Finding asatisfying endingfor a movie is no easy feat. The amount of pressure on the filmmakers to do so is immense, as they know that the ending will likely be the part that sticks with the audience the most. Therefore, it is crucial to verify that the final moments before the credits roll will leave the viewers with a positive impression of the film.
Just as easily as a bad ending can ruin an otherwise great movie,a spectacular ending has the power to improve the overall quality of an otherwise underwhelming film.Even some of thegreatest directors of all timecan sometimes struggle with finding the right way to end a story. Likewise, some of thebest movies ever madeare remembered as such partially due to their endings. Even some not-so-great films still managed to work due to their final minutes.
The Mist
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Stephen King’s terrifying novel is brought to the screen with The Mist - a horror-thriller film directed by Frank Darabont. When a small town suddenly sees a giant rolling fog arrive, they show mere curiosity. But when people begin to die mysteriously within, several survivors hold up in a grocery store as they attempt to find a way out and survive - unfortunately, the dangers don’t just come from outside- they also come from within.
Even though Stephen King is widely accepted to be one of the greatest horror writers of all time, it is no secret that some of the endings to his stories leave a bit to be desired.Fortunately, this was not the case forThe Mist, the 2007 feature based on King’s 1980 novella of the same name. Directed by Frank Darabont (who also directed two other King adaptations;The Shawshank RedemptionandThe Green Mile),The Mistfollows a group of individuals who struggle to survive when their small town is overtaken by deadly creatures hiding in a mysterious mist.
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While much of the film is not particularly outstanding, the final moments ofThe Mistare sure to haunt the viewers for long after the credits roll.Feeling as though all hope is lost, the protagonist makes the heartbreaking decision to shoot the remaining survivors, including his own son, in what was meant to be an act of mercy.In a shocking twist, the military arrives to kill the monsters a mere few seconds later, proving the gruesome act to be entirely unnecessary. This chilling ending cements the film as a daring, effective work of horror.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines sees John Connor living off the grid ten years after averting Judgment Day. The film introduces the T-X, a new robotic assassin, which forces Connor to join forces once again with his former adversary, the Terminator, to combat the looming Skynet threat.
Fans oftheTerminatorseriesknew that it would be nearly impossible for the third installment in the franchise to live up to the high bar set byTerminator 2: Judgment Day.While the film did lack some of the filmmaking wizardry that James Cameron provided for the first two,Terminator 3: Rise of the Machineswas revived by its surprising ending, which effectively set it apart from the other films. In the film, John Connor must fight to survive (with the help of a T-850 Terminator) to help prevent the downfall of the entire world.
Needless to say,Terminator 3: Rise of the Machineshad a much bleaker ending than the previous installments in the franchise.
In a shocking turn of events, the heroes prove to be unable to save the day, as nuclear missiles are launched all over the world, presumably bringing the downfall of the human race.Needless to say,Terminator 3: Rise of the Machineshad a much bleaker ending than the previous installments in the franchise. While audiences were not thrilled to see the heroes fail, the ending did receive praise for its drastic change from the previous films, solidifyingTerminator 3as a valuable addition to the series.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, directed by Peter Jackson, continues the journey of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) alongside Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his company of dwarves. As they travel to reclaim Erebor from the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), they encounter new allies and dangers.
Unfortunately,theHobbittrilogy did not quite live up to the impossibly high standards set by theLord of the Ringstrilogy.However, that is not to say that the series did not have redeeming qualities of its own. While much ofThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaugmay have felt too slow and/or convoluted to many, this second installment in the trilogy received consistently high praise for its ending.
In a film titledThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the titular dragon appears for a disappointingly small amount of time.However, in the final act, when the fearsome creature dominates the screen, the film becomes breathtaking to behold. The interactions between the protagonist, Bilbo, and the imposing dragon, Smaug, are thoroughly captivating, both in terms of the visual effects and the dialogue. The reinvigorating energy created by these scenes continues to build up until the exciting cliffhanger ending, leaving viewers desperate to see what happens next.
