Few events in films are more satisfying to an invested audience than a well-executed film. plot twist. Unfortunately, many films, while great the first time around, can lose their appeal and become frustrating once viewers already know about the dramatic reveal. Knowing the twist in advance can completely erase any dramatic tension the film works tirelessly to build. Therefore, filmmakers have to work hard to ensure that their plot twists not only contribute significantly to the overall story, but that they are captivating enough to be enjoyed on a second viewing.
Happily, Many films have such exciting twists that they can be watched repeatedly without losing their impact. In fact, some twists manage to make the movies even more fun the second time around. This is usually the case when the final reveal has been carefully foreshadowed throughout the film. These meticulously planned moments encourage the audience to look for clues they might have missed the first time around, while also demonstrating that the writers knew what they were doing all along. When these films were written, the screenwriters knew audiences would come back hungry for more.
10
Verbal Kint is Keyser Söze
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Much of the 1995 crime drama The usual suspectsis told through flashbacks as Roger “Verbal” Kint discusses the complex series of events that led him and his associates to a large boat where a brutal massacre had recently occurred. Throughout the film, Kint is questioned by Agent Kujan, who is determined to discover the identity of the mysterious crime lord, Keyser Söze.
Eventually, Kint reveals Söze’s identity and Kujan allows him to leave. Only after Kint leaves does Kujan realize that he was lying the whole time, and Söze is actually Kint himself. Among the most iconic twists in cinema history, the revelation in The usual suspects it gets even better when you watch the film thinking you know what to expect.
The entire film is filled with subtle hints that Kint may not be quite what he says he is. In the room where Kint is being interrogated, viewers can identify several objects that clearly inspired various parts of Kint’s invented story. This is just one of many hidden clues that the public can discover, even after they already know the truth.
9
Oliver planned everything
Salt Burning (2023)
The 2023 dark comedy/thriller, Salt burnhighlights an eventful season experienced by Oliver, an Oxford student who accepts the offer to stay with his classmate, Felix, at his summer house. A series of disturbing interactions culminate in the summer’s violent end, with Felix and his sister, Venetia, being found dead at different times. Years later, when Felix’s mother reveals that the entire estate will be given to Oliver upon his death, Oliver reveals that he orchestrated the entire summer, including the deaths of Felix and Venetia, before killing her as well.
The clever moments of foreshadowing further enhance the quality of the film on a second viewing.
The twisted ending of Salt burn not only does it increase the audience’s ability to rewatch the film, but it almost makes it feel like you’re watching an entirely different film. The film takes on a whole new meaning once the truth is known, transforming from a story about a poor student who must spend the summer with an unusual family, to a story about a mentor who painstakingly tries to get into the heart of a family to steal. everything they own. The clever moments of foreshadowing further enhance the quality of the film on a second viewing.
8
There is no Tyler Durden
Fight Club (1999)
Life was uneventful for the anonymous Narrator of Fight Club before Tyler Durden showed up. After befriending Tyler, the Narrator begins to take on an entire personality, living a much more active and dangerous lifestyle. He quit his job and, with Tyler, formed an underground network of men who sought to relieve stress through violence. As things begin to spiral further out of control, with the risk of death becoming an increasingly important factor, the Narrator is finally forced to confront the shocking reality that Tyler is just another personality within himself. , not a different person.
Rewatching Fight Club reveals that David Fincher knew what he was doing when he made the film. There are numerous clues as to the fact that the Narrator invented Tyler in his head, with one major clue emerging while the Narrator is sitting in a hotel at the beginning of the film. If you look closely at the television in the scene, you can see that one of the people on the screen is “Tyler” himself, revealing that the Narrator based Tyler’s appearance on someone he saw on TV. Details like this make Fight Club even more exciting in a new exhibition.
7
She’s not the real Adelaide
Us (2019)
With Usthe follow-up To go outJordan Peele further proved that he is a powerhouse in the world of horror. Us follows a family of four who must fight to survive when they are attacked by their own mysterious doppelgängers, with similar attacks happening across the country. The family slowly manages to eliminate their duos (known as the “Tethered”) one at a time, culminating in a final confrontation between Adelaidethe family matriarch, and Red, her double. Only after Adelaide kills Red is it revealed that the two actually switched places when they were little.
Revealed just seconds before the end of the film, the final twist in the plot of Us forces the audience to reevaluate which character is the true protagonist. Viewers are left with the frightening realization that they may have unknowingly supported the villain all along. This revelation encourages audiences to watch the film again, keeping an eye out for any signs that “Adelaide” might not be who she says she is (and there are certainly clues). In fact, many unusual elements (like Adelaide’s reluctance to speak after the incident) make a lot more sense when watching the film a second time.
6
Martha is innocent
Knives Out (2019)
2019 film by Rian Johnson, Knives outturned the mystery genre on its head, seemingly revealing the killer almost immediately, before finally twisting things again. Early in the film, kind-hearted nurse Marta Cabrera inadvertently injects wealthy writer Harlan Thrombey with a lethal dose of morphine, causing him to slit his throat to prevent the blame from being placed on his beloved nurse. A gripping investigation ensues, culminating in the revelation that Marta was not actually guilty, as Harlan’s greedy grandson Ransom switched the medicine bottles, intentionally trying to kill Harlan.
