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One of the most exciting parts of horror films is the limitless imagination that goes into the depiction of mayhem, and 2024 has certainly provided plenty of unforgettable deaths in horror movies.
2024 has been an amazing year for special makeup effects artists, especially in the realm of on-screen violence. We witnessed several drawn-out death scenes that nearly drained an entire stock of fake blood. So, let's take a moment to look back and honor some of the most gruesome, shocking, and memorable kills from horror films this year.
We're celebrating the top ten kills in horror films from 2024, so be warned—there are major spoilers coming for the following movies: Longlegs, MaXXXine, Sting, Alien: Romulus, The Coffee Table, Abigail, Smile 2, The Substance, Terrifier 3, and In a Violent Nature.
Longlegs – Rebuilding Facial Features
Filmmaker Oz Perkins skillfully keeps his intriguing serial killer, Longlegs, shrouded in mystery, offering only hints of his plans and portraying him more as an odd specter. This approach makes Nicolas Cage’s sudden, unsettling outbursts even more striking and disconcerting, building a sense of tension as the serial killer finally comes face to face with FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe). In a surprising twist, Perkins upends expectations when Longlegs unexpectedly takes his own life, leaving Harker—and the audience—shocked. The scene, where Longlegs slams his face against a desk, dousing Harker in his own blood, is both jarring and thought-provoking. It's not just the shock of his self-harm that hits hard, but the realization that Longlegs isn’t the main antagonist after all; he’s merely a puppet of something much darker.
MaXXXine – The Vehicle Woes of John Labat
In Ti West's trilogy finale, Kevin Bacon portrays John Labat, a dubious private investigator who seems to thrive on chaos right from his introduction. It's clear from the start that Labat's moral compass is off-kilter, and he doesn’t easily accept rejection. He resorts to intimidation without hesitation. Unfortunately for him, he fails to recognize that Maxine Minx, played by Mia Goth, is far from an ordinary aspiring actress. When Labat crosses the line with Maxine, she calls on her agent from the adult film world to quickly handle the situation, leading to a vicious beating followed by a gruesome disposal of his remains in a junkyard car crusher.
Sting – Maria's Merciless Spider Ambush
In a year filled with two horror films featuring spiders, one stands out for having the most brutal death scene. An alien spider, still relatively small, manages to break free from its makeshift enclosure and infiltrates an apartment building, picking off the residents one by one. The most horrific fate befalls Maria (Silvia Colloca), a woman consumed by sadness as she gazes at a family photograph. The spider lunges at her face, biting her cheek and knocking her to the ground. The alien venom works quickly; Maria becomes violently ill, leading her to crash her head against the edge of the bathtub with a sickening thud. Even if this were where it ended, it would still be horrific, but the spider goes further, crawling into her mouth and tearing open her abdomen from the inside. This elaborate and gruesome death is shocking, especially for a character we barely know, making it one of the most merciless kills of the year.
Extraterrestrial: Romulus – Parent and Child
In a movie where characters meet gruesome fates through acid, tail stabbings, or the classic chest explosion, poor Kay (Isabela Merced) endures the most agony. After being rescued from a brutal xenomorph attack, a severely injured Kay chooses to take the experimental Prometheus serum in hopes of saving herself and her unborn child. However, the serum manipulates her DNA, resulting in her giving birth to the Offspring. This unsettling humanoid creature ultimately feeds on its own mother, bringing an end to her torment. The fact that Kay is depicted as one of the most innocent members of the group makes her tragic fate all the more painful to witness.
The Coffee Table – An Unexpected Mishap
The opening scene of The Coffee Table catapults this dark horror-comedy into a chilling beginning, and the tension escalates from there. Even though the glass coffee table is said to be unbreakable, a shocking incident occurs early on: a father unintentionally causes the death of his newborn baby while his wife is away. Director Caye Casas skillfully navigates the delicate nature of this taboo subject; the act itself isn't shown in graphic detail, but it's still deeply unsettling. The use of rapid visuals paired with impactful sound creates a disorienting experience that leaves the audience just as rattled as the father.
