All it takes to ruin a perfectly good horror movie is a bad ending. You could spend most of the movie on the edge of your seat, hiding your eyes behind your hands in anticipation of the big scare at the end, but when the ending isn’t decided, it becomes all you think about.
While many filmmakers are capable enough to provide a satisfying conclusion at the end of their work, there are others who stumble. When we look back at the endings of horror movies, our focus remains on the endings that sting. What follows could be a masterpiece, but only if the ending is fixed.
1. High Tension (2003)
In this French slasher film, a young woman named Marie accompanies her friend Alex on a quiet vacation to her family’s secluded farmhouse. As expected, their idyllic trip takes a terrifying turn when a psychotic serial killer invades the premises.
The film’s shocking plot twist ending polarized viewers with its contradictions and implausibilities, and ultimately ruined the spine-chilling experience. I won’t go too deep into spoiler territory, but this is one of those “the murderer isn’t who you think” endings.
2. Sinister (2012)
Ethan Hawke plays Ellison Oswalt, a true crime writer who moves his family into a new home to find inspiration for his latest work. Unbeknownst to them, this house holds a dark secret. Ellison discovers a series of disturbing home videos documenting gruesome murders instigated by an evil entity known as “The Bugle.”
Evil It provides a scary and disturbing atmosphere, but the final act’s supernatural resolution is deflated by unnecessary jump scares, cheapening the hard-earned investment from the audience. This jump scare was probably mandated by the studio, which is a shame since the scene that preceded it was a really welcome and intelligent development.
3. The Call (2020)
In this Korean suspense thriller, a young woman, So-young, discovers an old phone that was connected to a woman named Young-sook in her past. As they develop an unexplained and dangerous relationship, Seo-young realizes that her own actions in the present could change Young-sook’s fate.
However, the film’s final revelation and treatment of the time travel elements have divided viewers, with some finding it difficult to reconcile the ending with the film’s initial tension and emotional depth. The fourth act is a bit too chaotic, leaving viewers with an unsatisfying ending to the protagonist they’ve been following for 112 minutes.
4. The Village (2004)
M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological horror revolves around a remote village in the 19th century. Village residents are afraid of mysterious creatures that live in the surrounding forest. As secrets are revealed, the film captivates audiences with its eerie atmosphere, suspenseful developments, and character drama.
Nevertheless, the final plot twist subverted expectations, left many underwhelmed, and veered into territory that felt out of place with the film’s previous atmosphere, resulting in mixed reviews. While I love the ending and think it really drives home the central message of the film, I can also understand why true horror fans would feel that it ruined all of the horror elements of the film. . The validity of the ending is also questionable.
5. Smile (2022)
After a chilling and mysterious encounter with a disturbed patient, a psychiatrist finds himself trapped in a nightmarish reality where an eerie presence follows his every step. Invisible ghosts infect living people and cause them to take their own lives in brutal ways.
The film’s ending is incredibly dark and heavy, with commentary on trauma. I thought this conclusion was original and surprising, but it didn’t match the tone of the rest of the movie. Some audiences think the rest of the movie was too silly and derivative to suddenly switch to a heavier message.
6. Knock at the Cabin (2022)
While on vacation in a secluded cabin in the woods, a young girl and her parents unexpectedly find themselves captured by four armed strangers. These mysterious intruders confront hapless families with a dire ultimatum to prevent an impending apocalypse.
Faced with fear, confusion, and isolation from the outside world, the family must grapple with their beliefs and beliefs in a race against time to avoid catastrophic consequences. The ending of the original story is very different from that of the film, with the former being much more moody and tragic. knock on the cabin It would have benefited from being closer to the source material.
7. Woman in Black (2012)
Daniel Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer tasked with solving the case of a deceased client in a creepy, remote village. Upon arriving, he encounters the vengeful spirit of a woman dressed in black, and eerie events unfold.
This atmospheric ghost story kept audiences on their toes, but while it tried to deliver an unforgettable revelation, the film’s ending left some viewers feeling more frustrated than frightened. The filmmakers had to lower his MPAA rating, which resulted in the tragic development being erased from the original British version.
