Top 20 Most Ambiguous Movie Endings of All Time
#20: “American Psycho” (2000)
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The wealthy Patrick Bateman seems charming on the surface. Behind the face mask, however, he’s committing violent, unspeakable deeds. At least that’s what we’re led to believe. The ending suggests Bateman may have imagined the mayhem. Bateman could be an unreliable narrator… or maybe his lawyer Harold Carnes is unreliable. Carnes claims he recently dined with one of Bateman’s supposed victims, Paul Allen. Since Carnes isn’t the best with names, he could be mistaken. But even if Bateman didn’t give Allen the ax, he still could’ve committed the other criminal acts the audience sees. Director Mary Harron personally doesn’t think it all took place in Bateman’s head. Either way, Bateman isn’t of sound mind. Oh, and don’t expect answers from the direct-to-video “American Psycho 2.”
#19: “Oldboy” (2003)
In this South Korean neo-noir mystery, a man named Oh Dae-su is kidnapped, imprisoned, and manipulated by a puppet master. Once released, Dae-su sets out to discover his captor’s motives. Along the way, he falls in love with a young woman named Mi-do. To Dae-su’s horror, he eventually learns Mi-do is his daughter and his captor utilized hypnosis to bring them together intimately. In the end, Dae-su is hypnotized again to erase this traumatizing ordeal from his memory. The final scene of this Park Chan-wook-directed flick, however, subtly suggests that some mental scars can’t be healed.
#18: “The Grey” (2011)
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Let’s set the stage for the conclusion of this Joe Carnahan-directed survival film. In one corner, we have the alpha wolf armed with a set of ferocious teeth. In the other, we have Liam Neeson armed with a knife and a fistful of glass. The two charge at one another for one hell of a showdown…and then we cut to black. If that’s not ambiguous enough, a fleeting post-credits scene reveals the wolf struggling to breathe as Neeson rests his head on it. Did Neeson survive? Even if the wolf won, will it survive? The answers will forever remain shaded in the grey.
#17: “Total Recall” (1990)
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As over-the-top and even goofy as this Schwarzenegger movie can be, it’s also one that stimulates the mind. Throughout the film, the audience is left guessing if Douglas Quaid is on an out-of-this-world adventure or if he’s just experiencing a false memory that Rekall implanted. It’s strongly implied that this is reality as a drop of sweat runs down Dr. Edgemar’s head. Quaid’s co-worker Harry also sends him a suspicious look when he tells him to stay away from Rekall. Then again, Quaid’s journey lines up with the memory implant he was promised. As Quaid embraces his dream girl against Mars’ blue sky, he’s still not 100% sure what’s real. Whether he’s on Mars or back at the Rekall center, Quaid appears content.
#16: “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)
The ending of Roman Polanski-directed psychological horror film is bound to chill anyone to the bone. It’s hard to say what’s the most disturbing part: Rosemary’s realization of what the devil did to her, the fact that her satanic neighbors and husband were in on it, or that the new mother decides to nurture the antichrist regardless? What really gets under our skin, though, is that we never see what becomes of Rosemary’s hell spawn. Is the human race in for a thousand years of darkness? On second thought, we’re probably better off not knowing.
#15: “Ex Machina” (2014)
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Ava is one of sci-fi’s most enigmatic characters. Over the course of “Ex Machina,” Caleb contemplates whether or not he can trust this seductive AI. Caleb’s poor decisions result in Nathan’s demise, Kyoko’s destruction, and Ava’s escape. The robotic Ava is able to roam free as Caleb is left trapped and screaming behind a door. While it’s clear he was a pawn in Ava’s ruse, this ending still raises several unanswered questions. Does Caleb break out? What’s next for Ava? Will she live a normal life as a human or does she have something more devious planned? Did she ever care for Caleb or feel any guilt about abandoning him? We’re not even sure if Ava is more human or machine by the end.
#14: “In Bruges” (2008)
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Colin Farrell’s Ray arguably doesn’t deserve to live. He murders a priest, accidentally kills a little boy, and can generally be the rudest man. Yet, we really don’t want to see him die. Despite the thoughts he’s had about taking his own life, even Ray doesn’t want to die by the end of this black comedy - if only to seek redemption. As he’s mortally wounded, Ray vows to confess his sins to the boy’s parents and face the consequences. Whether Ray lives to redeem himself remains unknown. Wherever he ends up, though, at least it’ll be better than Bruges.
