Top 10 Movie Twists That Ruined the Movie

Top 10 Movie Twists That Ruined the Movie

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Movie Twists That Ruined the Movie.

For this list, we’ll be looking at times when moviemakers threw an unexpected curveball in the story which made it unbearable to watch again. Since major plot points will be discussed, a spoiler warning is now in effect.

What unexpected plot twist soured your taste for a movie? Let us know in the comments.

#10: None of It Was Real

"Nothing to Hide" (2018)
This French film has an interesting take on a dinner party. Aside from the typical conversational fare, the group all surrender their smartphones to the middle of the table. Should any of them get a call, text, or message, the details would be shared with the entire group. This of course leads to a plethora of secrets being revealed and to a lesser extent, comments on smartphone culture and our unhealthy attachment to them. The story then falls flat as we learn the entire “game” with the phones has been nothing more than a “what if” story and the biggest part of this movie wasn’t real. Been there, done that. No thanks.

#9: Abducted by Aliens

"The Forgotten" (2004)
When “The Forgotten” opens, we find Julianne Moore’s character Telly mourning the loss of her son Sam. He died over a year ago and Telly is still dealing with the emotional aftermath. The movie tries to explore the concept of loss by having everyone in her life seemingly “forget” that Sam ever existed. It gives us a unique window into the bond a mother has with her son, but goes off the rails completely when people who try to tell her the “truth” get yanked into the sky. Aliens have used her motherly bond as an experiment on human beings. It’s a twist that devolves quickly and takes away from the real story of loss.

#8: It Was All a Dream

"Savages" (2012)
At the end of the movie “The Devil’s Advocate,” we find Keanu Reeves’ character Kevin losing his life in defiance of the devil. The audience quickly learns that his death wasn’t real, and most of the movie was in Kevin’s head. It’s a twist that surprised and delighted viewers. “Savages” tried to pull the same stunt when Ophelia wakes up after having dreamt about the death of her loved ones in a drug-cartel-related murder. Both movies use the “it was all a dream” trope, but unlike “The Devil’s Advocate,” this one falls flat. With so much action and intensity around Chon, Ben, and Ophelia, the dream just yanks any of the stakes of the film away, leaving viewers with a sour taste.

#7: Exploding Family

"Ready or Not" (2019)
Talk about killer in-laws. On her wedding day, Grace learns of a terrible curse that has plagued her fiance Alex’s family. A deadly bout of hide-and-seek follows as the Le Domas family tries to harm Grace before dawn believing if they fail, they will experience a terrible punishment. Audiences sat on the edge of their seats watching Grace dodge capture repeatedly. So it comes as a shocker when she finally does get caught, the sun rises and the family literally explodes. The shattering ending undermines the entire chase of Grace and leaves audiences wondering what exactly the point of everything was.

#6: Best Friend Was a Ghost

"Safe Haven" (2013)
Here’s yet another attempt to retell a story about escaping unhealthy relationships. In this version, the main character Erin has fled from her cruel husband and is now living in Southport, North Carolina under her new name, Katie. The typical movie tropes about romance, friendship in a new town, and the return of her husband are all present and accounted for. You can already see the ending of the movie coming, and just as it unfolds like you expect it to, she finds out her best friend is a… ghost? Of her boyfriend’s deceased wife? Really? It comes out of nowhere and serves no purpose other than shock value.

#5: Ben Dies After Kissing Rey

"Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" (2019)
With the launch of the new “Star Wars” trilogy, fans were introduced to Ben Solo, AKA Kylo Ren. Meant to serve as the primary adversary in the films, Kylo’s journey was one filled with conflict. As much as he wanted to be the next Darth Vader, his journey led him to finding redemption through the eyes of our new Jedi hero, Rey. Mirroring that of Luke Skywalker’s path with Vader, the writing was on the wall that Ben wasn’t going to make it at the end of the third film. But did they have to bump him off after saving Rey’s life? We waited three films for them to come together, only to see him die moments later. Just. Not. Fair.

#4: Wash Dies

"Serenity" (2005)
For a show that only lasted one season, it’s pretty incredible to see how much love fans have given this show. After being canceled by Fox in 2002, fan support for the show eventually resulted in the filming of the 2005 movie, “Serenity,” which was meant to conclude the story. Fans were ecstatic to see their favorite “Browncoats” finally brought back for one more battle. Their elation quickly dropped as fan-favorite character Wash died near the end of the movie. Given that they had already lost Shepherd earlier, this seemed like an unnecessary plot twist that no one wanted.

#3: It's Set in Modern Times

"The Village" (2004)
When you see that M. Night Shyamalan is the director of a movie, it’s a foregone conclusion there’s going to be some major twist near the end. Everyone was floored by the ending of “Sixth Sense,” and both “Unbreakable” and “Signs” kept his twists going. In 2004’s “The Village,” we thought we were looking at a group of people living in the 1800s and were afraid to go beyond their borders. Yet when Ivy ventures out beyond the wall, we see a ranger driving and learn the entire 19th-century community exists in modern times within a protected forest reserve. It’s a clever twist, but undoes much of the setting of the film, and undermines the uniqueness of the world we’ve been presented.

#2: Abe Lincoln Memorial

"Planet of the Apes" (2001)
Sometimes plot twists allow the viewer to see the movie in a whole new context. Other times, it’s a trope used far too often and it turns audiences away. Then you have Tim Burton’s “Planet of the Apes.” Supposedly inspired by the original 1968 film, we again see a space-age astronaut being flung onto a planet ruled by apes. Unlike the original, however, the final scene of the movie doesn’t provide any revelations about where he was. Instead, we get an ape version of Abraham Lincoln and a whole lot of moviegoers scratching their heads as to why. It may be closer to the original Pierre Boulle book but that certainly doesn’t make it a good ending.

#1: The Mandarin Wasn't Real

"Iron Man 3" (2013)
Up until the latter half of “Iron Man 3,” audiences were petrified of a mystical Mandarin. He was responsible for several high-profile bombings and was honing in on the United States. The veil of mystery that surrounded him made him that more scary as the movie went on. Yet when Tony Stark finally discovers him, we learn The Mandarin isn’t real. He’s an actor named Trevor Slattery who’s been paid to portray him by Aldrich Killian. This fakeout severely disappointed Marvel fans as the real Mandarin from the comics was a legendary supervillain and archenemy of Iron Man. Thankfully, we were promised the real deal for “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”