Top 20 Movies That Changed Genre Halfway In

#20: “Hot Fuzz” (2007)

The Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy was never meant to stick to one genre. The second installment, “Hot Fuzz,” is a worthy testament to that, as its loving spoof of action tropes ends up taking on multiple forms. Following a pair of mismatched cops investigating a series of murders in a peaceful community, the movie takes hysterical pleasure in sending up a variety of movies. Between its leads’ undeniable bromance to its over-the-top violence, it’s a clever exercise in director Edgar Wright’s trademark gift for visual humor. But “Hot Fuzz” exceeds its own expectations with an epic finale that embraces everything great about the genre. By the end, it proves itself just as action-packed as any of the movies it makes fun of.

#19: “Triangle of Sadness” (2022)

This Palme d’Or-winning satire begins as exactly that. “Triangle of Sadness” follows a supermodel couple who encounter a variety of larger-than-life guests aboard a luxury yacht, all while acting on their own superficial tendencies. It’s an outrageous black comedy on the high seas showcasing people at their most unbearable. Which makes it oddly fulfilling as the movie takes a hard pivot toward a deserted island after the ship is attacked by pirates. It’s here that “Triangle of Sadness” takes on elements of the survival genre, as the wealthiest survivors are left with few resources and little knowledge on how to fend for themselves. But by flipping the social pyramid completely on its head, the movie always maintains its insightful commentary on class and greed.

#18: “In the Bedroom” (2001)

Although its title may suggest something a bit spicier, “In the Bedroom” is actually an intimate, character-driven drama. The Oscar-nominated movie centers on Ruth and Matt Fowler as they learn of a romance between their son, Frank, and the recently divorced Natalie. It’s an effective look at emotional repression and the difficulties of communication, but one that gives us reason to believe the Fowlers will work things out. That is, until Frank is shockingly killed by Natalie’s ex-husband, Richard. After the latter is let off easy, the grief-laden movie veers into revenge territory, as Matt’s inability to cope leads him to take drastic actions of his own. The tonal change is swift and surprising, but nevertheless enhances the movie's complicated portrayal of relatable issues.

#17: “Miracle Mile” (1988)

Some of the best movies convince us we’ve seen their stories before, only to reveal that we’re seeing something entirely new. That’s precisely what happens as “Miracle Mile” sets us up for a charming, if somewhat by-the-numbers rom-com. But just as the meet-cute between Harry and Julie blossoms into the promise of a date, Harry is informed that the world is about to end. The revelation is nothing less than unexpected, and the movie quickly turns into an apocalyptic thriller that sees the two lovebirds trying to keep safe as things fall apart around them. While plenty of movies have treated the apocalypse with irreverence, “Miracle Mile” is the rare case of a movie that balances a serious situation with both cheeriness and dead-eyed severity.

#16: “Sorry to Bother You” (2018)

Easily one of the most original movies on this list, “Sorry to Bother You” puts the “absurd” in absurdist comedy. Starring LaKeith Stanfield as a telemarketer who discovers the secret to excelling in the corporate world, it’s an abrasive, yet prescient deconstruction of capitalism. But its true brilliance is how it delicately employs multiple genres to accomplish its goals. When Stanfield’s Cassius Green discovers his company’s plan to turn employees into human-horse hybrids, the movie’s bizarreness level shoots through the roof. The satire of the first half looks downright straightforward compared to the film’s transition into surreal sci-fi. But in taking the notion of “workhorses” literally, the movie’s skewering of labor exploitation demonstrates a hard-earned level of wisdom that most movies wish they could reach.

#15: “The Sound of Music” (1965)

“The Sound of Music” is one of the most well-rounded musicals out there, managing a diverse range of emotional beats across its three-hour runtime. As Maria teaches the von Trapp children about the joys of music and romances their widower father, Georg, the movie leaves us confident that the family is bound for a happy ending. And they are, but not before the movie’s feel-good vibe is hit with a heavy dose of reality. With Georg commissioned to join the Nazi Party during the annexation of Austria, lightheartedness is replaced with suspense as the dramedy takes on the form of an escape thriller. Incredibly, the movie remains thematically sound, refashioning its embrace of love and faith into a heroic stance for one’s beliefs and country.

