More so than most other movie genres, thrillers are often judged based on their climaxes. A powerful ending can make or break a thriller. Since the genre is all about suspense and excitement, the ending is important as it offers a chance to pay off the tension of the entire movie. If a thriller’s ending misses the mark, the tension can dissipate without any kind of cathartic release.
Many of thebest thriller moviesof all time are only held in such high regard because they wrap things up so perfectly. Thrillers often use twist endings, and these can be especially risky. Other thrillers attempt to leave their audiences with one last action sequence to provide a counterpoint to the preceding tension. Whatever technique is chosen, a good thriller can leave a lasting impression. Unfortunately, there are just as many thrillers with underwhelming endings that leave audiences disappointed.
Many ofAlfred Hitchcock’s best moviesfeature great twist endings, andPsychois one of the best examples of this. Hitchcock’s reputation as a master of the thriller genre is well deserved, partly because he always knew precisely how to toy with his audience’s expectations. The ending ofPsychoreveals that Norman Bates is the real serial killer, rather than a sheepish man merely protecting his mother.
Psycho’s twist ending works so well because Hitchcock gives the audience enough information beforehand to make them think they know what’s going on.
Psycho’s twist ending works so well because Hitchcock gives the audience enough information beforehand to make them think they know what’s going on far better than the characters. In one moment, he reveals that this had all been a clever trick.The one divisive element ofPsycho’s ending is the didactic voice overwhich spells everything out right at the end. Hitchcock was against this heavy-handed piece of exposition, but the studio got their way in the end.
M. Night Shyamalan is famous for his twist endings, so much so that audiences have begun to anticipate them whenever he makes a new movie. Some of these twists rank among the most shocking and satisfying in history, like inThe Sixth Sense,for example. Unfortunately,Shyamalan has produced just as many twist endings that have baffled his audience, andThe Villageis one of them.
Some people that have foundThe Village’s climax inadvertently funny, because it completely undermines the audience’s suspension of disbelief.
The Villagelooks like a period piece for most of its runtime, but the climax reveals that the events of the movie take place in the modern day, and that the village is merely an isolated off-the-grid commune. This bizarre reveal comes out of nowhere. While it has its fans, there are also people that have foundThe Village’s climax inadvertently funny, because it completely undermines the audience’s suspension of disbelief.
Darren Aronofsky’sBlack Swanis a modern masterpiece, perfectly capturing an era of psychological thrillers with the benefit of a career-best performance from Natalie Portman. The climax delivers a thought-provoking and exciting ending as Nina finally achieves the perfection she so desperately aspires to on stage, but she is revealed to have stabbed herself, rather than Lily.
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These thrillers not only create atmospheric tension but also bend reality to make audiences question what’s the truth and what’s imagined.
Black Swan’s endingsums up the way that Aronofsky plays games with his audience. It’s often hard to tell what’s real and what’s merely being imagined inBlack Swan.Even at the end, there are some lingering mysteries about Nina’s story. Since Lily seems like a reflection of Nina’s dark side - a black swan corrupting her pristine innocence - it’s unclear how many of her actions can be taken at face value.
Shutter Islandis one of Martin Scorsese’s most divisive movies. Whether someone likes the movie or not will likely hinge on their feelings about the big twist ending. Scorsese sets up a thrilling mystery, but the execution of the third act doesn’t sit right with some people. After being brought onto the island to investigate the case of a missing patient, Teddy eventually discovers that he is also a patient, and that the entire investigation is an experimental role-play to indulge and thereby interrogate his delusions.
The moment that Ben Kingsley’s character wheels out a chalkboard to explain the whole thing is enough to break the immersion of the movie.
Shutter Island’s twist endinghas its supporters, but it would be far more popular if it had been handled more deftly.Some people can see the twist comingfrom a mile away, since Teddy is clearly psychologically troubled throughout the story. Others have taken issue with the exposition dump that spells everything out. The moment that Ben Kingsley’s character wheels out a chalkboard to explain the whole thing is enough to break the immersion of the movie. It seems like Scorsese’s way of reaching through the screen and holding the audience’s hand.
The Silence of the Lambsgains a lot of its momentum from the fascinating dynamic between young FBI analyst Clarice Starling and the cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter. While there’s always an element of danger to their interactions, as if Clarice is being lured deeper into some kind of nefarious trap, Hannibal is physically separated from her by prison bars. This makes the climax so thrilling, since Clarice finds herself trapped in Buffalo Bill’s house without anyone to protect her.
