Summary An unnecessary plot twist can undermine the internal logic of a film, confusing and disappointing audiences.
Twists must be carefully earned and fit seamlessly into the narrative to be impactful and add depth.
Awkward twists that come out of nowhere or contradict established facts can betray the story and leave viewers scratching their heads.
This article contains spoilers for the movies discussed below.
A plot twist can turn a good movie into a great one, but there are also times when the twist seems completely unnecessary, adding little significance to the overall narrative. When used effectively, an unexpected twist can shock viewers, compelling them to reassess everything they have just watched with new eyes. However, twists simply for the sake of twists rarely land well. They undermine the internal logic and consistency that quality films are built upon. Audiences feel justifiably duped when late reveals contradict the story rather than enrich it. Some of the most egregious plot twists come in otherwise strong films, leaving fans scratching their heads.
These missteps occur across genres, from psychological thrillers to romantic comedies. While some movie twists are predictable, the best ones make sense in hindsight, fitting seamlessly while still catching audiences off-guard. They add depth and intrigue rather than just surprise for their own sake. Skilled filmmakers understand this balance, enhancing their narratives rather than detracting in exchange for hollow shock value. An unexpected turn can be the crowning jewel of an already great film, but twists must be earned to avoid falling flat. It’s important to carefully lay the groundwork so that the eventual twist clicks into place perfectly.
10 Planet Of The Apes (2001)
General Thade is the winner
Burton’s twist comes totally out of left field, with no precedent or foreshadowing to justify this radical shift.
The ending of Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes remake attempts a twist by revealing an ape-ruled alternate version of Earth, with General Thade memorialized on the Lincoln statue. Unlike the celebrated original, where Taylor returns to a distant future Earth evolved to ape dominance, Burton’s twist comes totally out of left field, with no precedent or foreshadowing to justify this radical shift. The pointless twist strays into random absurdity, confusing more than shocking. With no real explanation or narrative purpose, the ending of this movie feels like an afterthought used for cheap surprise value that falls completely flat.
Related Every Single Planet Of The Apes Movie (In Chronological Order) The Planet of the Apes timeline is a bit confusing, so we arranged them in their proper chronological order
9 My Name Is Bruce (2007)
A movie within a movie
The film was already providing commentary on itself without this narrative rug pull.
The film My Name Is Bruce cleverly plays with Bruce Campbell’s persona in a tongue-in-cheek story about a fictionalized Campbell saving a town from a monster. This self-aware comedy works well on its own merits. However, the ending reveals that these events were just a movie being filmed, creating an unnecessary twist. After spending the film critiquing Campbell’s brand and subverting genre tropes, the meta fake-out ending feels redundant. The film was already providing commentary on itself without this narrative rug pull. Undercutting the story in the final moments gains nothing and loses the movie’s grounded sense of fun.
8 The Unforgivable (2021)
Ruth isn’t the killer
Close
The Unforgivable Release Date November 24, 2021 Director Nora Fingscheidt Cast Jon Bernthal , Richard Thomas , Linda Emond , Vincent D’Onofrio , Emma Nelson , Sandra Bullock , Viola Davis , Thomas Guiry , Aisling Franciosi , Rob Morgan , Will Pullen Rating R
The bulk of The Unforgivable centers around the complex protagonist, Ruth, as she tries to rebuild her life after imprisonment for murder. Her struggles to reintegrate back into society, along with moral tensions, are the backbone of the story. However, the climactic reveal that her sister was the actual killer undercuts this entire premise. Rather than enhancing the story’s moral ambiguity, the tired twist contradicts established facts to invalidate the lead character’s arc and undo the film’s nuanced questions. With one clumsy reversal, the movie presses reset on its main conflict. All the difficult issues it compellingly grappled with are erased and betrayed just to surprise the audience.
7 Remember Me (2010)
Tyler’s Fate
The twist attempts to infuse depth rather than earning it through narrative.
For most of its duration, Remember Me serves as a romantic drama following two charming leads portrayed by Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin. However, in its final moments, the film takes a shocking turn by revealing Pattinson’s character dies in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. While clearly aiming for poignancy, this tragedy comes entirely out of left field, bearing no relation to what’s already been established. The twist attempts to infuse depth rather than earning it through narrative. This awkward and distracting movie scene comes off as disingenuous rather than impactful.