Aftersun
Aftersun is a 2022 drama directed by Charlotte Wells. The film follows a young girl named Sophie who reflects on a vacation she took with her father, Calum, twenty years earlier. Through a series of memories, Sophie attempts to reconcile the loving father she knew with the unresolved aspects of their relationship. Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio star in this introspective exploration of memory and familial connection.
The 2022 A24 drama,Aftersun, is far from being a bad film, but what propels the film above and beyond is its ending.This semi-autobiographical film from writer-director Charlotte Wells chronicles a childhood vacation shared by eleven-year-old Sophie and her father, Calum, who had just recently separated from Sophie’s mother. In the present day, Sophie is an adult who watches videos from the vacation as she reflects on her relationship with her dad.
Defying viewers' expectations,Aftersunendswithout ever providing a concrete explanation about what happened to Calum in the years following the vacation.
The film drops many hints that he may have been struggling, both financially and mentally, but chooses to follow a more ambiguous ending.This open-ended conclusion sparked widespread conversation following the film’s release, with viewers having a wide range of opinions,both regarding what happened to Calum and on the realistic, tragic-yet-beautiful nature of never being able to find out.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange follows the journey of a brilliant yet arrogant surgeon, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, whose career is derailed. He finds redemption under the tutelage of a mystical sorcerer, learning to harness mystical powers to protect the world from dark forces. Released in 2016, the film expands Marvel’s cinematic universe into the realm of mysticism.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe made a bold decision with its 2016 feature,Doctor Strange, offering an origin story that wasn’t that different from what characters like Tony Stark had experienced in Phase 1.Despite its breathtaking visual effects, much of the film failed to fully impress its audience. That is, until the film’s ending, which cemented Dr. Stephen Strange as a unique, exciting new character for the franchise.
Most big-budget superhero movies culminate in a loud, explosive battle of good versus evil. WhileDoctor Strangestill did this to an extent, the film took a much more clever approach to the idea of the final face-off. In the climactic scene, Dr. Strange trapped himself and Dormammu, an evil entity from the Dark Dimension, in a time loop.No matter how many times Dormammu killed Strange, the newfound hero continued to reappear until the evil being finally conceded to Strange’s terms.This unique finale setDoctor Strangeapart from other MCU films.
Onward
Pixar’s Onward takes place in a land filled with mythical creatures. It concerns the story of brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt), who learn that their long-lost father had unlocked the ancient power of magic, something long rendered obsolete by technological advances. The brothers learn they have just 24 hours to resurrect their father and set off on a magical quest across the land to reunite their family.
The release of Pixar’s 2020 feature film,Onward, was strongly derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic.By the time it became available to stream on Disney+, audiences were ready for a heartwarming dose of what the studio does best. Unfortunately, most of the film felt rather unexciting. The story follows a pair of elf brothers who set off on a quest to find a magical item that will allow them to bring their deceased father back to life one day.
Even with its unusual premise,Onwardfelt rather formulaic to many.However, this belief was quickly changed by the film’s surprising conclusion. In the end, the protagonist, Ian, runs out of time and is unable to have a final interaction with his father. However, he comes to realize that his brother has acted as a father figure all along, and feels a new wave of gratitude for him. This unexpected, sad yet heartwarming turn of events breathed a new sense of life into the film, makingOnwarda worthwhile addition to Pixar’s acclaimed filmography.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the third film in the blockbuster series directed by Gore Verbinski. Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is trapped in Davy Jones' Locker, prompting Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) to rescue him. As they battle the East India Trading Company, led by Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander), they must unite the pirate lords to fight against an impending extinction of piracy.
While the topic certainly inspires some debate,the third installment was not the strongest entry in thePirates of the Caribbeanseries(at least at the time it was released).Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s Endfollows the familiar swashbuckling characters as they set off to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker, while simultaneously facing a strong threat from the East India Trading Company. Upon its release, the film was criticized for putting its convoluted plot above the pirate antics viewers had come to love.
