10 films with a final scene that changes everything

There’s nothing like a good, well-executed twist in a movie. The best ones manage to completely change the way the audience understands the plot, characters or various other elements of the film. The film’s best plot twists not only shock its viewers, but also evoke an intense reaction that is sure to keep the film circulating in their minds long after the credits roll. Unsurprisingly, most of the big twists come near the end of the film, when the audience thinks they have the story completely figured out.

However, every now and then, filmmakers go a step further, waiting until the last scene of the film to reveal a big twist. Just when they think everything is resolved, the film pulls the rug out from under the audience, revealing one last piece of information that changes their entire perception of what they just watched. This is how some movie endings continue to be remembered several years later. Of The Shining to Startthe final scene might be when the magic really happens.

10

The Shining (1980)

A familiar face in the photo

Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 feature film, The Shiningis one of the most iconic horror films of all time. Based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, The Shining follows Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson), a struggling writer who agrees to take a job as winter caretaker of the remote Overlook Hotel, taking his wife and son along with him. The situation soon begins to spiral into madness, with supernatural occurrences and intense isolation causing Jack to become increasingly mad, culminating in a violent attack on his family.

When the crazed Jack finally succumbs to the frigid weather while lost in the hotel maze, the audience thinks they can finally breathe. The final scene, however, suggests that the story is far from over. At the end of the film, the camera zooms in on a photo, revealing that Jack, appearing to be the same age as in the film, was at a party at the hotel in 1921. This chilling image can be interpreted in several ways, including the possibility that the spirit of Jack has been reincarnated and is connected to the mysterious hotel forever.

9

Home (2010)

Is Cobb still in a dream?

Christopher Nolan is known for making films designed to boggle the mind, but his 2010 film, Startmay be the most complex of all. This gripping sci-fi film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, a special agent who uses advanced technology to enter his targets’ multifaceted dreams, tapping into their subconscious to extract valuable information from their minds. Throughout the film, Cobb embarks on a mind-bending, action-packed adventure, delving into multiple levels of the dream world, making it harder to distinguish what is actually real.

Throughout the film, Cobb uses a special spinning top as a totem, an item used to distinguish whether it is reality or a dream. If the top spins forever, he knows he is still dreaming. The film ends with Cobb returning home and spinning the top once more, before walking away and going to play with his children. The final scene shows the top continuing to spin, leaving the audience unsure whether the protagonist has truly found his way out of the dream or whether he is choosing to remain in it forever.

8

Planet of the Apes (1968)

It was Earth all along

1968 Franklin J. Schaffner film Planet of the ApesNot only is it one of the most notable science fiction classics of the era as a whole, but it also features one of the most renowned last-second twists in cinematic history. The film follows a small group of surviving astronauts from an interstellar mission who crash-land on a strange planet in the distant future. As the title suggests, the planet is dominated by a species of highly intelligent, human-like apes.

It’s not until the film’s final moments that two of the main characters stumble upon the remains of the Statue of Liberty while adventuring along the coast. The shocking reveal of the iconic statue indicates that the characters have been on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth the entire time, completely surprising both the characters and the audience. This last-second revelation forces the audience to reinterpret everything they just witnessed and gives them the grim realization that there is no home for the characters to return to.

7

Follow (2014)

Is the entity really dead?

The acclaimed 2014 horror film, He followspresents a refreshingly unique antagonist. Although never given a name, the film’s characters are tormented by a mysterious entity that tirelessly follows its target, taking on various forms while moving at only a walking pace. Despite the creature only being visible to the person it targets, college student Jay manages to convince his friends to help kill it once it starts looking for it. In a climactic scene, they manage to shoot the entity, which appears to bleed in a pool.

At this point, the audience finally feels a sense of security; that is, until the final two scenes of the film. The film ends with two of the main characters walking down the street of a quiet neighborhood. However, viewers will notice a mysterious figure behind them. It’s unclear if this is just a person enjoying a nice walk or if it’s the entity returning for another attempt to kill them. This last-second uncertainty greatly unsettles the audience, creating a feeling that is sure to stay with them long after the film ends.

6

The Graduate (1967)

Excitement becomes uncertainty

At its core, the widely acclaimed 1967 film, The graduateis about a young man just trying to figure things out. Having recently finished college, Benjamin (played by Dustin Hoffman) returns to his home in California, uncertain about his future. He quickly becomes involved in the lives of others, specifically Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) and her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross). Ultimately, however, he sets aside his relationship with Mrs. Robinson, disrupts Elaine’s wedding, and runs away toward new freedom with Elaine by his side.

