A good plot twist isn’t the only element of athrillermovie that makes the genre so iconic, but the most outlandish twist endings often are what audiences best remember. Plot twists require foreshadowing, and when a story incorporates a narrative turn at the end of the story, it must make the audience question the truth of the rest of the movie. To achieve the drama and shock factor that a final act twist requires,it’s no wonder that so many thrillers push the narrative to the absolute limit,exploring the extreme conclusions that leave the audience astounded.
Many of thebest movie plot twistsare in thrillers because the genre lends itself to unexpected events and creates tension and stakes by keeping the audience guessing. Many of these films touch upon questions of identity, destiny, and the nature of reality. Cinema is a great place to explore these philosophical discussions safely. Overwhelmingly,the actors in these projects give stand-out performances,as it rests upon their shoulders to make the viewer care about the characters and hypothesize about potential endings without giving the twist away.
The Prestige
Cast
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, The Prestige follows the lives of two stage magicians in Victorian London. Once colleagues, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden become hated rivals after a tragedy involving Angier’s wife tears them apart. The two magicians each go on to have their own lives and careers while competing to see who can pull off a seemingly impossible teleportation trick. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale star as Angier and Borden.
Thebiggest plot twists in Christopher Nolan’s movieshave cemented the director as a beloved contributor to the thriller genre.The Prestigeplays with time and perception the same way that his other movies do, but it doesn’t tackle true events as many of Nolan’s recent projects have. However,the fictional narrative allows Nolan to play with the audience’s expectations and make them believe the illusionsat the heart of the plot.
The Prestige’s twist is not only shocking but also calls all the actions and morality of the characters into question.
ThoughThe Prestigeisn’t Nolan’s most critically acclaimed film, it’s one of his most unbelievable and pushes the audience to question their ability to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality.The Prestige’s twist is not only shocking but also calls all the actions and morality of the characters into question.Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale make excellent foils as the competing magicians Robert and Alfred,creating explosive chemistry that makes the audience care all the more interested in the truth behind their tricks.
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Vanilla Sky
Vanilla Sky is a psychological thriller directed by Cameron Crowe, featuring Tom Cruise as a wealthy publishing magnate named David Aames. Released in 2001, the film explores themes of identity, reality, and the consequences of one’s actions, intertwined with surreal events. Co-starring Penélope Cruz and Cameron Diaz, the film is known for its intricate narrative and engaging performances. Vanilla Sky is a remake of the Spanish film “Open Your Eyes.”
The tragic narrative ofVanilla Skystars Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, and Penélope Cruz form a dangerous love triangle that ends in disaster.It becomes clear fairly quickly inVanilla Skythat there’s something wrong with David(Cruise) and the world he’s perceiving. However, neither David nor the audience can determine what exactly is happening. As glitches start forming in the idyllic life he’s built, it’s clear that someone or something is altering his world, and the answer will mean the loss of everything he holds dear.
10 Psychological Thrillers Guaranteed To Mess With Your Head
These thrillers not only create atmospheric tension but also bend reality to make audiences question what’s the truth and what’s imagined.
ThoughVanilla Skydoesn’t include one ofTom Cruise’s movie villain roles,it’s still a refreshing change to see Cruise tackling a complex dramatic roleinstead of in his typical action-oriented projects. However, there’s still plenty of momentum inVanilla Sky, as the propulsive narrative might grow confusing, but it’s never boring. Despite the different realities David is experiencing, both he and the other actors are firmly rooted in the story arc and keep the audience dropped into the world.
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Predestination
Predestination follows a Temporal Agent on an intricate series of time-travel missions to prevent catastrophic crimes. As he embarks on his final assignment, he faces the elusive criminal he has pursued through time, aiming to avert a devastating attack threatening thousands of lives.
After the first plot twist inPredestination, it seems that there can’t be any more shocking revealsbefore the end of the story. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth, as every piece ofPredestinationis meticulously planned and unfolds according to the same careful foreshadowing the characters experience. It’s because of this that it feels as if there’s no way to stop the events that unfold, as they were always meant to happen this way and always will. Much like its name,Predestinationbelieves in destiny.
Sarah Snook joins Ethan Hawke as the lead ofPredestination, with each actor playing off each other and building their characters together.
Sarah Snook joins Ethan Hawke as the lead ofPredestination, with each actor playing off each other and building their characters together.Predestinationis a classic example of asci-fi thriller that audiences are still confused about, as time travel and the paradoxical nature of fate are at the forefront of the narrative. ThoughPredestinationdrops hints about the story’s opinion,the narrative turn leaves it up to the audience to decide if they, too, will try and combat the inevitability of fate.