As Buffalo Bill flips the lights off to pursue his target, Jonathan Demme chooses some shots from his perspective.
Clarice’s investigation transforms from one of intellectual curiosity into one of potentially lethal danger in an instant.The execution of the scene helps highlight her sudden vulnerability. As Buffalo Bill flips the lights off to pursue his target, Jonathan Demme chooses some shots from his perspective. Looking down on a terrified Clarice, the audience is unable to help her, even when Bill’s arms seems to reach toward her from the camera.
The internal logic ofNow You See Mecan be a little difficult to pin down, with some fans questioning whether the magic of the Four Horsemen is real or just an illusion. The ending ultimately proves that internal logic is not the movie’s strong suit. With the reveal that FBI Agent Dylan Rhodes is actually the mastermind behind the Four Horsemen’s heists,Now You See Meloses all integrity.
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There are some ways thatNow You See Me’s twist could have worked, but it seems to come from absolutely nowhere. It also contradicts Agent Rhodes' actions throughout the movie, as well as the emotions he displays in private. If Rhodes had really been supporting the Four Horsemen, he shouldn’t have left their escape up to pure luck.Now You See Me 3will need to pair the franchise’s fun magic tricks with a more tightly-scripted story if it’s going to win over critics.
David Fincher’s best moviesshowcase his skills as a modern master of the thriller genre, and he has a particular talent for powerful movie endings.Zodiac, Fight ClubandGone Girlalso have shocking endings which leave the audience with a lot to think about.Se7encame before all of these, and the climax could still be Fincher’s most intense and deftly orchestrated one almost 30 years later.
Zodiac, Fight ClubandGone Girlalso have shocking endings which leave the audience with a lot to think about.
Se7enfollows two detectives as they hunt down a serial killer who poses his victims to evoke the Bible’s Seven Deadly Sins. Ultimately, they find John Doe with two sins left unaccounted for, but this all plays into his final gambit.Se7en’s climactic showdown benefits from some great performances all round.Fincher’s choice to shoot parts of the scene from a helicopter whirring above the action is an inspired one,as it mirrors the religious themes of the finale.
Usis more popular among critics than audiences, and this is best illustrated by the gulf between its two Rotten Tomatoes scores. The Tomatometer gives it a 91% score, but the Popcornmeter - which measures audience reactions - has it at just 61%.Get Outwas always going to be a tough act to follow, andUsdoesn’t help its case with a climax that feels like a let-down after some intriguing groundwork.
The ending ofUsraises more questions about the nature of the Tethered, and not all of these questions are the good kind.
The ending ofUsprovides answers to some of the movie’s strange mysteries, and it reveals that Adelaide also grew up as one of the Tethered before switching places with the human version of herself. This just raises more questions about the nature of the Tethered, and not all of these questions are the good kind.The exposition-heavy way thatUsreveals all this information is also a little underwhelming.
Orson Welles shows up around halfway throughThe Third Manand completely steals the show. As the dangerous con artist Harry Lime, Welles exudes a potent sense of unpredictability. He may not have directedThe Third Man, but his performance is one reason why it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his best movies.The Third Mancements its status as a classic thriller with a stunning chase scene through the sewers underneath Vienna.
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The framing, lighting and pacing of the sewer chase markThe Third Manas a film noir masterpiece.It’s an utterly breathless climax that feels like it could go either way. The frantic nature of the chase shows that people aren’t too far removed from animals, which is something Harry himself alludes to earlier. For all Harry’s brilliant games and diversions, he is forced to sprint through the darkness in a desperate attempt to stay alive.
I Am Legend’s ending is so notoriously disappointing that the upcomingI Am Legendsequelis choosing to ignore it completely. Fortunately, there’s an alternative ending that is more accurate to Richard Matheson’s 1964 novel which will be treated as canonical. The ending isn’t the only part ofI Am Legendwhich diverts from the source material, but it’s the most egregious change.
I Am Legend’s ending is so notoriously disappointing that the upcomingI Am Legendsequel is choosing to ignore it completely.
The theatrical ending ofI Am Legendmisses out on the interesting genre subversion in the climax of the book. Instead, it turns the entire story into a rather generic zombie horror movie, with the Darkseekers acting just like zombies in any other movie. The ending also fails to deliver the kind of emotional impact that the closing monologue seems to insist upon.The alternative ending isn’t universally popular, but it’s certainly more original.
