All’s well that ends well, but what happens when the end isn’t so pleasant? From movies that end abruptly and those with heart-wrenching final scenes, to underwhelming endings to otherwise fantastic films, here are 19 movies that have been rendered unwatchable for me by their endings:
Nightcrawler (2014)
Lou Bloom, an unrelenting independent videographer, documents violent crimes and accidents and then sells them to a local television news station. In the end, Lou sets up his assistant to be murdered on camera, and while we were hoping for him to meet justice, he gets away with it.
Blue Valentine (2010)
I would expect that a movie about Valentines could only leave me all happy and mushy, but this one is a raw and emotional portrayal of a crumbling marriage, highlighting the painful reality of love falling apart. It’s so sad that I won’t revisit it anytime soon.
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
The movie is known for its interconnected narrative structure and explores themes of family, destiny, and the consequences of one’s actions. It has three acts, with three different stories. However, it attempts too much and comes out bad in trying to tie it all together at the end.
Hereditary (2018)
A family starts experiencing increasingly disturbing and supernatural events after the death of their secretive grandmother. This movie ends with souls switching bodies, a decapitated head, and headless corpses, and while it could have been so much more, it takes the easy way out by ending with a cliche trope. Underwhelming!
The Mist (2007)
This movie is based on a 1980 novella by Stephen King. That information is important because if the film had just ended the way the book ended, it might be missing from this list. But you either love or hate the movie’s ending, and while King loves it, it nonetheless feels unnecessary.
Mystic River (2003)
Childhood friends are brought back together by a tragic event. The movie has a dark atmosphere, and it’s all about secrets, guilt, and how the past can come back to haunt you. And while it was a great movie, it could have ended minutes before it actually did.
Se7en (1995)
David Fincher’s Se7en shows the search for a serial killer using the seven deadly sins as inspiration for his murders. The film is great, with a good story and great performances, but the ending is devastating, and the bad guy “wins” in the most horrific way possible.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
By the end of the movie, the main character dies offscreen. A drug criminal also kills his wife, while an old sheriff laments about being unable to do anything to stop all the evil. While I got the point or message, it was still anticlimactic.
American History X (1998)
It’s brutally honest about the ugliness of racism and the consequences of violence. There are some seriously tough-to-watch moments. But in all that, I cannot help but feel that the movie does not conclude appropriately. The ending is unexpected and not in a good way.
Oldboy (2003)
The ending is confusing, and people who’ve watched the movie either believe that the hypnotism worked or didn’t. However, the incestuous plot twist at the end and how much Oh Dae-su tries to preserve the relationship were most disturbing for me.
Schindler’s List (1993)
Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler‘s efforts to save Jewish people during the Holocaust, with a sobering ending. It’s not a bad movie, but the whole film is crafted especially to make the audience feel bad while being reminded of the horrors of the Holocaust.
Lucy (2014)
It is a bit disappointing that once Lucy reaches 100 percent of her brain capacity, the only reward is that she’s now everywhere. There’s no clear message, even though the ending tries to make it seem more than an action flick.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
This one is an anime set during World War II in Japan, and it follows the story of two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, who are left to fend for themselves in this war-torn landscape. The ending is not bad, but just so sad and miserable.
Don’t Look Now (1973)
Shocking ending. And an end I definitely didn’t see coming. And while I’ve heard that it gets more meaningful with subsequent viewing, I won’t see this again because I didn’t understand how John’s slaughter was necessary to the story.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Here’s another completely unnecessary ending. Once the twist was revealed, the movie could have ended then and there. However, we definitely did not need to see Michelle fighting an alien. Maybe it emphasizes the point, but I won’t be watching again.
I Am Legend (2007)
I Am Legend has two endings: the theatrical cut and the original, which was included with the DVDs. I prefer the theatrical cut with Neville finding a cure and becoming a hero. It’s underwhelming that he just leaves the city after seeing himself as the monster.
Sunshine (2007)
Films rarely start as a sci-fi thriller and then throw you into unforeseen horror. If it had finished the way it started, it would have been a good film—maybe not memorable, but still good. The choice to switch genres and do it so jarringly ruins the ending for me.
Mama (2013)
For a film that seemed like an original horror genre idea in its beginning, it disappointingly ends with horror film cliches that weren’t well executed. The film’s first half is significantly disconnected from the second, almost like two different people wrote them.
Grease (1978)
Where did that ending come from? Sandy and Danny flying away in a car? Even though it’s a classic, the end ruined it with a wild idea that doesn’t particularly follow the story. Also, why did Sandy have to change her personality to be with Danny? So many questions.
