Top 10 Psychological Horror Plot Twists of All Time
#10: Jacob Is Dying
Top 10 Reasons Jacob Black is the WORST
“Jacob’s Ladder” (1990) In this film, a grieving Vietnam War veteran experiences dissociative episodes as he attempts to unravel his past. Throughout the film, he experiences horrific visions that intensify when he starts to suspect a government conspiracy at play. In a shocking twist, it’s revealed that he never actually made it out of Vietnam, experiencing his final moments of death. Despite underperforming at the box office, the movie has gained a massive cult following. To this day, film buffs debate on what these bizarre events mean in relation to the twist. The movie’s themes of loss, reality and the unknown make it incredibly poignant.
#9: Old to Young
Top 20 MORE Horror Movie Plot Twists
“The Skeleton Key” (2005) This supernatural mystery unfolds in a New Orleans plantation house, with a hospice nurse named Caroline at its center. The story takes a dark turn when Caroline learns that her employer has been using hoodoo rituals to inhabit young bodies. In a stunning twist, the audience realizes that every step of Caroline’s journey was part of a larger plan, leading to her own body being taken over. This movie will leave you with your jaw on the floor after the first watch. However, its skilled filmmakers have added layers of mystery that make it a thrilling experience to revisit. Each subsequent viewing will reveal new and intriguing easter eggs that hint at the underlying plot.
#8: Tom’s Involvement
Top 20 Horror Movie Plot Twists
“The Invisible Man” (2020) Have you ever had an ex that was just not willing to let the relationship go? In this thrilling tale, a young woman named Cecilia is stalked by an invisible force shortly after leaving her now supposedly deceased boyfriend Adrian. But when she finally unmasks her invisible assailant, she’s in for a shock. It’s not Adrian, but his brother Tom. However, Cecilia is able to deduce that Tom too was being manipulated by Adrian, who had faked his death to orchestrate this scheme. In a world where #MeToo and toxic masculinity reign, this movie showcases the chilling lengths some men will go to maintain their control and power.
#7: The Cycle
Top 10 Plot Twists in Horror Movies
“Sinister” (2012) One of the scariest movies of the 2010s, this story follows true crime writer Ellison who finds a box of old home movies in his new house. However, when the tapes document the gruesome murders of families, he realizes there’s something more sinister at play. After some sleuthing, Ellison realizes the murders were committed by a possessed child of each family. But he plays into the demon’s hand, as moving away puts his family right in the vicious cycle, resulting in his daughter dispatching them. Beyond the cheesy jump scares, this film emphasizes the voyeuristic tendencies of true crime enthusiasts. As a result of his morbid fascination, Ellison ultimately falls victim to the monster he was trying to understand.
#6: They’re the Ghosts
Top 10 Most Shocking Plot Twists in the Saw Movies
“The Others” (2001) In 1945, a woman named Grace lives in an old house with her two photosensitive children and becomes convinced that the house is haunted. With a brilliant performance by Nicole Kidman, the audience witnesses an alienated housewife lose to her own paranoia. During a creepy seance, Grace discovers she’d smothered her children to death before taking her own life and that they were the ones haunting the house this whole time, rather than the living new tenants. This film subverts the standard ghost story trope by presenting the ghost’s point of view. Despite being set in post-World War II England, the ingenious plot makes this film feel incredibly modern and unforgettable.
#5: Help Was Minutes Away
Top 20 Greatest Movie Thriller Twists of All Time
“The Mist” (2007) Adapted from the Stephen King novella of the same name, this film is about a freaky mist that unleashes otherworldly creatures in a small New England town. The biggest question posed to the audience is whether this is happening elsewhere. However, the biggest shock comes when our protagonist mercy kills the other survivors, including his son, thinking he’s out of options. Out of bullets, David faces the mist to accept his fate, only to discover help was just minutes away. This twist is brutal, raw, and a powerful reminder of the lengths individuals will go to when faced with seemingly hopeless circumstances.
#4: Malcolm’s Been Dead the Whole Time
Everything We Know About Mr. Malcolm's List So Far
“The Sixth Sense” (1999) This movie has become synonymous with the term “plot twist,” and it’s not hard to see why. In M. Night Shyamalan’s classic thriller, a shrewd psychologist named Malcolm seeks to help the troubled Cole who believes he sees dead people. After Malcolm comes to terms with the boy’s supernatural ability, he encourages him to help the spirits move on to the afterlife. Then, the rug is pulled out from under him - he realizes he’s one of the ghosts, having not actually survived a shooting at the beginning of the movie. This is a gut-punching revelation that asks the audience to question their own unfinished business.
#3: Body Takeover
Top 20 Body Horror Movies
“Get Out” (2017) This story follows a young black man named Chris as he visits his white girlfriend Rose’s parents for the weekend, but what seems like an innocent getaway quickly takes a dark and sinister turn. This film is filled with twists that will leave you breathless, but the real heart-stopper comes just before the climax when Chris learns the family has been importing white minds into black bodies. Not only that, but Rose lured him to the house so the same could be done to him. The twist not only highlights the commodification of people of color, but it also delivers a horrific betrayal. Jordan Peele’s groundbreaking directorial debut gave audiences a renewed interest in elevated horror.
#2: Esther Is an Adult
“Orphan” (2009) When a couple adopts a nine-year-old named Esther, strange events unfold and people start dying. Esther’s mood swings, a strange affection for her adoptive father, and her overall demeanor all have her new mother on high alert. Just when you think you've got this movie figured out, the climax delivers a mind-blowing twist that’s so absurd, you'll have to remind yourself to close your jaw. Esther, the seemingly sweet little girl, is actually a thirty-three-year-old serial killer with a hormonal disorder that makes her appear young. With a shocking twist, “Orphan” cements itself in horror movie history as one of the most unpredictable films of all time.
#1: Norman Is Mrs. Bates
“Psycho” (1960) This Hitchcock classic follows secretary Marion who embezzles money and flees town before checking into a remote motel. Under the management of the seemingly harmless Norman, the Bates Motel becomes Marion’s last stop as she’s apparently killed by Norman’s mother. Aside from the leading lady meeting her fate nearly halfway through, audiences were stunned to discover that Norman had assumed his dead mother’s identity. This film broke the mold for moviegoers, as they’d never seen a film so daring and unpredictable. From “Halloween” to “Scream,” this film inspired an entire slasher genre that persists to this day.
