Take Another Guess
Not everything is as it seems when it comes to conclusions in movies, especially if it decides to leave things open-ended. While you might think you have a grasp on how each of these flicks chose to end their narratives, it’s still worth taking another gander at it from different angle. You’d be surprised at the implications you might discover just before things fade to black.
#5: “In Bruges†(2008)
Leaving a character’s fate unanswered is often a cheap storytelling tactic used for unearned discussion or sequel bait. And while “In Bruges†does employ the often-frustrating ambiguous death trope, it uses it to complex and thematic effect. Throughout the film, Colin Farrell’s Ray is suicidal after accidentally killing a child. During the climax, Ray is shot by his employer Harry and taken into an ambulance while narrating about his wish to stay alive. And while we never learn the outcome, the actual catharsis comes from Ray wishing for life. As Ken suggested, Ray has earned his redemption and atoned for his sins, and that’s good enough for us.
#4: “Total Recall†(1990)
The ambiguity of “Total Recall’s†ending has made it one of the most debated endings in science fiction cinema. The ending sees the reactor releasing air into the Martian atmosphere and turning the sky blue. Everything seems well and happy, but there’s a reason why Quaid thinks about the possibility of it being a dream. Earlier in the movie, a lab tech mentions a blue sky on Mars, and there are various other hints littered throughout pointing to the ending being a fabrication. So, did the ending actually happen, or was it all a programmed dream? There is certainly enough evidence to support the latter, even if many people believe it to be the former.Â
#3: “Fight Club†(1999)
“Fight Club†is arguably one of the most misunderstood movies of all time. Posters of Tyler Durden have littered many a college dorm, and Durden’s philosophies are often hailed as some sort of cure for the modern commercial age. Only, we’re not supposed to root for Durden. The ending in which the buildings explode is not meant to be cheered or viewed as some sort of moral victory against the powerful elite, but an ominous sign of misaimed frustration. We’re not supposed to cheer the explosions because they serve as a critique against the Narrator’s unhinged mental state. As the Narrator explains, this violence is a result of a “very strange time†in his life.Â
#2: “Inception†(2010)
“Inception,†like “In Bruges,†utilizes the otherwise-frustrating lack of closure for thematic importance. The ending sees Cobb returning home to his children and ignoring the totem. The camera lingers on the spinning top, leading many viewers to debate whether Cobb was dreaming or not. And even ignoring the famous wedding ring theory, the idea of Cobb being in a dream or reality is not the point. The point is that Cobb chooses his own reality by ignoring the totem. It doesn’t matter if the children are real or not; what matters is that Cobb has finally found peace and acceptance.
#1: “A Clockwork Orange†(1971)
The ending of “A Clockwork Orange†remains controversial and misunderstood to this day, perhaps because people don’t like the idea of inherent evil. The ending sees Alex shedding his tendencies towards violence and sex, being offered a job by the Minister, and declaring that he is cured, leading many viewers to assume that he will continue his law-abiding nature. However, this final declaration from Alex is laden with sarcasm. He is most certainly not cured and will revert back to his violent ways. While Alex eventually matures in the novel, this is not the case for the film, which seems to be suggesting that evil cannot be controlled.
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Anti-Climactic Movie Endings.
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