8. I Am Legend (2007)
Will Smith plays Dr. Robert Neville, the last human on Earth after a virus turns humanity into ravenous mutants. Neville’s struggle to survive in a desolate and haunting landscape creates a fascinating post-apocalyptic story. That is, until the credits roll.
The theatrical ending of the film deviates significantly from the original, drawing criticism for diluting the emotional impact and detracting from the central theme of sacrifice.of i am legend There are two endings, and the ending, which is true to the book, allows Neville to leave his old life behind and continue the story, realizing at the end that he was a monster all along. Although it’s a little corny, it’s interesting to see how the mutants interact with Neville in the fourth act.
9. Mama (2013)
After the tragic deaths of their parents, two young girls are found living alone in the wilderness, seemingly cared for by a mysterious maternal figure they call “Mama.” As their new guardians try to give them a normal life, supernatural events disrupt their peaceful life.
While the film effectively establishes an eerie atmosphere, the resolution surrounding the character “Mama” elicits mixed reactions, with some finding it more perplexing than frightening. It’s also unfortunate that mom The film contains some wonderfully horrifying scenes that set a very specific tone that quickly fades the conclusion.
10. Antlers (2021)
In this horror film, a small-town teacher played by Keri Russell becomes concerned about one of her students, a young boy who harbors a dark secret about supernatural beings. antlers‘s tense atmosphere and creature design provide an effective scare factor, but its final act may leave some audiences dissatisfied, as the climax struggles to live up to the film’s expectations. I’m leaving it behind.
While there are flashes of genius here, director Scott Cooper’s ending feels more like a copy-and-paste from a similar film than an inspiration. Regardless of the conclusion, antlers It’s a fun watch thanks to practical monster effects.
11. It Chapter 2 (2019)
In the second part of the film adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic novel, the grown-up Losers Club returns to their hometown to face off against the evil clown Pennywise once and for all. While the film boasts impressive performances and visually impressive scares, the ending plummets off a cliff and is hilarious.
Even if you enjoy the rest of the movie, it’ll be hard to overlook the ridiculous, preposterous, and off-kilter ending. IT Chapter 2 It turns Hollywood’s most feared clown into a literal joke. It’s a “you have to see it to believe it” kind of ending.
12. Ghost Stories (2017)
This anthology horror film weaves together three chilling stories in which a skeptical professor investigates seemingly supernatural events. As the story unfolds, the film creates an eerie sense of intrigue. However, the final resolution leaves several questions unanswered, which may divide opinions among viewers and affect the overall impact of a well-written story.
When a movie chooses the “it was just a dream” ending, it feels like a cheap sleuth. Considering how much time protagonist Philip Goodman spends trying to solve suspicions of paranormal activity, we expected more from the ending of his story.
13. Last Broadcast (1998)
It is considered one of the oldest found footage films in horror cinema. blair witch project By 1 year, last broadcast The film follows a group of filmmakers as they investigate the legend of the Jersey Devil in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens. As you delve deeper into the mystery, the line between reality and fiction becomes increasingly blurred.
Although the film’s found footage approach was innovative for its time, the twist ending garnered mixed reactions, with some feeling that it detracted from the suspense built throughout the film. The perspective switch allowed the audience to undo the entire film.
14. Sunshine (2007)
In this sci-fi psychological thriller, a crew embarks on a mission to reignite the fading sun and save humanity from an impending ice age. The film has a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere as the crew faces numerous challenges and psychological strain.
The film’s change in genre in the third act and its ambiguous ending have sparked debate among viewers, with some finding it disorienting and detrimental to the overall narrative.
15. Purge (2013)
In the dystopian future of America, all crimes are legalized for one night in a government-sanctioned annual event called “The Purge.” The film, about a family trying to survive the night, raises thought-provoking questions about society and morality.
The film takes a shocking turn into home invasion horror, and the predictable ending makes it very unrealistic and less impactful. The odds against them are insurmountable, and the surreal nature of their survival alleviates the high-stakes atmosphere set at the beginning of the film.
