1. We're tired, let's just do this thing before we waste anymore time or money.
2. Everyone will want it to end this way, so let's just do it.
3. Everyone will want it to end this way, so let's do the opposite.
4. Everyone will expect it to end this way, so let's throw them a curve ball.
5. We have lost all touch with real audiences and have no clue what people want anymore.
Most movies that struggle in this area fall into the romantic comedy or suspense genres. I have all but stopped watching rom-coms, so that one doesn't bother me much. But suspense is my first love! I crave a movie that builds tension and drops in seemingly random things only to have them all come together in one unexpected swoop at the end. Some of my favorites off the top of my head are The Others, Se7en, Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Shutter Island, The Prestige, The Usual Suspects, and Primal Fear. Each of these movies offer a shocking twist or at least a clever closed circuit that calls upon the most intricate details of the movie in order to deliver a truly great ending.
It's rare though. And more times than not Hollwood gets it wrong. Here are some movies that managed to be ruined in their final minutes. Oh and seeing as how I will be discussing ENDINGS, there will be spoilers ahead.
1. War of the Worlds
We stuck around through a terrifying alien attack and watched the way chaos turns humans into horrific animals. Tom Cruise was even bearable in this one, and yet suddenly when we should have been given no reason to hope, we find out that as long as you live in a brownstone in a high end area of a major metropolis, you'll probably survive. The ending is made worse by a voice over explaining the strangely optimistic "cure" in a matter of a few seconds.
2. The Number 23, Secret Window, Hide and Seek, and many many more...
It's a tired trick. Psycho did it first and best. And while other movies have pulled it off, many have not. The main character is living some delusion, maybe has a split personality or something and is the culprit/killer/bad guy. The problem with the above three I've listed is that you don't expect the ending to be bad because of the actors who are in the movies: Jim Carrey, Robert DeNiro, and Johnny Depp. But in truth, all three are in a long line of lacking and sorely disappointing movies that claim this "trick" ending.
3. The Village
It's true that M. Night Shyamalan has done some great things for movie making. I was his loyal fan until this one. And honestly, this particular movie did pull me in with all the right silences and colors and terrifying moments. But in the end, I felt ripped off. I don't find the paved road exciting, I just find it blah. Of course we all know that Shyamalan hasn't pulled off another decent twist ending since this attempt. It's too bad because when he was hot, he was on fire!
4. Zodiac
I should have known better. I should have done my research. How horrible to sit through such an intense and scary movie about a serial killer only to never have a resolution. The only thing that's worse is that it happened that way in real life.
5. Letters to Juliet
I don't even remember why I hate this movie other than the fact that this old lady kept brushing Amanda Seyfried's hair. Weird. I didn't bother refreshing myself on this movie, I'm just certain that I hated the ending.
5. We have lost all touch with real audiences and have no clue what people want anymore.
Most movies that struggle in this area fall into the romantic comedy or suspense genres. I have all but stopped watching rom-coms, so that one doesn't bother me much. But suspense is my first love! I crave a movie that builds tension and drops in seemingly random things only to have them all come together in one unexpected swoop at the end. Some of my favorites off the top of my head are The Others, Se7en, Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Shutter Island, The Prestige, The Usual Suspects, and Primal Fear. Each of these movies offer a shocking twist or at least a clever closed circuit that calls upon the most intricate details of the movie in order to deliver a truly great ending.
It's rare though. And more times than not Hollwood gets it wrong. Here are some movies that managed to be ruined in their final minutes. Oh and seeing as how I will be discussing ENDINGS, there will be spoilers ahead.
 |
| The aliens can't afford the rent on this side of town! |
We stuck around through a terrifying alien attack and watched the way chaos turns humans into horrific animals. Tom Cruise was even bearable in this one, and yet suddenly when we should have been given no reason to hope, we find out that as long as you live in a brownstone in a high end area of a major metropolis, you'll probably survive. The ending is made worse by a voice over explaining the strangely optimistic "cure" in a matter of a few seconds.
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| And then the slinky attacked him...yeah...let's end it like that! |
It's a tired trick. Psycho did it first and best. And while other movies have pulled it off, many have not. The main character is living some delusion, maybe has a split personality or something and is the culprit/killer/bad guy. The problem with the above three I've listed is that you don't expect the ending to be bad because of the actors who are in the movies: Jim Carrey, Robert DeNiro, and Johnny Depp. But in truth, all three are in a long line of lacking and sorely disappointing movies that claim this "trick" ending.
 |
| It goes downhill from here. |
It's true that M. Night Shyamalan has done some great things for movie making. I was his loyal fan until this one. And honestly, this particular movie did pull me in with all the right silences and colors and terrifying moments. But in the end, I felt ripped off. I don't find the paved road exciting, I just find it blah. Of course we all know that Shyamalan hasn't pulled off another decent twist ending since this attempt. It's too bad because when he was hot, he was on fire!
 |
| Can you just arrest him and call it a day? |
I should have known better. I should have done my research. How horrible to sit through such an intense and scary movie about a serial killer only to never have a resolution. The only thing that's worse is that it happened that way in real life.
 |
| Dear Amanda, even Jennifer's Body will be better than this movie. |
I don't even remember why I hate this movie other than the fact that this old lady kept brushing Amanda Seyfried's hair. Weird. I didn't bother refreshing myself on this movie, I'm just certain that I hated the ending.
What is your least favorite movie ending?
Russel Crowe's Robin Hood and Snow White and the Huntsman. All this epic stuff, then a thoroughly dissatisying conclusion. Boo! Oh, and Hancock.
ReplyDeleteYES! Hancock was like...what! I agree about the epic let downs.
DeleteThis was a completely horrible movie to begin with but the ending was seriously "WTF"...Dr. T and the Women (with Richard Gere) it was so bizzaro and then there was this graphic birth scene at the end! I remember watching it at the theater with my friend Wendy in college and we were both like "Whaaaaaaat??" "Did that really just happen?!?!?!"
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are some other supremely lazy endings to movies but I can't think about them right now.
Shutter Island was great! And even the ending to "The Crazies" was pretty disturbing--Matt and I were actually just talking about that movie the other night.
Dr. T and the Women was horrible...like all of it! So glad you liked Shutter Island, a lot of people give it crap, but I really did enjoy it.
DeleteI need to see The Crazies.
The rom com that pops into my head EVERY TIME is Hitch. I loved it. It was clever until it made Eva Mendes act like a lunatic and then still Will Smith had to "win her back". WTF. Come on. She was a beyotch and he could have done a lot better. But I do dig that dance scene at the end.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHA!
DeleteMonty Python and the Holy Grail. I know they think they were being clever but it is the worst ending ever.
ReplyDeleteBig confession on the blog today...I haven't seen it. Or maybe I saw it back in the day and don't remember it at all.
DeleteMonty python and the holy grail, is one of those movies that isn't really funny until after its over. It is more fun to quote than actually watch.
DeleteI am SOOOOO glad you hit The Village. I paid to see it in the theaters. I was furious when we left. I was swearing at the top of my lungs about that ending. Just typing about it right now makes my blood pressure take a hike. WTH M Night? Who were you thinking of when you did that to me? What person wants this to end that way? What is WRONG WITH YOU DUDE?!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't think about any more bad movies right now because I'm so pissed off about M. Night. haha Derp.
A lot of people love The Village, and I like a lot of the movie because of the potential, but in the end it just let me down!
Delete