The ending of the film serves as the climax of the original trilogy of pirate films as a whole, showcasing an action-packed, high-stakes battle at sea.
Fortunately, the exciting conclusion ofPirates of the Caribbean: At World’s Endgave the people more of what they were hungry for.The ending of the film serves as the climax of the original trilogy of pirate films as a whole, showcasing an action-packed, high-stakes battle at sea. This thrilling sequence, paired with Will Turner’s dramatic takeover as captain of theFlying Dutchman, gave audiences the satisfying ending they desired, one that was both refreshingly fun and emotional.
Buried
Buried is a thriller film starring Ryan Reynolds by director Rodrigo Cortes. The film follows Reynolds as Paul Conroy, an Iraq-based American trucker who is attacked by a group of Iraqi insurgents, only to wake up and find he is now buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter, a pen, and his cell phone, Paul must find a way to reach the outside world and stay alive long enough for the government to rescue him.
The 2010 Spanish thriller,Buried, may be a riveting experience throughout, but its dismal ending is what really allowed the film to stick with audiences.The unique film stars Ryan Reynolds as Paul, an American truck driver who finds himself in a bleak situation while working in Iraq. For the entire duration of the movie, Paul is buried alive, with a BlackBerry phone being his only way to communicate with the outside world as he attempts to negotiate his rescue.
Though the ending ofBuriedmay not have been what audiences were hoping for,it is impossible to deny the boldness of the choices made by the filmmakers.Just when it appears that Paul is going to be saved, it is revealed that the rescue team was led to the wrong location, leaving Paul to suffocate as his coffin fills with sand. The ending is shocking and bleak, effectively settingBuriedapart as a film unafraid to end on an unhappy note.
Big Fish
Big Fish is a Tim Burton film released in 2003, featuring Albert Finney as Edward Bloom, a storyteller whose fictive yarns puzzle his son, William, played by Billy Crudup. As his father ages, William delves into Edward’s past, unraveling truth from his father’s fantastical tales.
Tim Burton has established a strong reputation for himself in terms of his unique storytelling abilities, and his 2003 feature,Big Fish, is a celebration of the art of storytelling itself. The film follows a young man, Will, who reunites with his father, Edward, to listen to him tell his famous tall tales one last time before he passes away.Big Fishoffers a touching depiction of a son staying by his father’s side in his final moments but seems to lack the memorable punch that is featured in various other works by Burton.
That is, until the dazzling conclusion of the film.Once Edward passes away, a funeral is held for him.There, Will discovers that all the characters from his father’s “tall tales” truly were based on real people from the man’s life, all of whom have come from far and wide to pay their respects. The appearance of these characters, even though (or perhaps because) they don’t appear exactly the way Edward described, turnsBig Fishinto an inventive, satisfying tribute to storytelling, and a beautiful story of a father/son relationship.
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a biographical drama film that tells a dramatized rendition of the history of the now-defunct mobile phone manufacturer. The movie explores the fast-paced and cutthroat entrepreneurial atmosphere of Silicon Valley that BlackBerry had to trudge through to make it to the top. But all great empires eventually fall - a lesson BlackBerry learned the hard way.
At first, the idea of making a movie about the creation of BlackBerry cell phones in 2023 may seem somewhat strange, given that the product was completely obsolete by then.Much ofBlackBerryfeels like a straightforward recreation of the astronomic rise of the company in the late ’90s and early 2000s.However, as the conclusion draws near, the movie effectively manages to fully redefine itself.
BlackBerry Ending Explained
BlackBerry was about the rise & fall of the company that brought the phone to life. We break down the film’s ending & what happened to the characters.
Within the final few scenes,BlackBerrytransforms from a simple film about the birth of a company to a gripping commentary on how wealth and power can disappear just as quickly as they arrive. The decision to include the dramatic downfall ofBlackBerryadds a compelling dynamic to the film, setting it aside from other product-inspired motion pictures. The extended final shot of the original inventor agonizing over the poor quality of his company’s latest product leaves a lasting, surprisingly emotional image in the viewer’s mind.