#13: “Prisoners” (2013)
In a pursuit to find his abducted daughter, Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover becomes a figurative prisoner to his paranoia in this Denis Villeneuve-helmed thriller. He then becomes a literal prisoner as the kidnapper traps him in a secret pit. Dover’s only hope is a whistle, which just barely catches the attention of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Detective Loki before the credits roll. We can only assume Loki discovers the pit and rescues Dover. Even then, however, Dover is likely going to face a rough trial for imprisoning and tormenting a mentally challenged man who was initially believed to be the kidnapper.
#12: “The Wrestler” (2008)
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Darren Aronofsky has never been one to spell things out to his audience. Even “The Wrestler,” which doesn’t have any of the surreal elements typically associated with Aronofsky’s work, builds to a thought-provoking ending. Despite his doctor’s warning not to get back in the ring, Randy “The Ram” Robinson decides that he’d rather die pursuing his passion than live in a world that he just can’t function in. Even as Cassidy begs him not to fight, Randy chooses his adoring fans. From the top rope, Randy takes what might be his last dive. Maybe he went out in a blaze of glory. Maybe Randy’s doctor was wrong and he survived the match. Cassidy doesn’t stick around to find out and we’ll never know either.
#11: “The Shining” (1980)
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A psychological horror flick that is based on the Stephen King novel, “The Shining”’s final image can be interpreted in many different ways. It reveals a photo taken in 1921 at a Fourth of July ball. Standing front and center is protagonist Jack Torrance, grinning among the crowd of partygoers. Does it symbolize Jack dying and joining the Overlook Hotel’s ghost club? Is Jack a reincarnation of all the previous hotel caretakers trapped in a never-ending cycle? Or is Stanley Kubrick simply trying to mess with our heads? It’s an ending and a film we’ll be analyzing until the end of time.
#10: “Enemy” (2013)
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Though both of the main characters of this surrealist mystery film are played by Jake Gyllenhaal, “Enemy” doesn’t spell out whether Adam and Anthony are supposed to be doppelgangers or if they’re the same person. Once the neo-noir psychological thriller is over, however, the real question you’ll be asking is, “where the hell did that tremendous tarantula come from?!” Alluding to an earlier scene, the spider is often thought to be symbolic of women and Adam and/or Anthony is afraid of getting caught in their web. In other words, it’s his subconscious’ way of confronting commitment. Either that, or it’s some kind of monster spider invasion.
#9: “Birdman” (2014)
The ending of this black comedy-drama keeps the fate of Michael Keaton’s Riggan Thomson masked in mystery when he climbs out a window and his daughter gazes up at him in awe. Some believe that Riggan is dead, while others say he’s become totally detached from reality. The most widely accepted theory, though, is that Riggan has lifted Birdman off his shoulders by creating super-realism. Thus, he can finally take flight as a better father, a better man, and a serious actor. Since this is one superhero movie that won’t likely spawn a franchise, we’ll never know for sure.
#8: “The Graduate” (1967)
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Like Tom from “500 Days of Summer,” you might have had a total misreading of the movie “The Graduate.” Tom and others interpret the film as having a happy ending where rebellious love conquers all. Had director Mike Nichols yelled, “cut,” a minute earlier, that might have been the case. But that minute made all the difference. Elaine flees from her wedding and hops aboard a bus with Benjamin. Although the two are enthralled at first, the repercussions of what they’ve done suddenly hit them. Neither is able to address the elephant on the bus, sitting in uncomfortable, uncertain silence. Was this true love or were two young kids caught up in the moment? Given their lack of communication, it’s likely the latter.
#7: “Donnie Darko” (2001)
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We could spend an entire video trying to dissect the ending of “Donnie Darko.” To keep things simple, though, let’s just focus on the finale’s ambiguous nature. To reverse the previous 28 days and save the world, Donnie makes the ultimate sacrifice. Although this means he never met Gretchen in this universe, his impact on her life is still felt. As she rides past his house following the jet engine accident, she waves to Donnie’s mom and she waves back. A neighbor boy also waves. Gretchen and Rose seemingly experience déjà vu, leaving us to wonder if either will ever remember each other or the events from the other universe. Well, maybe the “S. Darko” sequel will provide further closure. Err, on second thought, forget it.
