Horror movies can make you root for the protagonist until the very end. They may have overcome obstacles, outsmarted the villains, found ways to free themselves from whatever trap they were in, and may have fought back, but in the end, they still met their gruesome demise.
Many horror movies don't have happy endings, but not all of them have the plotline that sticks and an ending that makes you wish you saved the protagonist yourself. Here are some of the best horror movies where everyone dies in the end.
Cabin Fever (2002)
Upon its release, "Cabin Fever" was not favored by critics, and it was slammed as a stereotypical horror film. However, the audiences loved it and labeled it as one of the best low-budget horror movies with just the right gore and a twist that no one saw coming.
Directed by Eli Roth, this film follows a group of college teens who wanted to escape college life's stress. They agreed to spend their Spring Break in a remote cabin in the woods.
The fun did not last long as an infectious disease carried by a tainted water supply began spreading. One by one, each of the teenagers is taken out by the infection that is sexually transmitted.
Also Read: 5 Best Coming of Age Films That Perfectly Captures Life Changes
At the end of the film, a character named Jeff remained alive. He had hidden and drank himself to oblivious off-screen. Just when the audience thought he could make it out alive, he was dispatched by the corrupt Sheriff.
The movie ends with a truck filled with tainted water drives away, leaving the audience to speculate who will be infected next.
The Final Destination Series (2000-2011)
When it comes to the "horror films where no one survives" trope, the "Final Destination" series tops them all. The series consists of five films that show different deadly disasters.
The first film was at the airport after a plane exploded mid-flight, the second film was at a highway, the third film happened during a rollercoaster crash, the fourth one was a NASCAR pile up, and the last one was a bridge collapse.
All films follow the same three-step plot:
- The protagonist has a vision.
- The vision saves people.
- Death goes around, killing those that should have died in the movie's respective accidents.
Although the protagonist seemed to have survived the curse at the end of each film, an unfortunate event happens and kills them off before the credits roll.
28 Weeks Later (2007)
A sequel to the box-office hit "28 Days Later", the movie "28 Weeks Later" shows the audience a disturbing ending of hopelessness.
The movie follows Don, a survivor who was forced to leave his wife and his friends behind after zombies ambushed their home. Eventually, he was reunited with his two children. His wife turned up alive, and due to guilt, Don kisses her, immediately transferring the virus to him.
Don became erratic and beat his wife to death. His two young children were forced to flee with Military members, played by Rose Byrne and Jeremy Renner, for safety while their father spread the infection through London's quarantine.
Renner's character was burned alive, and Byrne's character was beaten to death. His own daughter shot Don, and the siblings flew to safety. The final shot of the movie shows an empty chopper and an overran Paris.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The film that started the found footage genre, "The Blair Witch Project," was praised for its originality, overall story, and actors' performance.
The movie follows three friends who went hiking through a creepy forest. They were on the hunt for the Blair Witch. Things started innocently but soon got out of hand as the nightfall and the crew loses all sight of their bearings.
One by one, the characters were murdered, and the attacks happened off-screen, making the audience imagine what was happening in the woods. The iconic final shot showed one character delivering her final message before she was attacked.
Related Article: 4 Movies That Led to Massive Lawsuits