6 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012)
It was only a vision
Close
The Twilight saga finally delivers an exciting action spectacle in Breaking Dawn Part 2’s climactic battle scene, where major characters suffer brutal endings. This provides a cathartic and shocking climax to the series after four films of melodrama. However, it is immediately revealed this carnage was just a vision of a potential conflict, deeming the visually impressive sequence as irrelevant. After baiting the audience with long-awaited fantasy violence, the fake-out twist renders it all inconsequential in reality. Rather than complementing the story, this pointless reversal negates the one interesting moment fans were treated to.
Related Twilight Movies In Order: What Is The Second & Third Movie To Watch The titles of the Twilight movies can be confusing, so which is the second Twilight movie and what is the correct order to watch them?
5 Now You See Me (2013)
Agent Dylan Rhodes is the mastermind
In Now You See Me, Mark Ruffalo portrays FBI agent Dylan Rhodes, tasked with stopping a team of criminal magicians. Rhodes initially seems outmatched, unable to get a handle on the elusive Horsemen. However, in the twist revealed at the end of Now You See Me, he secretly masterminded their heists all along. This attempts to set up intrigue for potential sequels, but fails to hold up to scrutiny. The film gives no credible explanation for how Rhodes could secretly coordinate elaborate heists while convincingly maintaining his career and standing in the FBI. The contradiction created by this twist overwhelms suspension of disbelief beyond recovery.
4 Spectre (2015)
Blofeld was Bond’s brother all along
In the 2015 James Bond film Spectre, it is revealed that criminal mastermind Blofeld is secretly Bond’s long-lost brother. This twist awkwardly attempts to manufacture a personal connection between hero and villain where none was needed. The decision is made even more absurd by the fact that the Bond spoof Austin Powers did the exact same twist over a decade prior, implicitly mocking its pointlessness. To see Bond unironically pull this laughable reverse is disappointing. The meaningless connection adds nothing while undermining the film’s integrity. It is an eye-rolling twist for sheer shock value that should have been left on the cutting room floor.
3 The Village
The film takes place in modern-day
Close
M. Night Shyamalan is known for his plot twists, and The Village is no exception. This movie revolves around a secluded 19th century community living in fear of mythical beasts in the woods beyond their borders. The final plot twist is that the village actually exists in modern times. The film gives no reasonable explanation for how such an elaborate fictional habitat could be secretly constructed and inhabited right under the nose of contemporary America. This half-baked twist requests the acceptance of an unbelievable premise merely for surprise. Instead, it mainly inspires incredulity about the film’s far-fetched internal logic.
2 High Tension (2005)
Marie is the killer
High Tension Release Date June 10, 2005 Director Alexandre Aja Cast Philippe Nahon , Maïwenn , Oana Pellea , Cecile de France , Andrei Finti Rating R
High Tension works well within the slasher genre until the twist ending, revealing the killer is actually Marie herself. This attempts an unearned startling reveal that a small young woman transformed into a hulking brute, which in turn just simply feels implausible. No rationale is given for the extreme contradiction in physical appearance between Marie and her murderous alter ego. The film cares only about manufacturing surprise rather than ensuring the twist aligns logically with established events. It demands overlooking clear violations of continuity and common sense just to enable its nonsensical narrative contortion. With attempts at creating intrigue, it only generates narrative whiplash and confusion.
1 Fight Club (1999)
Tyler Durden and the narrator are the same person
Fight Club pioneered groundbreaking themes and visuals, but the twist that Tyler Durden does not actually exist lands poorly. The film establishes the Narrator and Tyler as separate, engaged in scenes together right up until exposing them as the same splintered psyche. However, it offers no reasonable explanation for their lengthy, detailed interactions defying this split identity. Expecting viewers to ignore clear narrative violations, the third act attempts a jarring, unearned subversion rather than a coherent set up. This betrayal of continuity attempts a contrarian surprise instead of staying true to its compelling descent into anarchic rebellion.