash-lands on a deserted planet, with infamous criminal Riddick in tow. We spend the entire movie rooting for her as she keeps Riddick and the shady monsters at bay. Early on, her first impulse is to sacrifice others to save her own skin; so we know we’re in for a classic tale of redemption by the time the credits roll. But then, just as she finds the moral high ground and seems set to escape? Boom! Down with less than five-minutes left. So close, but so far.
#18: Phillip Coulson
“The Avengers” (2012) After appearing in “Iron Man”, “Iron Man 2”, and “Thor”, SHIELD agent Phil Coulson seemed basically invincible: part of the glue holding the MCU together. Turns out, he was very much vincible. As he holds Loki at bay in “The Avengers”, his cool, confident monologue about his gun signals to audiences that he’ll come out on top. But in a sci-fi superhero movie, anything can happen, and a teleport-kill is no exception. Hey, at least Coulson came back to life for his own series later.
#17: Spider
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“GoodFellas” (1990) It was no surprise to see this poor young bartender teased and tormented by wise guy patron Tommy DeVito. But a lot more trouble was AFOOT the moment that gun started waving. In “GoodFellas,” the comedy of Joe Pesci’s wild antics is dark, but still manageable. His murder of Spider, however, was a twisted shocker, even with the awkward silence that follows Spider’s only attempt to defend himself. When Tommy DeVito loses it, his wrath is as sudden as it is furious, and the audience isn’t the only one shocked.
#16: Hoban “Wash” Washburne
“Serenity” (2005) Fans of the cancelled, cult TV show “Firefly” rejoiced at the chance to catch up with their beloved characters in this big screen continuation. But most enthusiasts were not expecting the fate that awaited Wash. With a Reaver ship in hot pursuit, the ace pilot manages to save the day when he lands - or at least crash lands - Serenity in what seems to be safety. But he only has a brief moment to celebrate. Just as he reaches his Zen, a Reaver spear ruins everything. Seriously, screw you movies.
#15: Det. Sgt. Jack Vincennes
Another Top 10 Unexpected Movie Deaths
“L.A. Confidential” (1997) Corrupt police Captain Dudley Smith offs narcotics detective Sergeant Jack Vincennes in a quick, surprising moment that you could have missed if you blinked. It’s rare to see a death scene come so casually, but delivering it with coffee is one creative way to go about it. The kill off of one of “L.A. Confidential”’s protagonists and leads is disorienting as is, but that gunshot was really unexpected. Even if you read the original novel before seeing the film, you’d still be surprised, because Vincennes doesn’t even die this way.
#14: Detectives Christopher Danson & P.K. Highsmith
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“The Other Guys” (2010) The scenes featuring Detectives Danson, played by Dwayne Johnson, and Highsmith, played by Samuel L. Jackson, were worth the price of admission to this 2010 action comedy. Real life action heroes, they get the job done, while leaving massive destruction in their wake on every assignment. It’s no wonder their colleagues idolize them. See, they can even leap from buildings in a single bound … OK wait, maybe they’re not so good at the leaping from buildings thing. Point proven, these movie cop hotshots don’t even die by the rules.
#13: Theresa ‘Tracy’ Mills
“Se7en” (1995) In “Seven,” Homicide Detectives Sommerset and Mills trail a serial killer through the seven deadly sins that serve as themes to each of his grisly murders. The killer confesses to beheading Mills’ pregnant wife Tracy out of envy for the life he lives, thus goading Mills to exact the 7th sin of wrath upon him. Tracy’s death is so shocking that seeing evidence of it on screen isn’t necessary. The audience and characters know exactly what’s in that cardboard box and the tragic reaction to this information is the ultimate psychological horror.
#12: Dick Hallorann
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“The Shining” (1980) You know that thing about minorities always getting killed off in movies? Well, Dick Hallorann is the original. Without Dick, we wouldn’t even know what the shining is. But explaining psychic powers to Danny Torrance and the audience is all he’s good for, apparently. After Danny dad loses his marbles in The Overlook Hotel, Halorann races back from Florida to save the day - alerted by Danny’s shining”. Why else would they have that whole subplot in the movie, right? Well . . . don’t look at us for answers. Because Halloran’s rescue? It . . . doesn’t go so well.
#11: Julian Taylor
“Children of Men” (2006) Even if you’d read the book this was based on you woulda been surprised because it’s completely different. When you see someone like Julianne Moore in a trailer, you presume she’s going to serve an important purpose in the film. We guess her function here is to show how hopeless the world can become after 18-years of infertility, as she’s unceremoniously offed while trying to escape an ambush. This death is even more unexpected given her role as the protagonist’s estranged wife. What, no reconciliation? Sorry Theo; you’ll have to settle for saving humanity.
#10: Black Widow
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“Avengers: Endgame” (2019) When Barton and Romanoff sought the Soul Stone on Vormir, audiences were dragged into a tense game of: who would bite the dust? Both fought to be the sacrifice required to obtain the Stone and help save half of humanity. With a “Black Widow” standalone film already in the works when “Endgame” hit cinemas, you could have been forgiven for betting that Hawkeye would be the one to take a dive. Turns out, Black Widow had the edge here, and successfully got the upper . . . or, lower, hand. Her death scene was both shocking, and a total tear-jerker.
