WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
This is another one of my ‘Tackling the Trope’ articles, I just felt that adding that into the title would have made it a little too long. So, everyone has their own opinion on whether they prefer the protagonists to survive the film or whether they are happy for everyone to die. For me, it depends on the film but I’m usually happier the less survivors the better. Let’s just say I’m one of the people who has been waiting expectantly for the death of Sidney Prescott in Scream only to be let down, time and time again. I digress – below I’ve complied films where the characters survive and where everyone dies. You just need to decide which you prefer (see what I did there?)
The Open House
I’m not going to pretend that you won’t be left with questions at the end of this film. However, I weirdly feel like that’s a good thing. The main characters die, but you’ll honestly be left wondering why and who did it. I’ll be honest, the ending was so much darker than I expected it be because the film is so sedate up until about 20 minutes from the end. Massive upside, it’s a small cast and uses the isolation of the mountain to good effect. Downside though, Logan for me is basically Clay Jensen from 13 Reasons Why and I’m not sure if that’s down to the writing of the character or the actor himself.
The Birds
So, this took me a little by surprise because I naturally expected a Hitchcock film to end with no one left standing (you can tell I’ve never seen it before, right?). I’ll be honest, I don’t think I will be able to get the sound of cawing birds out of my head for a while. Obviously, I’m not saying no one dies, but the important point I’m making is that the main characters don’t. Truthfully, I can’t tell you if I think it’s a happy or sad ending when you see Melanie Daniels and the Brenner family ‘driving off into the sunset’ because it is left reasonably open ended. You can’t actually turn round and say they are safe because who knows if the birds will follow them or not. At the end of the day, I’ll do exactly what I feel Hitchcock tries to do with all of his films – you decide how you think it will end up. To the Master of Suspense; I take my hat off to you.
Open Water
Based on a true story (which I might add inspired a new article), Open Water is filled in such a simple way that it feels almost like you are watching the couples holiday video after the event. I actually find the ‘death’ scenes (I say it like that because you don’t see much) are really quite clever – especially Daniel’s. The use of the storm makes it that little bit more chilling, and the fact that ultimately Susanna commits suicide by allowing the frenzying sharks to eat her is rather heart-breaking. In all honesty, this film actually made me quite angry. To think that simple incompetence of not keeping track of their passengers properly and not clearing their boat until the next morning meant that two people actually died just makes me sick.
Poltergeist
A little like The Birds, this film comes across so mundane for the majority of it that when the scares actually begin it makes you jump that little bit more than you would have expected. Maybe this is a way of spotting films where the main characters all survive? However, what’s genius about Poltergeist is that it turns the tables on you towards the end of the film as you are lulled into thinking they will all survive (don’t worry, they do) until they are attacked once again the night before they move house. Truthfully, I look at this as a warning – a little like Stephen King’s Pet Sematary – if there’s an Indian burial ground, don’t mess with it.
Final Destination 4
First off, in my opinion, this is actually the worst film of the Final Destination franchise and if I’m honest I was glad at the time it was going to be the last one. However, they bowled me over when they released the 5th instalment but I now think that make a sixth film may be taking the genius of this cannon a little too far. Moving on to the point of this article, I think they deliberately kill everybody off at the end because it was supposed to be where the story ends so it does make me wonder about the story of the sixth film. OK, the same thing happens at the end of the 3rd film (or at least this is what we’re lead to believe with the closing scene) but I’m not here to explain that decision – mainly because I can’t. Truthfully, and I’m not saying don’t watch it because of this, I feel that they aimed this more for 3D than for the actual storyline.
Side note: the opening credits are genius!
Tremors
Once again, I’m not denying the fact that people die. However, the main characters and the majority of the citizens in Perfection don’t die. Also, most of the deaths happen in the first few scenes so instead of starting off mundane like The Birds and Poltergeist, it actually sets you up for things to go horribly, horribly wrong. What I’m about to say is going to sound a little harsh but the only death that truly makes me sad is that of Walter because the others that come prior to this don’t have as much of an effect on the story other than becoming monster chow. In addition to that, we don’t really get to know Nestor either before he’s sucked underground as the main focus of the film is on Valentine and Earl.
28 Weeks Later
Just a little disclaimer, in case you’re an emotional person like myself, prepare yourself for the possibility of having a little bit of a cry at the beginning of this film. Truthfully, it may be quite a bit of the film, especially when a specific piece of music plays. What I enjoy about this film and its predecessor is the way it has been put together. There is a grittiness to the film that means it borders on realistic. I’m not going to pretend that this is a simple film to talk about because there are two endings – I am just lucky enough to have the version without a happy ending. It does, however, lull you into a false sense of security once Tammy and Andy are on board the helicopter but I guess that helps them to write alternative endings. This also explains why there was no 28 Months Later in the end.
Grabbers
This is the only comedy horror on the list, and truthfully it wouldn’t be much of a comedy if everyone died. A little like Tremors, three people die just in the opening scene. You know, nice way to introduce us to the aliens but in no other way instrumental to the film as a whole. To be completely honest with you, more people die in this film than I remembered. My point still stands though because the main characters make it through and really – that’s the main crux of this whole article because it’s only ever the protagonists that viewers care about.
For all intents and purposes, this film actually gives a great excuse if your parents ever ask why you’re so drunk!
Art Work Credit: Claire Bishop (follow her Instagram @clairebish_art)
