Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Edge
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Edge
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Your movies and TV digest from the team at GamesRadar+

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

50 Worst Movie Betrayals

Features
By Joshua Winning
Published 6 November 2012

Watch your back… Spoilers ahead!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989)

The Betrayal: Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) discovers that beautiful blonde Elsa (Alison Doodey) is actually a Nazi spy, and only bonked him for information.

Talk about sleeping with the enemy.

Why It’s So Bad: Turns out Elsa also bedded Jones Senior.

Now that’s something to keep you awake at night.

The Fallout: Elsa gets her comeuppance when she falls to her death as the temple collapses at the end of The Last Crusade .

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:

Nice knowin' ya.

Scream (1996)

The Betrayal: The one thing a girl needs when there’s a serial killer on the loose is her boyfriend’s shoulder to cry on.

You may like
  • Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry in The Gray Man. The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
  • The 30 best horror movies of all time: pictures from The Wicker Man, The Shining, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Hereditary. The 30 best horror movies that will haunt you long after the credits roll
  • Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights 20 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now

Shame, then, that it turns out Sidney’s (Neve Campbell) squeeze Billy (Skeet Ulrich) is the serial killer in question.

Why It’s So Bad: Not only is Billy (and pal Stu) obsessed with killing Sidney, he’s also butchered half her friends – and her mum. Sheesh.

The Fallout: Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) to the rescue!

The hard-bitten reporter shoots Billy and saves the day – just about.

Your movies and TV digest from the team at GamesRadar+

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we’ve got you covered.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Star Wars: Episode III Revenge Of The Sith (2005)

The Betrayal: With his morals twisted by evil Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), Anakin (Hayden Christensen) does the unthinkable and slays innocent younglings - nothing says "screw you, Jedi Order!" like a massacre.

Why It’s So Bad: He killed children! There’s no coming back from that…

The Fallout: Just Episodes IV-VI , y’know, as Darth Vader becomes a force to be reckoned with.

The Room (2003)

The Betrayal: Johnny (Tommy Wiseau) discovers a tape on which his girlfriend Lisa (Juliette Danielle) and his friend Mark (Greg Sestero) have a rather intimate conversation.

Yes, they’ve both betrayed him.

Why It’s So Bad: Johnny’s so upset by the betrayal of the closest people to him that he kills himself.

The Fallout: Um, death.

You may like
  • Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry in The Gray Man. The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
  • The 30 best horror movies of all time: pictures from The Wicker Man, The Shining, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Hereditary. The 30 best horror movies that will haunt you long after the credits roll
  • Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights 20 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now

Julius Caesar (1970)

The Betrayal: Brutus (Jason Robards) is a friend of Caesar (John Gielgud) who joins a group of conspiratorial senators who are concerned that Caesar is attempting to turn Rome into a monarchy.

They end up killing Caesar.

Why It’s So Bad: Brutus himself has a stab at the ruler, which means he literally has his friend’s blood on his hands.

The Fallout: The public turn on Brutus and the senators, driving them from Rome.

GoodFellas (1990)

The Betrayal: Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) takes freedom over jail, and gives evidence against his mobster friends. The dawg.

Why It’s So Bad: Saving your own neck instead of going down with your buddies?

When your buddies are mobsters, we’re not sure that’s the best decision.

The Fallout: Henry discovers what it’s like living in the real world.

“I'm an average nobody. I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook.” Sob.

Double Jeopardy (1999)

The Betrayal: Elizabeth (Ashley Judd) is framed for her husband’s murder when she’s discovered alone aboard a friend’s yacht and covered in his blood.

Why It’s So Bad: Turns out Elizabeth’s hubbie isn’t dead at all, but wanted to cash in on his own life insurance.

The Fallout: Elizabeth decides to kill her husband for real, arguing she can’t get tried for the same case twice.

(Even though technically this second, real murder would be an entirely new case…)

The Fugitive (1993)

The Betrayal: Dr. Charles Nichols (Jeroen Krabbé) decides to have his friend Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) killed when the latter discovers that Nichols’ new drug causes devastating liver damage.

Why It’s So Bad: It all goes a bit tits up when the hitman Nichols hires to off Kimble ends up killing Kimble’s wife instead.

The Fallout: Kimble decides he needs to teach Nichols a lesson.