#14: “Gone Girl” (2014)

David Fincher knows a thing or two about jaw-dropping plot twists, but “Gone Girl” goes above and beyond in flipping the script. When Amy Dunne mysteriously disappears on her anniversary, her husband Nick’s strange behavior immediately paints him as a suspect. But the movie throws us a major curveball just when we, along with Detective Boney, think we have all the evidence we need. Amy is actually alive and well, having planted evidence to frame Nick on account of his infidelity. Not only that, but the diary entries used to narrate the investigation are fake, too. In mere minutes, a straightforward murder mystery gives way to a psychological thriller of the highest order, with the roles of victim and culprit completely switched around.

#13: “Life is Beautiful” (1997)

As with “The Sound of Music,” “Life is Beautiful” is another historical dramedy whose uplifting tone can’t overpower the inevitability of real-world events. The movie captures two very different chapters in the life of Guido Orefice, a Jewish man living in Fascist Italy. The first, following his relationship and marriage to his wife Dora, is a delightful romantic comedy. The second, however, is a harrowing drama that sees Guido attempting to protect his young son from the horrors of the Holocaust. His valiant effort to convince the boy that their persecution is part of an elaborate game ensures that the movie retains some of its initial optimism. But the weight of the movie’s events, not to mention its genre alteration, is still deeply felt nonetheless.

#12: “The Prestige” (2006)

This outing from director Christopher Nolan encompasses some of his most notable storytelling qualities, particularly his use of nonlinear narratives. Starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as rival magicians, the mystery that fuels their game of one-upmanship could’ve propelled “The Prestige” to powerful results on its own. But Nolan pulls off his own sleight of hand with the introduction of David Bowie’s Nikola Tesla. With the real-life scientist building a mysterious device to aid Jackman’s Robert Angier, the period thriller almost instantly morphs into a sci-fi piece. This switch pays dividends for the movie, broadening the scope of Nolan’s vision while also illuminating new threads to the increasingly absorbing story. Not to mention, it brings loads of clarity to the movie’s bombshell final twist.

#11: “10 Cloverfield Lane” (2016)

“10 Cloverfield Lane” is arguably even more frightening than its predecessor due to the human element. The first half of the movie serves as a mystery-thriller, as Michelle is abducted by a seemingly crazy man who is telling her stories of a possible alien invasion and poisoned air. Michelle naturally doesn’t believe it, and the flick follows her attempts to escape the bunker. The final act of the movie however, completely does away with the thriller aspect and goes straight into science fiction, with Michelle escaping the bunker and battling an alien. The enormous shift understandably put off some viewers who were enjoying the ambiguous abduction story, but others welcomed it having an actual “Cloverfield” connection.

#10: “Sinners” (2025)

Much like another movie on this list, this newfound classic doesn’t exactly set us up for the wild turn of its second half, which sees a group of lively vampires descend upon a 1930s juke joint. Rather, “Sinners” opens as a stirring crime drama about proprietors Smoke and Stack Moore. The two return home to the Mississippi Delta, where ghosts of their past and new horrors await in equal measure. Incorporating elements of the western and musical genres, its authentic portrayal of racial politics transcends time and space to offer thought-provoking lessons for modern audiences. Even its transition to vampire action enhances this commentary, with the bloodsuckers serving as symptoms of larger problems while also offering their victims a tempting offer to escape their troubles.

#9: “Parasite” (2019)

If there’s one thing this Best Picture winner can’t be accused of, it’s being predictable. In fact, the various genre shifts are part of the reason “Parasite” is able to raise serious concerns about wealth and inequality. Starting off as a dark comedy, the movie follows the exploits of the impoverished Kim family as they cleverly con their way into working for the well-to-do Parks. But, as their ruse becomes more difficult to uphold, so does the movie’s adherence to one tone. Throwing several unsettling developments into the family’s scheme, “Parasite” ingeniously maintains its edge under the lens of entirely different genres. Combining elements of drama and thriller, the movie completely reinvents itself by its final scene, and the results continue to speak for themselves.

#8: “Full Metal Jacket” (1987)

This Stanley Kubrick classic is an uncompromising meditation on war and the loss of innocence. But it doesn’t simply drop us into Vietnam as other movies have. Instead, it spends nearly half its runtime in basic training, where warfare of a different kind plays out. “Full Metal Jacket” begins as a haunting psychological drama in which a group of Marine recruits become soldiers, with their drill instructor driving one of them to the brink of madness. The tragic crescendo of this first act is so startling that it's easy to forget there’s still another hour to go. The second half may seem more conventional by comparison, but Kubrick’s unrivaled direction and the movie’s equally grim finale still make it a necessary component of appreciating it.