Without knowing the end, Knives out appears to be the story of a kind woman trying to avoid the serious consequences of a simple mistake. However, once the viewer learns the twist, it becomes a gripping story of a nurse potentially implicated in a crime she didn’t commit, while the real killer threatens to go undetected. The revelation of Ransom’s true guilt feels even more satisfying when you know that Marta was never to blame.
5
Teddy is not who he thinks he is
Shutter Island (2010)
Some plot twists are so well done that they force viewers to question every second of the film up to that point. This is the case Shutter Islandthe 2010 psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese. On first viewing, the film is portrayed as the exciting story of a detective who tries to uncover the mysterious events unfolding in a psychiatric hospital located on an island. Once the twist is revealed, however, it becomes clear that the protagonist is just a patient involved in a grand ploy to help him deal with the tragic events of his past.
Shutter Island it becomes even more enjoyable on a second viewing because it is so packed with hints that the protagonist is not who he thinks he is. Audiences gain the ability to view the film through the lens of a group of people desperately trying to maintain an illusion, all for the purpose of helping a man come to terms with his guilt. All of the main character’s flashbacks and strange interactions with other people suddenly take on a whole new meaning when the twist is revealed, resetting the entire film for who knows the truth.
4
Norman Bates killed his mother
Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic, Psychopathfeatures an iconic plot twist that made the film a hit for generations. In the film, mysterious owner Norman Bates discovers that a shadowy figure has been committing murders at his motel, which leads him to cover them up while dealing with his sick mother. At the film’s conclusion, it is shockingly revealed that Norman’s personality is split between his own and that of his overbearing mother, whom he horrifically killed years earlier. Overcome with guilt, Norman mummified his body and committed murders while impersonating his personality.
Thanks to Anthony Perkins’ chilling performance, the revelation of the twist in Psychopath It gets better with each viewing. The sight of a deranged, knife-wielding Norman rushing to protect his mummified mother is frightening enough to maintain its impact even 60 years after its initial release. Every interaction in which Norman alludes to his “sick” mother becomes even more disturbing when the audience knows the truth. Likewise, Norman’s frightened reaction to the first murder reminds viewers how fractured his mind really is.
3
Anything to win “Village of the Year”
Hot Fuzz (2007)
The second film in the popular Edgar Wright series Cornetto Three Flavors trilogy, Hot fuzz easily delivers the most surprising ending of any of Wright’s action-heavy comedies. After reluctantly moving to the small town of Sandford, former London police officer Nicholas Angel begins to realize that a series of strange and tragic events in the sleepy town may be closely linked. After some cunning detective work, it is discovered that the local Neighborhood Watch Alliance (NWA) has been committing numerous murders and framing them as accidents, just so that Sandford can continue receiving the “Village of the Year” honor.
As is the case with all of Wright’s films, Hot fuzz is filled with lines that at first seem like casual jokes but turn out to be excellent uses of subtle foreshadowing. Virtually every line in the script ends up reappearing in some form later, with various characters dropping carefully placed hints about their involvement in the murders. These lines embody the satisfying mix of feeling perfectly natural the first time, but taking on an entirely different meaning once you know the truth. Hot fuzz presents the perfect rewatch twist based on its multi-layered dialogue.
2
The “body” is the killer
Serra (2004)
Many horror films feature surprise endings, but few manage to construct them as effectively as the film’s original episode. Mountain range franchise. A large portion Mountain rangeThe narrative of Jigsaw Killer takes place in a large, run-down bathroom, which was repurposed by the Jigsaw Killer for one of his deadly games. The room contains little else besides the two potential victims, a handful of clues, and an apparently dead corpse. Only at the end of the film does the body rise, revealing itself to be not only alive, but also the real Jigsaw Killer.
For example, there are several nods to how the killer likes to watch the devious games he creates, explaining why he would plant himself right in the middle of the room.
Mountain range is filled with clever foreshadowing that hints at the identity of the infamous serial killer. For example, there are several nods to how the killer likes to watch the devious games he creates, explaining why he would plant himself right in the middle of the room. There is also the subtle detail that the “body” has its limbs extended to form an “X”, providing an alternative explanation for the enigmatic “X marks the spot” clue. These details, among many others, make Mountain range a chilling game for viewers, who probably missed these tips the first time around.
1
Everyone is guilty
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
With more murder mysteries out there than one could count, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find ones with twists that get better and better each time you watch them. A film that achieves this feat is Murder on the Orient Expressthe 1974 Sidney Lumet film based on the Agatha Christie novel. After a long and in-depth investigation of a violent murder on a snowbound train, detective Hercule Poirot makes the disturbing discovery that no single suspect is the only killer; instead, all of the suspects worked together to commit the crime.
The unexpected revelation that all suspects were equally guilty comes as a huge surprise to viewers and encourages them to rewatch the film with this new knowledge in mind. Without knowing this twist, it is highly unlikely that audiences would have even considered the possibility of each suspect being guilty, as this is drastically different from the resolution of most mystery films. Attending Murder on the Orient Express it’s even more exciting when using the perspective of knowing that they are all guilty rather than assuming that most of them are innocent.