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Now You See Me
Now You See Me follows an FBI agent and an Interpol detective as they pursue a group of talented illusionists. The magicians are known for orchestrating bank heists during their performances, where they astonish audiences by distributing stolen wealth, intertwining magical spectacle with high-stakes crime.
The beloved crime thriller franchiseNow You See Mebegan in 2013 with the original movie that executes the story’s formula perfectly. ThoughNow You See Medidn’t receive the utmost praise from critics, it holds plenty of surprises and incorporates a twist that will compel every viewer. Made up of a fantastic ensemble cast,Now You See Mecleverly uses one of its most unassuming characters to pull the strings from behind the scenes,embodying the themes of misdirection that are so important toNow You See Me.
The true motivations behind the actions of the antagonists in the movie are convoluted and made murkyuntil the final moments ofNow You See Me. In an iconic flashback montage,Now You See Medoes the one thing a good magician should never do: it reveals its secrets. However, this doesn’t change the fact thatNow You See Meis a fun thrill ride that seems to have an endless supply of secrets up its sleeve. As the magicians follow their orders and evade the international police, the cat-and-mouse game heats up at a lightning-fast pace.
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6Mr. Nobody (2009)
Directed by Jaco Van Dormael
Before the popularity of multiverse narratives took the film industry by storm,Mr. Nobodytackled the darkest parts of what lies on the path not taken. The protagonist ofMr. Nobody, Nemo (Jared Leto), reflects on the many avenues his life could’ve taken on his deathbed, letting the audience wonder what decisions he made in the past. Sinceeach of his diverging futures holds some level of tragedy and loss,it’s impossible to say what Nemo should’ve done, asMr. Nobodydemonstrates the fickle nature of human history.
It’s difficult to understand the ending ofMr. Nobody, which takes the nonlinear structure of the narrative and pushes it to the extreme.
It’s difficult to understand the ending ofMr. Nobody, which takes the nonlinear structure of the narrative and pushes it to the extreme. ThoughNemo is plagued by the ramifications of his choices throughoutMr. Nobody,the film’s conclusion posits that the infinite possibilities and chaos of the universe make these attempts at controlling the future futile. When it comes to thrillers, this is a rather bleak and layered philosophy for the narrative to take, but it simultaneously frees Nemo from the terror of choosing the wrong path.
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The Cabin in the Woods
The Cabin in the Woods strictly follows the traditional slasher movie dynamic: a group of teens heads to a remote location for the weekend only to find themselves beset by monsters. However, what they don’t know is that the inevitable horrors they will face have all been arranged by a mysterious team watching from a facility deep underground.
Poking fun at the horror and thriller genres,The Cabin in the Woodstakes the familiar tropes of classic scary moviesand the archetypal characters they include. Implementing sci-fi and plenty of comedic moments,The Cabin in the Woodsallows its characters to become self-aware and question the horrible monsters and questionable circumstances that plague them. The truth behind why this group of friends is being targeted takes a broader look at why audiences like to consume horror and enjoy witnessing violence onscreen.
The fate of humanity and the protagonists remains a mystery at the end ofThe Cabin in the Woods,but both the viewer and audience are floored to discover who’s been pulling the strings and why. Considered a worthy addition to each genre it touches upon,The Cabin in the Woodsis a contemporary favorite and was influential in the increase of metatextual references in mainstream media. While the plot twist might not be plausible, it’s funny and sharp, cementing the brilliant tone of the project.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
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I Care A Lot
I Care A Lot stars Rosamund Pike as Marla Grayson, a con artist who makes money by becoming a court-appointed guardian for elderly people she claims can’t take care of themselves, and then stealing their life’s savings. But things don’t go according to plan when she tries to do the same thing to a mother of a dangerous mob boss.
Rosamund Pike plays the morally repugnant Marla inI Care a Lot,a protagonist that the audience is not inclined to root for. Watching Marla scam the elderly and steal their assets allows the viewer to sit back and enjoy as many people come after her to disrupt her criminal enterprise. However, they’re only disappointed when even the most self-righteous characters prove to be as selfish as Marla. For most ofI Care a Lot, it seems Marla will get away with everything, and the audience will be left with an upsetting conclusion.
ThoughI Care a Lotisn’t as well remembered as some of Pike’s other thrillers, it’s still a worthy addition, thanks to her performance.