#6: “No Country for Old Men” (2007)
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To clarify, we’re not talking about the very last scene where Sheriff Bell recounts his dreams to his wife, although that is open to some analysis. We’re keying in on the final scene involving Anton Chigurh and Carla Jean Moss. As he did earlier with a gas station owner, Chigurh is ready to leave Carla Jean’s fate up to a coin toss. But Llewelyn’s widow isn’t willing to comply. She tells Chigurh that he’ll have to choose, denying his chance to pin a needless act of violence on the coin. While we never see how things play out, Chigurh looks down at his boots as he exits the house, possibly checking for blood. Although it’s left open to interpretation, we doubt Chigurh suddenly turned merciful.
#5: “K-PAX” (2001)
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From beginning to end, this sci-fi mystery flick keeps the audience, and a psychiatrist played by Jeff Bridges, guessing about whether or not Prot is an alien or just unstable. We’re given reason to believe Prot is indeed an extraterrestrial. We’re also led to believe he’s really Robert Porter, a man unable to cope with the loss of his family. Either way, Prot’s spirit is destined to ascend from his body on July 27th. Although we don’t get a conclusive diagnosis, the moral of “K-PAX” is evident: make the most of your time on earth.
#4: “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)
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Some would describe Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” as a fantasy. Others describe the Spanish-Mexican film as a horror picture. The ending is a bit of both as Captain Vidal shoots his stepdaughter Ofelia and she awakens in a throne room. She’s reunited with her parents, hailed as a princess, and they all live happily ever after… or do they? Is the magical world all in Ofelia’s head? Is it representative of the afterlife? Is it possible that only those who truly believe can see magic? This is one bedtime story that will definitely have us up all night.
#3: “Inception” (2010)
So, did the top fall over? It’s a question everyone was asking in 2010. More than a decade later, Christopher Nolan still won’t give us a definitive answer. The top's behavior tells us whether Cobb is awake or dreaming. Since the top wobbles slightly, he could be awake. Then again, there is something very dreamlike about Cobb’s happy ending. While there are numerous theories supporting both arguments, we might be asking the wrong question. Why doesn’t Cobb bother to see if the top falls over? Unlike the rest of the film, the answer is quite simple. Cobb no longer cares if he’s dreaming or awake. He’s reunited with his children and that’s all that matters. We still want to know if that darn thing fell, though!
#2: “Taxi Driver” (1976)
2010 gave us two movies starring Leonardo DiCaprio with ambiguous endings. We’re willing to wager, however, that Teddy Daniels chose to “die as a good man”. But we’re not so sure about Travis Bickle’s fate in another Scorsese picture, “Taxi Driver.” For such a twisted character, Travis gets a surprisingly happy ending. He takes out the bad guys, saves Iris, reconciles with Betsy, and is hailed as a hero. It all seems too good to be true… so is it? We know that Travis’ mind isn’t all there and the final shootout leaves him hanging onto life by a thread. Is his happy ending a fantasy? The answer might lie in whatever Travis sees in his rearview mirror—which is never made clear. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Mulholland Drive” (2001) David Lynch, Ambiguous? Get Out of Here! “Fight Club” (1999) So, Are We Considering the Comic Book Sequel to the Original Novel Canon? “The Birds” (1963) There Was More in the Screenplay, But Hitchcock Took a More Open-Ended Route
#1: “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
“2001” is all about evolution, from the dawn of humankind to the unknown future. In the opening sequence, hominids are inspired by a mysterious monolith to use a bone as the first tool. The monolith resurfaces in the grand finale, this time taking David Bowman to the next step in evolution. As the film closes out, we see Dave has become a giant fetus known as the Star Child. Draped in a heavenly glow, the child looks over the Earth. What exactly is the Star Child? What’s the monolith, for that matter? What does Dave’s transformation mean for the rest of humanity? Will any of our questions be answered in “2010: The Year We Make Contact?” You know, maybe some endings are better left ambiguous.
