The 10 Hardest Hitting Movie Deaths
Movie deaths can make a movie an all-time classic or, if fumbled, can just be needless. They can hit different people for different reasons. In this list I’ll be going through and listing the 10 hardest hitting movie deaths in my humble opinion. Before we get into the list I’d like to (honorably) mention some honorable mentions. Also just to make this clear SPOILER WARNING! Coral (Nemo’s mom) at the beginning of ‘Finding Nemo,’ Mufasa in ‘The Lion King,’ Walt Kowalski in ‘Gran Torino,’ Apollo Creed in ‘Rocky IV,’ Brooks in ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ Benny in ‘City of God,’ and Noah & Allie in ‘The Notebook.’
Tony Stark in ‘Avengers: Endgame’- He is Iron Man. The culmination of 22 movies all led to this moment and even though many (myself included) saw it coming, it didn’t make it any less sad. The father of the MCU went out on his terms and was the hero that everyone needed him to be. I couldn’t think of a better way for Iron Man’s story to end. I also wanted to keep this at one death per movie/franchise so I also want to shoutout Black Widow, Groot, & Yondu. I also sobbed at the deaths in Infinity War (mainly Spider-Man), but those weren’t long term so they get vetoed.
Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw in ‘Top Gun’- Goose is the man that either reminds of us of our own best friend or the one we want. He’s funny, quick, a family man, and the perfect foil to Tom Cruise. The matter in which it happens and the point in the movie make it that much worse. Those filmmakers knew what they were doing when they introduced us to his wife and son just a few scenes before killing him off.
Benjamin Buford ‘Bubba’ Blue in ‘Forrest Gump’- The first real friend, aside from Jenny, that we see Forrest make. Bubba was a good, kind man and the fact that Forrest saved so many people while looking for his friend puts Bubba’s sacrifice into perspective. The fact that Forrest makes sure to include his late friend and his family with their business also was the perfect honor.
Sam in ‘I Am Legend’- Let’s actually just call this one ‘All the Dog Deaths.’ Marley. Old Yeller. Hooch. Two Socks (wolves are dogs right?). They are all the worst. An animal (especially dog) death can hit just as hard as a human. For me, Sam takes the cake for a few reasons. The fact that it leaves Will Smith alone and he is the one that has to do it. But mainly, my childhood dog was named Sam and especially after having to put him down last year, this one slaps me right across the face.
Hachi & Professor Wilson in ‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’- I’m removing Hachi from the other dogs group because of how bitter sweet his death is. For a similar reason to Noah & Allie, it’s sweet more than sad due to these characters getting to be together again. When Prof. Parker Wilson died his death definitely hurt, but the aftermath is what makes it hard. I will shed a tear every time.
John Coffey in ‘The Green Mile’- I can think of very few characters as kind as Michael Clarke Duncan’s John Coffey. An innocent man who accepts his fate of death, Coffey is a sweet little boy in a big man’s body and his death stings.
Thomas J. Sennett in ‘My Girl’- If you’ve heard of this movie you know about this death. It’s infamous as one of the saddest movie deaths and when Vada cries out about him not wearing his classes I sobbed. Awful.
Dobby in ‘Harry Potter'- Another franchise with many options such as Dumbledore, Sirius, Cedric, Hedwig, Fred, and Not Snape (I’d be happy to explain why I’m not a Snape fan). But for me Dobby takes the cake. Such a sweet, innocent, loyal character who dies for a friend and also dies a free elf.
Bing Bong in ‘Inside Out’- On paper this one is probably the strangest on this list, but in all honesty it is one of the hardest hitting for me. That pink elephant-cotton candy hybrid creature who lives in the memories of a young girl. Strange. But sweet and relatable and so representative of the realities of growing up.
Ellie Fredricksen in ‘Up’- Finishing off our list is the Pixar double whammy. And ‘Up’ may have the most emotional first 10-15 minutes of any movie. We experience this couple’s whole beautiful relationship from beginning to end with all the life in between.
