A trip to the movies is almost always a good time. Unfortunately, though, there are some times when a movie just isn’t very good, and watching it seems like a waste. And then there are times when a movie isn’t necessarily good but watching it makes for a good time or maybe there’s just one particular moment that saves it.
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Over the past 100 years or so that Hollywood has been making movies, there are a few out there that get saved by a good ending or shocking twist. Here’s a look at some movies that weren’t loved but still have a conclusion that needs to be seen.
4Now You See Me
Now You See Me is a film from 2013 starring Jesse Eisenberg andMark Ruffalo.The film follows four successful magicians who complete elaborate bank robberies using their sleight of hands and tricks learned through magic. After performing a seemingly impossible trick where the magicians “teleported” money from a Paris bank to Las Vegas, they are investigated by an FBI agent named Dylan Rhodes.
What follows is a story of magicians masterfully eluding Rhodes as they attempt to steal money in a variety of heists and fake outs. Towards the end, Rhodes apprehends a former magician named Thaddeus believed to be an accomplice. Here Thaddeus breaks down the very convoluted events that have transpired and deduces that Rhodes is actually in on it with the magicians.
The ending reveals how Rhodes framed Thaddeus for ruining his father’s career was testing the magicians as a way to see if they can join his secret group called The Eye. The movie was met with mixed reactions and most viewers agree that the story leaves a lot unanswered. The ending is indeed memorable simply for the fact that it doesn’t make much sense at all.
3Secret Window
Secret Window is another film from 2004 that isn’t exactly memorable but has an ending worthy of a few gasps.Starring Johnny Deppas mystery writer Mort, the story follows him as he suffers from writer’s block in a remote cabin while in the process of divorcing his wife. While working, he is visited by a strange man named Shooter. Shooter claims that Mort has plagiarized his short story. Upon reading it, Mort discovers that his story is indeed identical to Shooter’s apart from the ending. Mort tries to explain that his story was published years ago so it couldn’t possibly be plagiarized but Shooter refuses to listen.
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This results in a multiple-day game of cat and mouse where Mort fears Shooter might harm him if he doesn’t provide proof that he didn’t steal his story. Towards the end, it is revealed that Shooter is actually Mort himself and he suffers from a dissociative identity disorder.
When his wife comes to visit, it’s revealed that Mort has been going insane and the name Shooter stems from his desire to “shoot her.” Mort murders her and her lover which causes his writer’s block to fade and he finishes his story. Secret Window was criticized for its shallow storytelling and mediocre dialogue, however, itsending certainly is a conversation starter.
2Orphan
Orphan is a2009 horror filmstarring Vera Farminga and Peter Sarsgaard. They play married couple Kate and John who have recently suffered the loss of their third child. Stricken with grief, the couple decides to adopt a 9-year-old Russian girl from a local orphanage. The girl’s name is Esther and is met with mixed reactions from their two other children.
As the story goes on Kate and John realize that Esther is acting strange. Esther then starts showing aggressive behavior like killing birds and hurting kids at school. A sister from the orphanage attempts to tell them that people seem to get hurt when around Esther, but she suffers a car crash due to Esther sabotaging her car. Esther then murders her with a hammer in order to keep her from talking. She then proceeds to discreetly make Kate and John’s life hell by turning them against one another.
Towards the climax, it’s revealed that Esther isn’t actually a little girl but a grown woman with a rare medical disease that makes her look young. It turns out she has murdered all the previous families that adopted her. She then murders John and attempts to kill the whole family. Esther meets her brutal end at a frozen lake right before trying to manipulate Kate one last time. Orphan was criticized for depicting orphans as possibly violent and manipulative but was praised for its shocking yet satisfying ending.
1The Village
M. Night Shyamalan was praised for his filmmakingin the 90s with films like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. Unfortunately, as his career went on his films received less love. One of these was the 2004 film The Village. It tells the story of a remote village in 19th century America that lives in fear of creatures residing in the woods surrounding the village. The people built a wall around the village and are very particular about keeping people from leaving.
When the daughter of the village chief named Ivy falls in love with a man named Lucius, their love is tested when another man stabs Lucius out of jealousy. In desperate need of medicine, Ivy must leave the village in search of supplies. This story is unique in that it actually has two twists towards the end. The first is when it is revealed that there never were creatures in the woods, and they were simply made up to keep people from leaving.
The big twist is at the very end when Ivy makes contact with someone outside the village, and it turns out to be a modern park ranger, revealing that the story actually takes place in the modern-day. The film was a financial success but was panned by most viewers and critics. The Village is a forgettable thriller that is saved by a ridiculous ending that just needs to be seen to be believed.
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