Top 10 Movie Endings That Left Us Speechless
#10: “Fight Club” (1999)
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Often considered one of David Fincher’s finest movies, “Fight Club” has a wicked final act with tons of great twists. Of course, there’s the iconic reveal that Tyler Durden is not real and simply a figment of the Narrator’s imagination. Then there’s the shocking development of the Narrator killing Tyler by doing something extreme to himself. And finally, there’s the brilliant closing shot of the Narrator and Marla watching the buildings explode while the Pixies play. It’s such an amazing series of events, and it helped “Fight Club” become the classic that it is today.
#9: “There Will Be Blood” (2007)
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The ending of Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece works on both a literal and metaphorical level. Taken on the surface, it’s a stunning bit of plot development, as Daniel Plainview snaps and kills Eli Sunday. But the ending is also fantastic through what it represents. It is rich in thematic detail, and like a piece of great literature, its meaning remains elusive and debatable. One could argue that it represents America at the turn of the 20th century. Capitalism, Daniel, finally emerges victorious and defeats religion, Eli. Viewers can debate what Daniel means when he says “I’m finished,” but whatever it illustrates, we know it’s not good.
#8: “Buried” (2010)
A great little film from Rodrigo Cortés, “Buried” stars Ryan Reynolds as Paul Conroy, a truck driver who is buried alive in Iraq. For 90 minutes, we watch Paul desperately try to stay alive and get himself rescued. And for a minute there, we actually think he’s going to succeed. But then the movie pulls the rug out from under us in the most disturbing manner possible. You see, the rescue team that we hear on the other end of the phone is actually at the wrong site, and Paul dies by suffocating in the sand. It’s a superb twist that allows us to experience Paul’s crushing disappointment. And when we say crushing disappointment, we mean that literally.
#7: “Uncut Gems” (2019)
Howard Ratner is a giant ball of stress throughout “Uncut Gems.” He’s going through a separation, he’s waiting to hear the results of a colonoscopy, Kevin Garnett has his valuable opal, and worst of all, he’s in enormous debt to his gangster brother-in-law, Arno. Just like “Buried,” the movie gives us false hope. Howard’s gamble actually pays off, and it briefly looks like everything is going to be okay. But then, in a matter of seconds, both he and Arno have been killed and his jewelry store has been raided. The fact that Howard actually won the gamble was astonishing enough. But then the movie took it one step further and left us speechless with the deaths.
#6: “Saw” (2004)
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The ending of “Saw” is just a roller coaster. Gordon’s escape from the filthy bathroom is legendary, and the movie left his fate curiously ambiguous. Furthermore, Adam is left to die in the dark with Zep’s corpse right next to him. But that’s nothing compared to the twist of Jigsaw rising from the floor and peeling off his makeup. This franchise would keep trying to top itself in the plot twist department, but there’s just no beating the original. Adam’s look of horrifying disbelief says it all. We enjoy the sequels, but “Saw” works perfectly well as a standalone movie with a mesmerizing ending.
#5: “Night of the Living Dead” (1968)
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Even by today’s standards, “Night of the Living Dead” is petrifying. Made for peanuts back in the late ‘60s, it truly was ahead of its time. Not only are the images startling and grotesque, but the ending is infamously dour. Every major character dies, with most perishing in the climactic attack on the house. We’re treated to an onslaught of unsettling visuals, like zombie Karen eating her own father and Barbra getting pulled away by Johnny. But that’s nothing compared to Ben’s demise. After surviving the night, Ben is mistaken for a zombie and killed. It’s a blindsiding and nihilistic ending that still leaves a strong impression after all these years.
#4: “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
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We love us a good superhero movie, but there’s no denying that there’s a formula to it all. The bad guys never win, and no matter how dire it may look for the heroes, they always come out on top. Well, “Infinity War” subverted that and said, “Nah, the bad guy can win for once.” Thanos snaps his fingers and kills half of all life in the universe. Not only is that a dismaying concept, but we are forced to watch beloved characters disintegrate and die, including Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and most of the Guardians of the Galaxy. We didn’t think Marvel had the guts to do it, but they certainly proved us all wrong.
#3: “Requiem for a Dream” (2000)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, “Requiem for a Dream” is a depressing viewing experience. It’s all about the debilitating nature of drug addiction, and we watch as various characters fall further and further into their bleak situations. There’s not a single happy ending here. Sara is admitted to a psychiatric ward and goes catatonic from the electroshock therapy. Marion becomes a demoralized sex worker. Harry and Tyrone are arrested, with Tyrone suffering abuse in prison and Harry losing his arm. It’s a relentless assault on our emotions, and it leaves us utterly devastated.
#2: “The Sixth Sense” (1999)
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For those who weren’t alive at the time, it’s hard to imagine the impactful power of “The Sixth Sense.” The movie’s twist is now iconic, and everybody knows it. Even those who have never seen the movie. Throughout the summer and fall of 1999, this twist was all anyone could talk about, and it helped launch this little movie that could to a staggering $670 million box office gross. The reveal is not only unpredictable, but it was terrifically smart as well. It caught everyone by surprise. Well, those who didn’t have the movie spoiled for them, at least. “Malcolm was dead the whole time” is an undeniable piece of movie history.
#1: “The Mist” (2007)
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There are gloomy endings, and then there’s “The Mist.” After running out of gas in the middle of nowhere, David shoots and kills everyone in an act of euthanasia - including his own son. Just a few moments later, the Army arrives and dissipates the mist. There are so many details here that are heartbreaking. Billy wakes up just in time to see his father pointing a gun. David is unable to take his own life, as the gun is out of bullets. And in his despair, David sees the woman who left the store earlier, now safe and sound with her children. It’s just gut punch after gut punch, and David’s screams of utter despair end the movie on a haunting note.