Cruel Intentions (1999)

The Betrayal: Sebastian (Ryan Philippe) is dared by devious stepsister Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to seduce innocent church girl Annette (Reese Witherspoon).

Ah love, the ultimate betrayal.

Why It’s So Bad: Sebastian initially goes along with it so he can sleep with his seductive stepsister, but soon starts having real feelings for Annette.

Who, naturally, discovers it’s all just a bet.

The Fallout: Somebody dies. Somebody gets their comeuppance. And somebody gets a really swish set of wheels.

Total Recall (1990)

The Betrayal: Up on Mars, Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is double-crossed by amiable-seeming taxi driver Benny (Mel Johnson Jr), who turns out to be a bendy-armed mutant in the employ of Cohaagen.

Why It’s So Bad: Benny’s meant to be a nice guy – a rare ally in the sucking void that is Mars. His betrayal really stings.

The Fallout: Benny, naturally, is killed. And Quaid saves the day.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Current page: Page 1

Next Page Page 2
Joshua Winning
Social Links Navigation

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.  

Read more
Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry in The Gray Man.
Thriller Movies The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
 
 
The 30 best horror movies of all time: pictures from The Wicker Man, The Shining, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Hereditary.
Horror Movies The 30 best horror movies that will haunt you long after the credits roll
 
 
Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights
Movies 20 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now
 
 
Austin Abrams as Bryan in Resident Evil
Horror Movies All the Resident Evil Movies ranked from worst to best
 
 
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now
 
 
A girl's head smiling during one of the best scary movies, House.
Horror Movies I've seen over 600 horror movies, and these are the scary must-watches to add to your Halloween playlist
 
 
Latest in Movies
Famke Janssen as Jean Grey in X-Men: The Last Stand
Marvel Movies Iman Vellani wants everyone to know why X-Men: The Last Stand "failed"
 
 
saltburn
Horror Movies The Acolyte creator is directing a "twisted mother-daughter story" body horror movie starring Rosamund Pike
 
 
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom on the Avengers: Doomsday poster
Marvel Movies Avengers: Doomsday marketing keeps spoiling the film as Latveria gets revealed in a Jeep commercial
 
 
John Wick 4
Animated Movies Keanu Reeves will return as John Wick in an animated prequel about his impossible task
 
 
The Odyssey
Fantasy Movies Matt Damon says not sleeping for days on The Odyssey worked in his favour: "[Odysseus] probably didn’t sleep last night"
 
 
Chris Hemsworth's Thor faces Robert Downey Jr.'s Doom in Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel Movies After rumors of a delay, Disney confirms Avengers: Secret Wars release date
 
 
Latest in Features
Duardin miniatures from the Khazalite Holds army range
Tabletop Gaming The new Khazalite Holds range proves that Age of Sigmar has some of Warhammer's best models
 
 
Link takes lava damage in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake's Dodongo Cavern
The Legend of Zelda I keep forgetting to jump in Ocarina of Time remake, and two dungeons in I'm yearning for classic controls
 
 
Godzilla with blue energy in Godzilla Minus Zero
Sci-Fi Movies Does Godzilla Minus Zero have a post-credits scene?
 
 
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect Mass Effect can still live on – Baldur's Gate 3 and Fable are proof
 
 
Godzilla being Godzilla
Sci-Fi Movies Godzilla Minus Zero ending explained: what happens to Ghidorah, who dies, and does it set up a sequel?
 
 
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Marvel Movies Black Panther 2 is still Marvel's best passing of the torch – so I hope Shuri gets to shine in Avengers: Doomsday
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. "I don't think any company has the ability to be successful with both"
    1
    Sony has "a good chance of winning" with a PS6 handheld, former PlayStation boss says, but only if there's no home console launch, too
  2. 2
    Dragon Age, KOTOR, and Baldur's Gate writer is "collaborating" on Mass Effect-like RPG The Expanse: Osiris Reborn
  3. 3
    A permanent Arc Raiders PvE mode would be easy to add, says Embark CEO, and "maybe people can choose what they like"
  4. 4
    Canadian politician tears into EA and calls for federal support of BioWare: "These publishers buy developers, run them into the ground, and rip them apart for profit"
  5. 5
    A bunch of Grand Theft Auto games will be cheap on Steam until GTA 6 comes out, and only one of them sucks

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...