The feeling that Benjamin has finally figured things out is short-lived, however. In the iconic final scene, audiences see Benjamin and Elaine’s expressions gradually fade from ecstatic happiness to grim uncertainty as they ponder the new futures they have just paved for themselves. This single scene redefines the film from the story of a man who finally chooses to pursue what he wants, to the story of a reckless individual who cannot think before he acts. With a single scene, the filmmakers force viewers to reconsider what the film’s true lesson actually is.

5

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Matthew became a duplicate

Through a single frightening take, the 1978 sci-fi horror film, Invasion of the Body Snatchersmanages to achieve one of the most chilling endings ever made in a film. In the film, the world is secretly in the process of being overtaken by an advanced race of aliens, capable of perfectly duplicating the humans they have conquered. Donald Sutherland plays Matthew Bennell, who appears to triumph near the end of the film by managing to burn down the facility where many of the alien creatures were being grown from pods.

In a shocking turn of events, the film ends with Matthew raising his arm and emitting a high-pitched scream, the frightening sound made only by the duplicates created by the otherworldly creatures. The audience learns that Matthew did not survive and that he was also surprised by the aliens. The credits begin to roll as the audience is left wondering if there is any hope for humanity or if all humans on Earth are also doomed to be dominated.

4

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

What did Sam see?

Winner of Best Film for Alejandro G. Iñárritu in 2014, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)is a fast-paced dramedy about a former superhero actor who tries to show his true abilities by directing and acting in his own Broadway play. Throughout the film, the audience sees various visuals related to the fictional superhero character previously played by the protagonist, Michael Keaton’s character Riggan. Riggan appears to interact with the character and demonstrates several superpowers of his own. The audience is led to assume that this all happens inside his head.

The final moment of Birdman forces the audience to question this idea. The ending shows Riggan appearing to jump out of a hospital window, before his daughter, Sam (played by Emma Stone), runs in. Sam looks out the open window, then looks up at the sky and smiles at what he sees. Viewers are left wondering if perhaps Riggan could actually fly (as he seemed to do at the beginning of the film), or if some other strange phenomenon made Sam smile. The way the scene is filmed, it’s impossible to know for sure what happened.

3

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The villain gets exactly what he wanted

The final moment of Avengers: Infinity War is one of the most discussed endings of any superhero film. The vast majority of the film feels quite similar to the other Avengers films that came before it; The titular heroes band together and fight in a heroic effort to save the world. In a shocking twist, however, the film doesn’t end with a victory for the beloved heroes. The villain, Thanos (played by Josh Brolin), destroys half of all life in the universe and watches the sunrise, as he said he would.

The final shot of Avengers: Infinity War it looks exactly like Thanos described his plan would end much earlier in the movie. The message of this stunning photo is clear; the villain won. With a single shot, Avengers: Infinity War was transformed from a typical superhero movie into something new, exciting and completely shocking for its audience.

2

La La Land (2016)

Mia and Sebastian go their separate ways

Damien Chazelle dazzled audiences with his acclaimed 2016 musical comedy-drama, La La Terra. For much of the film, it appears that La La Terra it will be a Hollywood love story for the ages. The film follows Mia, an aspiring actress played by Emma Stone, and Sebastian, a jazz pianist played by Ryan Gosling, as they begin an unlikely romance. In a final jump to the future, however, it is revealed that the two characters do not end up together, to the surprise of the audience.

The final scenes of La La Terraone from each character, shows Mia and Sebastian exchanging a friendly smile before turning and going their separate ways. They each achieved their Hollywood dreams, but at the expense of their relationship. With a single smile, La La Terra is transformed from a musical love story into a complex commentary on the cost of pursuing one’s dreams to the fullest.

1

A Serious Man (2009)

A drastic change of fortune

Larry Gopnik just can’t catch a break. Played by Michael Stuhlbarg Larry is the protagonist of the 2009 Coen brothers film A serious man. The Best Picture-nominated film follows Larry as he constantly faces one terrible misfortune after another. Things finally begin to change near the end of the film, with Larry finally experiencing some significant moments of great fortune after changing the way he handles his life and his faith.

The audience may think that Larry is now clean, but this quickly proves that is not the case. Just as the film is ending, Larry’s fortunes take another dark turn, culminating in a frightening final scene that reveals a violent tornado approaching his son’s school, looking certain to destroy everything (and everyone) in its path. The idea that Larry could still lose his son even after all the changes he’s made forces the audience to completely re-evaluate the film’s true message.