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The 10 movies with the highest body counts

Wed 13 September 2023 18:45, UK

Why do so many moviegoers love to watch violence, gore and death? This question has been at the heart of countless studies, with many scholars and psychologists exploring the popularity of genres such as horror, thrillers and war epics, which typically expose us to humanity’s ruthless and terrifying sides.

Genres such as slashers have remained one of the most coveted horror movie templates, with viewers often hoping for as creative and gory kill scenes as possible. Many studies have found that watching violence and death occur on screen can be therapeutic for viewers, with these movies acting as an outlet for anger and frustration.

Some people get an unusually high adrenaline kick from the suspense and tension that emerges from watching horror or disaster epics, craving the feeling of watching a dramatic catastrophe play out from the comfort of their homes. There have long been debates over the idea that on-screen violence causes real-life violence and other concerns, such as movie violence desensitising audiences, especially young people.

The consumption of violence as entertainment is something that Michael Haneke explored in his movie Funny Games (and his subsequent remake a decade later), his meta-commentary actively involving the audience as the characters embark on their senseless crimes.

So, when it comes to movies with the highest body counts, you might expect the list to be filled with horror movies, particularly slashers, that centre their premises on violent killing sprees. However, there are no horror movies on the list; most of the movies with the highest amount of deaths fall into the historical, fantasy and war epic genres. At number ten, with a death count of 305, is 2002’s We Are Soldiers, starring Mel Gibson. Unsurprisingly, a movie about the Vietnam War contains plenty of casualties. Titanic comes next with 307 deaths, although it’s definitely the least violent entry on the list.

However, as the list progresses, there’s certainly more violence to be found, such as the action thriller Hard Boiled, which also racked up a kill count of 307. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez’s double feature Grindhouse, which contains many gruesome scenes, is number seven, with 310 deaths.

The historical dramas Troy, 300 and Kingdom of Heaven also make the list, all of which show several hundred deaths, although some are considerably more violent and bloody than others. However, taking the number one spot with 836 deaths is Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Released in 2003, the movie was the second instalment in the popular trilogy, winning all of the 11 Oscars it was nominated for, including ‘Best Picture’. With plenty of battles throughout its 201-minute runtime, it’s no surprise that the fantasy epic has such a high body count.

Discover the complete list below.