#7: “Jaws” (1975)

Kicking off with a horrific opening for the ages, “Jaws” immediately establishes itself as one of the most chilling creature features of its time. Armed with a voracious appetite and an epic musical cue, Steven Spielberg’s great white shark is an unstoppable force that renders Amity Island a helpless feeding ground. “Jaws” continues this thrill-seeking well into its second half, but rather than scare the audience, it instead gives them heroes to root for. The final hour of the movie is a rollicking, old-fashioned adventure in the vein of “Moby Dick.” Though not without its suspenseful moments, the nuanced writing and fantastic performances all culminate in one of the most cheer-worthy climaxes in movie history. A far cry from the terrifying note it began on.

#6: “The World’s End” (2013)

As we've said, the Cornetto trilogy has made genre switching an art form unto itself. But “The World’s End” may feature the most abrupt and shocking transition of all. The first 30 minutes of this movie chronicles the alcoholic and depressed Gary King as he reunites with his childhood friends for a night of drinking. It starts off as a cute comedy-drama about neglected friendships and trying to recapture teenage innocence. And then Gary accidentally knocks the head off an android, and the movie quickly switches into sci-fi mode. The rest of the story then follows the group as they try to blend-in and eventually escape from the alien-invaded town. If you weren’t prepared for sci-fi, you’d be in for one hell of a surprise.

#5: “Titanic” (1997)

We obviously saw it coming, but “Titanic’s” massive genre shift is still very shocking and painfully tragic. The first half of “Titanic” serves as a grandiose and high-budgeted period piece about class systems and romance. We follow star-struck lovers Jack and Rose as they fall in love aboard the doomed ship and fight the disapproval of Rose’s upper-class family. And then the ship hits the iceberg, and “Titanic” becomes a disaster movie, filled with scenes of people drowning, freezing to death, taking their own lives, and slamming into propellers. It forgoes the relationship drama to focus on the disaster, and though the end result is a spectacular cinematic experience, it’s also a jarring one.

#4: “Psycho” (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock certainly knows how to get into the minds of his audience. Exhibit A: his 1960 masterpiece “Psycho,” which begins with Marion Crane stealing $40,000 from her boss and fleeing town. What follows is a typical on-the-lamb crime drama, complete with scenes of Marion evading police officers and swapping vehicles. Hitchcock was known for his thrillers, like “Rear Window” and “North by Northwest,” so it’s understandable if viewers were expecting another crime-thriller. However, things take a massive turn when Marion is murdered at the Bates Motel, and the movie quickly swaps to a psychological horror/detective tale about alternate personalities and matricide. And viewers thought they knew where Hitchcock was going…

#3: “Sunshine” (2007)

The year is 2057, and the sun is dying. To save humanity, the crew of the Icarus II go on a mission to reignite the sun. It was set to be a mature and thoughtful disaster movie – think “Armageddon” but with more brains. And then Pinbacker showed up. In the final third of the film, the crew discovers the mutilated and deranged captain of the Icarus I, and he proceeds to go all Jason Voorhees, picking off the crew one-by-one and turning the once-thoughtful sci-fi disaster flick into a slasher movie. It caught a lot of people off guard, and many consider it to be a huge misstep in an otherwise solid film.

#2: “Audition” (1999)

Who knew that such a horrifying movie could begin so sweetly? “Audition” follows widower, Shigeharu Aoyama, as he’s encouraged to begin dating again. To find the perfect match, he holds mock auditions wherein women interview for the role of his wife. The movie seemingly begins as a lighthearted offbeat romantic comedy, with Shigeharu soon finding himself infatuated with a girl named Asami. However, Asami isn’t quite the cute, innocent love interest she’s made out to be. She’s a girl who keeps a disfigured man in a sack whom she feeds her own vomit, and then proceeds to torment Shigeharu with needles and piano wire. It’s a hugely influential horror film, but one that likely shocked many an unsuspecting viewer.

#1: “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996)

“From Dusk till Dawn” is probably the quintessential genre-shift movie. The story begins as your typical crime thriller road movie a la “Thelma & Louise,” with brothers Seth and Richie Gecko robbing liquor stores, killing hostages, and forcing a family to smuggle them into Mexico. However, once the duo take refuge in a remote strip club, the movie 180s as the patrons are revealed to be vampires. Richie is quickly killed off, the blood starts flowing, and the film enters ridiculous B-movie territory. While the movie’s genre switch is well-known today, there’s no describing how big of a twist this was for unassuming moviegoers back in 1996.

Is there a movie whose genre switch caught you off guard? Let us know down in the comments!