#9: Chad Feldheimer
“Burn After Reading” (2008) Brad Pitt is no stranger to unexpected movie deaths. Between playing what’s in the box with John Doe or ping-ponging between cars minutes after he’s introduced in “Meet Joe Black,” he’s shocked us before. But it’s the time his buddy Clooney kills him that gets us most. Naturally, it’s an accident, but that only makes it all the more shocking. Guess this is what happens when you hide in a U.S. Marshal’s wardrobe. No matter what happens, this will always be the movie where Brad Pitt gets shot in the face.
#8: Calvin J. Candie
“Django Unchained” (2012) It’s surprising enough that a handshake can be a source of such dread and conflict after all the ghastly things the characters have suffered through in “Django Unchained.” But not even the most cinema savvy film critic can claim they foretold the death of Calvin Candie here; it was literally a trick up Dr. King Schultz’s sleeve. Mind you, as unexpected as it is, it’s also supremely satisfying. Of course, when it comes to shocking deaths and violence, if there’s anything to expect of director Quentin Tarantino, it’s the unexpected.
#7: Vincent Vega
“Pulp Fiction” (1994) John Travolta is on both ends of unexpected deaths in this Tarantino mindbender. The first comes when he and fellow hitman Sam Jackson are feuding about divine intervention when… ’Course, Vincent Vega’s own untimely demise is also a WTF moment, considering he’s a main character and there’s still an hour in the movie to go. Hey, we guess there’s a lesson there about waltzing in and using another man’s toilet. Don’t worry, though: since the movie isn’t told in order, Vincent is back pretty soon.
#6: Marion Crane
“Psycho” (1960) Today’s generations have seen this death scene so many times it’s really not that shocking anymore. You know: knife, violins, shower curtain, screaming, dead. But consider this: it was 1960, and Hitchcock’s movie was being marketed on the strength of its famous star, Janet Leigh. Then you actually get to the theater and, after tons of buildup, she gets killed in the shower halfway through! The movie then follows Private investigator Milton Arbogast as he puts together the pieces. Quite the switcheroo, we’d say.
#5: Charlie
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“Hereditary” (2018) When the trailer for Ari Aster’s horror film “Hereditary” came out, it seemed clear that this was another movie about a creepy kid who freaks out her family - and of course audiences. And, to an extent, that’s true. Except of course that the kid in question, Charlie - who featured prominently in the trailers - is killed off in the first 30 minutes of the film. What’s even more shocking is the manner of her death. In a movie about demonic possession, you’d probably have put your money on something supernatural and spectacular. If you bet on decapitation by telephone pole . . . well, you’re a genius.
#4: Bill Murray
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“Zombieland” (2009) Leave it to Bill Murray, or a subtle parody of his unaffected self, to dress up as a zombie so that he could live a normal, quiet golfer’s life among the infected populace. It’s a funny way to be meta with his celebrity, made even funnier when he tries to play a prank on Jesse Eisenberg’s Columbus, who shoots him to death over the misunderstanding. It’s Bill Murray, after all. Not a movie character but a real person, so he can’t die, can he? Surprise, he can.
#3: Russell Franklin
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“Deep Blue Sea” (1999) Nobody delivers angry monologues like Samuel L. Jackson. But it turns out, nobody plays the angry guy who gets dismembered by toothy animals like him, either. Just as the others are giving way to panic and despair in this sci-fi horror flick, Jackson’s character, corporate executive Russell Franklin, begins an inspirational speech. If you just BELIEVE in yourself . . . right? Weeell, in the middle of his monologue, as he insists that he and the others aren’t going to die, he . . . dies. Considering he was the movie’s biggest star, this was something no one saw coming!
#2: Billy Costigan
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“The Departed” (2006) Scorsese’s tale of two moles, one working for the Irish Mob and one for the police, culminates in a tense scene that seems set to give Leonardo DiCaprio’s Billy Costigan a win. He has Matt Damon’s Colin Sullivan at gunpoint, and they’re one elevator ride away from being out of the undercover business once and for all. But it’s not Matt Damon who buys the farm. The doors open, and Leo’s brains go flying. Turns out, Sullivan wasn’t the only mole who was really working for the Mob. Of course, that doesn’t mean Sullivan gets away with it . . . Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Casey Becker “Scream” (1996) Young Man in Coffee Shop “Meet Joe Black” (1998) Emily “The Invisible Man” (2020)
#1: Dr. Malcolm Crowe
Top 10 Unexpected Movie Deaths
“The Sixth Sense” (1999) It’s one of the most iconic twist endings in cinema. M. Night Shyamalan’s supernatural thriller fooled us all - at least, provided you hadn’t had the ending spoiled in advance. Right at the start of the movie, Bruce Willis’ character, child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, survives a gunshot wound . . . Or so it seems. As we find out later, though, he was actually dead for the rest of the film - even while playing therapist to his little ghost whisperer friend. If you didn’t have goosebumps watching Crowe put it all together . . . are you even alive? But, wait, really.