Abigail – A Villain’s Outburst
Never put your faith in a traitor. Frank (Dan Stevens) is exactly the kind of con artist who's hard to rely on. Once a police officer, he becomes a criminal and shifts from being the group's self-appointed leader to the main antagonist after gaining vampiric powers. Frank betrays the last remaining survivors, eager to drain them of every drop of blood, leading to a truly satisfying confrontation. His end results in a sense of relief and victory for Abigail (Alisha Weir) and Joey (Melissa Barrera), culminating in a wild explosion of blood; Frank pops like an enormous vampire balloon, splattering blood everywhere. Deaths in vampire tales are usually chaotic, but Abigail's method takes the cake for the bloodiest, thanks to the sheer volume of blood involved in this scene.
Smile 2 – Lewis Works Out with Weights
Drug dealer Lewis Fregoli (Lukas Gage) becomes an unintended target of the curse simply because he happened to be in the wrong spot at the most inopportune moment. When it was time for him to pass on the curse, director Parker Finn made sure that his death would be even more shocking than in the first movie. A completely possessed Lewis has a breakdown in front of the bewildered Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), grabbing a barbell plate and brutally smashing his face in. Finn emphasizes the gruesome act, with the sound design complementing the visuals to enhance the disturbing imagery. While Lewis’s death isn't the only horrifying moment in this sequel, it establishes right away that Finn's follow-up will be larger, more violent, and far more merciless.
The Essence – Monstro Elisasue’s Last Performance
What lands The Substance on this list isn't just the extensive use of prosthetics and makeup effects, but also the extended scene that showcases the drawn-out, gruesome, and darkly comedic end of Elisabeth Sparkle (played by Demi Moore) and Sue (portrayed by Margaret Qualley). More specifically, it's the gradual transformation into Monstro Elisasue. After killing Elisabeth in a fit of rage, Sue tries to salvage the remaining activator to prevent her quick decay, resulting in the grotesque creation of Monstro Elisasue. This sets the stage for a dramatic finale, as this monstrous figure turns a live New Year’s Eve broadcast into a scene of horror. The climax sees Monstro Elisasue erupting into a mess of guts and gore. This outrageous conclusion goes all out, taking its time to maximize the bloodshed along the way. It's a rare, unrestrained ending that packs a punch. Additionally, it carries emotional weight; Monstro Elisasue seems to embrace herself much more than Elisabeth ever did.
Terrifier 3 – The Cursed Shower
It's a safe bet that any year featuring a new Terrifier film will see Art the Clown's antics making an appearance on lists celebrating the best kills, with numerous standout moments to choose from. Terrifier 3 definitely delivers on this front, showcasing a range of memorable deaths, including a shocking explosion in a mall and a gruesome medieval-style rat torture scene. However, it’s the gender-reversed homage to one of the franchise's memorable kills, crafted by director Damien Leone, that truly stands out. While on his way to confront Jonathan (Elliot Fullam) at the university, Art (David Howard Thornton) detours to the dorm showers for a festive slice of mayhem. This central scene features a prolonged dismemberment of an unfortunate couple caught in a compromising situation in the shower. Art pays special attention to Cole (Mason Mecartea), who endures what could be considered the most graphic death in the entire film, as he faces a brutal chainsaw bisecting that spares no detail.
In a Chaotic World – Yoga Pretzel
It’s hard to picture anything dethroning a Terrifier movie from the number one spot in the Best Kill chart, yet the innovative slasher In a Violent Nature managed to do just that with a unique death that can be summed up in two phrases: Yoga. Pretzel. This standout kill features the undead character Johnny encountering Aurora (Charlotte Creaghan) while she practices yoga on a cliff. He gruesomely disembowels her with a rusty hook and then yanks her head back through the open cavity in her body, twisting her form into a grotesque pretzel shape. This vibrant and shocking death is particularly striking within the otherwise subdued atmosphere of this indie slasher. What makes it even more remarkable is that this complex and ambitious scene took months of careful planning and execution. Even though the production faced numerous challenges, neither Johnny nor the outstanding special effects team faltered, resulting in the most unforgettable movie kill of the year.
