Many of the films released in 2024 surprised audiences with their shocking endings. Considering the status of films like Psychopath, The Sixth Senseand Planet of the ApesIt's clear that a well-made film with a surprising twist at the end can create quite a legacy. The way the 2024 stories took these twists and the reception they received helped make them some of the best films of 2024.
Whether the film's twists were predictable or not, Some of 2024's films featured clever subversions of their stories that sent powerful messages to audiences. These twists in the film even justify a second viewing, so that audiences can see what they missed the first time. All in all, 2024 cinema held plenty of surprises, but five films in particular featured the most surprising endings of the year.
5
Smile 2
The monster traps Skye in a prolonged illusion
After seeing the final twist of the popular first film, audiences might have expected Smile 2 would attempt a similar feat with new protagonist Skye Riley. Although Smile 2Skye's ending gives false hope that she can defeat the Smile Entity, the way the monster tricks her and kills her in the climactic conclusion is much more shocking and moving.
The film reveals that everything Skye experienced for most of Smile 2 it was the monster's illusions. Skye appears at her concert, only for the Smile Entity to make her kill herself in front of the crowd, passing the curse on everyone watching. This ending not only features tricks within a trick, but the fact that Skye's death will cause countless other people to die from the curse, turning her into an apocalyptic forcemaking the conclusion especially horrifying.
4
Late at night with the devil
Jack made a demonic pact that killed his wife
Late at night with the devil is built around the premise of difficult talk show host Jack Delroy trying to boost ratings by interviewing a possessed young woman. After the demon Mr. Wriggles unleashes pandemonium on live TV, traps Jack in an illusion that reveals he has unknowingly made a deal with the Devil. Hoping to make his show more successful, Jack signed the contract, not knowing it meant sacrificing his wife, leading to her death from cancer.
Late at night with the devil shows Jack's desperation to succeed as a TV personality, but the film's twist shows how his greedy and rash actions can have dark consequences. This independent film makes this point clear when Wriggles tricks Jack into stabbing Lilly. It's a traditionally ironic twist of fate, as Jack's desire for fame leads him to become the one whose actions killed several people in front of the entire world.
3
The first omen
Margaret was sent to give birth to the Antichrist
The first omen first gave a clever twist by revealing that Satan had already given birth to several children before having Damien. However, the film shows that most of these children never survive to adulthood and that the Devil needs to mate with one of his daughters to give birth to the male Antichrist. The film introduces Carlita as the one who would become a mother, only to reveal near the end that Sister Margaret is also the daughter of Satan.
The First Omen's surprising ending makes the audience rethink everything they knew about Margaret and their preconceived notions about evil, after sympathizing with her and her situation.
Margaret realizes that her entire life, including her trip to Rome, was planned by religious radicals so that she would give birth to the Antichrist. This twist could be very similar to Rosemary's Babybut The first omen gives it a unique touch. By revealing that the film's protagonist is the daughter of the Devil, The first omen twist end makes the audience rethink everything they knew about Margaret and their preconceived notions about evil after sympathizing with her and her situation.
2
Long legs
Lee Harker's mother was Longlegs' accomplice
Throughout the hit horror film Long legsFBI agent Lee Harker hypothesized that the titular serial killer could not have orchestrated all of his satanic murder-suicides by himself. Lee is eventually proven right, but the truth comes as a huge shock. Near the end of Long legsLee discovers that Ruth, his own mother, was the one who helped Longlegs kill families for several years.
Such a well-executed twist transforms Long legs in a haunting and unforgettable story about repressed childhood traumas and the secrets parents keep from their children.
Not only that - it's revealed that Longlegs inadvertently gave Lee his psychic powers and that he had been operating in Ruth's basement the whole time, making him the Man Downstairs as well. Such a well-executed twist transforms Long legs in a haunting and unforgettable story about repressed childhood traumas and the secrets parents keep from their children.
1
Conclave
The film ends with an intersex man becoming pope
After a long and arduous election for a new pope, the religious thriller Conclave culminates with the conquest of the papacy by the Archbishop of Kabul, Vincent Cardinal Benitez. However, the film makes a surprise revelation after Thomas Cardinal Lawrence discovers that Benitez almost underwent a hysterectomy, suggesting that he is secretly transgender. However, the film turns this twist into another when Benitez reveals that he is actually an intersex person.
Unlike other 2024 twist endings, ConclaveThe plot twist comes completely out of nowhere, as there are almost no clues before it. However, the fact that the previous Pope knew the truth and in any case made BenÃtez a cardinal sends a surprisingly accepting but inspiring religious message. It also alters the traditionally patriarchal structure of the Catholic Church, which the film spends a lot of time analyzing, adding Conclavemessage about the progress of religion in the modern world.