As much as the viewer might want to see Marla get what she deserves, this isn’t exactly what the ending delivers. The twist brings back a small element of Marla’s past and demonstrates thatsometimes, it’s the smallest, most insignificant threats that can do the most damage.Both Marla and the audience have almost forgotten about this single plot thread that remains open-ended and is what costs Marla everything. ThoughI Care a Lotisn’t as well remembered as some of Pike’s other thrillers, it’s still a worthy addition, thanks to her performance.
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Sorry to Bother You
Written and directed by Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You is a Comedy and Surrealist film released in 2018. Starring Danny Glover, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, and LaKeith Stanfield. The film follows a young man that gets a new job which he initially struggles with, only to begin excelling with practice. Once he finds out what the company is involved in, things get more complicated.
The underrated sci-fi thrillerSorry to Bother Youstars LaKeith Stanfield as Cash, a telemarketer who finds sudden successwhen he starts using his “white voice” on calls. However, this satirical premise that carefully deconstructs and critiques the issues of racism and prejudice in the U.S. is only the tip of the iceberg. It doesn’t take long for Cash to get swept up in the larger forces at work behind the scenes at his job, which have to be seen to be believed.
Sorry to Bother Youtakes its themes of anti-capitalism and its comments on the limitless nature of corporate greed to the next level with its plot twist.The company Cash works for doesn’t just want to suppress the union but has more sinister intentionsfor its workers that Cash quickly attempts to reveal to the public. Though it seems that Cash is winning the fight against them,Sorry to Bother Youends with a reminder that the fight is never over.
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Moon
Duncan Jones presents Moon, a sci-fi mystery drama that follows Astronaut Sam Bell, who has spent the last three years working at a lunar mine in isolation and is coming up at the end of his shift. However, as Sam prepares to return home to his family and meet his daughter for the first time, he begins to experience vivid hallucinations of a younger version of himself and begins to experience hazardous events. Before Lunar Industries arrives to relieve him of duty, he must uncover the reason for his recent psychosis and free himself of his mental prison.
The complexities of identity and time are explored inMoon, the sci-fi thriller that features Sam Rockwell as a man working in isolation on the moon in the future. Though there are a few other characters inMoon, Rockwell spends most of the story interacting with himself. This is quite literal, asMoongrapples with the ethics of cloning and identity, as the protagonist, Sam, must work with himselfto stop the cycle of servitude and violence he’s undergoing.
It’s thanks to Rockwell that the audience is intrigued by Sam’s plans to fool the corporation that sent him to the moon and ultimately outwits them.
Rockwell’s turn inMoonis a career-best,and the intricacies of the plot and unforgettable twist rely on his ability to deliver a compelling performance. It’s thanks to Rockwell that the audience is intrigued by Sam’s plans to fool the corporation that sent him to the moon and ultimately outwits them. Each part of the story inMoonlends itself to the lonely life that Sam leads and makes the audience long for the life on Earth he believes is waiting for him.
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10 Must-See Sci-Fi Movies That Don’t Rely On Impressive Special Effects
While big-budget sci-fi films often headline the box office, there are many that make the most with much less and have become must-watch movies.
Under the Silver Lake
Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, Under the Silver Lake is a mystery comedy-drama released in 2018. A thirty-something conspiracy theorist’s life experiences a shake-up when his new neighbor becomes a brief love interest, only to disappear, leaving behind a mystery that dives deeply into a dangerous conspiracy.
Though Andrew Garfield is well known for his starring role as Peter Park inThe Amazing Spider-Manmovies and his latest turn as the romantic lead inWe Live In Time, he’s also been in plenty of chillingthrillers.Under the Silver Lakeis a polarizing but mesmerizing addition to the genre, helmed by the director, David Robert Mitchell, whose experience in horror withIt Followshelped create the eerie atmosphere ofUnder the Silver Lake. Blending classic film noir and surrealist elements,Under the Silver Lakekeeps the audience off balance.
For cinephiles or Los Angeles residents,Under the Silver Lakeholds plenty of Easter eggs and references to the city’s storied history with the film industry. As Garfield’s character,Sam goes on an odyssey around LA looking for a young woman he crosses paths with,he’s sucked deeper into increasingly bizarre and uncanny situations. The final moments ofUnder the Silver Lakebring the mysterious story full circle, with Sam surprisingly resigned to his inability to help others and the inevitability of his circumstances. The truth behind what lies under the eponymous reservoir is the biggest twist of the narrative.
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