10 Divisive Movie Endings That Don’t Get Enough Credit

Though there are many people who complain about these movie endings, they concluded their stories in unconventional ways that actually worked. The best movie endings of all time are able to bring the story to a close while also leaving the audience with something to think about.

In some cases, movies take bold swings with their endings, playing against what audiences expected, or maybe even wanted, and deliver something entirely surprising. That doesn’t always result in the most positive responses from viewers. There are even some that claim a bad ending has ruined a good movie by taking such risks.

Sometimes, a movie’s late-minute twist will not sit well with the audience. In other cases, the bad guy winning in the end can leave things on an unsatisfying final note. These movies might have earned a divisive reputation for their endings, but a closer examination reveals why they are actually perfect for the stories they tell.

10

The Heartbreak Kid (2007)

Directed By Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly

The Heartbreak Kid is a rather forgettable comedy that serves as a remake of a far superior 1972 film. The movie follows Eddie, a man who meets the seemingly perfect woman and quickly marries her. While on his honeymoon in Mexico, Eddie has second thoughts about his new wife, especially when he meets Miranda, the woman of his dreams.

Eddie leaves his wife, but fails to get Miranda after she learns that he is married. The movie ends with Eddie and Miranda happening to run into each other years later and rediscovering their spark. After making plans for a date, it is revealed that Eddie is actually married to another woman.

Many complained that the ending chooses to end on a joke that completely undoes any growth of the main character. However, like the original, it is a story where the whole point is Eddie’s lack of growth. It’s about a man who fights relentlessly for the thing he thinks he wants, only to get it and realize he’s unsatisfied.

9

The Village (2004)

Directed By M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan is a filmmaker who has become known for his twist endings, but The Village was the movie that seemed to shift the perception of these endings. While The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable delivered clever and shocking endings, The Village’s twist was labeled as silly.

It follows a group of people living in a remote village with the surrounding woods inhabited by monsters. However, the ending reveals that the monsters aren’t real and are meant to discourage the younger citizens from exploring the outside world, which is actually in modern times and not the 18th century as it appeared.

The abrupt shift between the 18th-century setting to the 21st century is jarring, especially with an admittedly misguided cameo from Shyamalan. However, the idea of leaders using fear and lies to keep the population in check highlights the evil of human nature, regardless of the era.

8

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Directed By Emerald Fennell

Promising Young Woman has a very tricky tone as it deals with heavy subject matter, which was difficult for many fans to take. Cassie is a troubled young woman who makes it her mission to punish men who take advantage of vulnerable women, stemming from the assault of her late best friend.

Cassie ends up tracking down the man who assaulted her friend, only for him to murder Cassie. The movie ends with the murderer on his wedding day, discovering that Cassie left plans in the event of her death that lead the police to him, finally bringing him to justice.

It is a jarring mix of tones, with the brutal murder of Cassie followed by the comedic comeuppance. It is usually the death of Cassie that people take issue with, feeling it was a step too far for the story. However, an ending that is nothing but victory and justice would feel false given the subject matter.

7

The Birds (1963)

Directed By Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock is known for delivering some of the most intense thrillers of all time, and that includes some unforgettable movie endings. The Birds is one of his classic movies that, while beloved, leaves audiences on a questionable note that still doesn’t sit well with some people decades later.

The movie centers around a small coastal community where the birds suddenly become aggressive and start attacking humans. The final moments of The Birds see the heroes attempting to make their way to safety, emerging from their house and finding birds perched menacingly, watching them as they drive away.

While the image of the motionless birds spread out for as far as the eye can see is unsettling, many felt it left things unresolved. The truth is, the reason why the birds attacked was never going to be satisfying. The point is that nature is unpredictable, and the ending leaves the threat that it could happen again.

6

Watchmen (2009)

Directed By Zack Snyder

When a movie changes the ending of its source material, you can bet it is going to be controversial. That was certainly the case with Zack Snyder adapting Watchmen, one of the most acclaimed graphic novels of all time. Specifically, the movie removed the plot about an interdimensional beast being used as a common enemy to unite the world.

In Snyder’s 2009 movie, it was Doctor Manhattan who was framed as the cause of the global attack. Ozymandias used similar energy as Doctor Manhattan to destroy several key cities around the world, thus giving the world one entity to rally against and stop their march towards nuclear war.

While the monster worked in the comics, the tone of the movie makes this change very effective. It ties it all to the characters and makes Doctor Manhattan the sacrificial hero. The novel doesn’t have the benefit of Billy Crudup’s performance as Manhattan, but the movie’s ending fits his tragic take on the character.

5

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Directed By Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez

The Blair Witch Project does a great job of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats without really delivering any of the big, obvious scares typical in horror movies. It follows a trio of documentary filmmakers traveling into the woods to learn the truth about the local legends of a supernatural entity.

The movie ends in an abrupt way with the remaining two characters searching a creepy house they find in the woods. The final image is Heather finding her friend motionless in one of the rooms, facing the corner, when something attacks Heather off-screen, knocking her camera down.

The Blair Witch Project’s ending has been criticized as being anticlimactic, but it is hard to deny that final image has stuck with people. With such an effective minimalist approach to horror throughout the movie, ending with the reveal of some monster wasn’t going to work. Instead, the simple yet grim final scene leaves the audience on a haunting note.

4

Conclave (2024)

Directed By Edward Berger

Conclave was one of the most acclaimed movies of last year, and a gripping thriller about the process of choosing a new pope. However, the ending proved to be one of the most talked-about aspects of the movie. Along with political and religious reactions to the ending, some audiences felt the twist was out of place.

The ending finds the cardinals naming Cardinal Benítez as the new pope. However, just before it is announced to the world, Benítez reveals to Cardinal Lawrence that he is an intersex individual. Lawrence decides not to stop the process, and Benítez is named as the new pope.

There are a lot of interpretations that can and have been made about the ending of Conclave. As many people debate whether the movie is celebrating the final decision or not, the point is how it comments on the process of picking someone for such a position and the reality that there is no choice that will be impeachable.

3

Glass (2019)

Directed By M. Night Shyamalan

It’s not surprising that M. Night Shyamalan has delivered a number of divisive endings in his career, but given the anticipation of Glass, its subversive ending might be the filmmaker’s most controversial. Glass follows Unbreakable and Split, bringing Shyamalan’s superhero trilogy to an end.

The movie builds to a finale that sees the three main characters, David Dunn, Elijah Price, and Kevin Wendell Crumb, breaking out of their facility and preparing for an epic showdown. However, all three characters are unceremoniously killed by an organization looking to keep these superhumans a secret.

It was certainly an anticlimactic ending, with the footage of their powers eventually leaking online. However, it is a brilliant way for Shyamalan to combat the modern superhero genre. He even teases the setting for a typical hero-villain showdown, knowing that the movie will go for a much smaller ending, showing these characters as human.

2

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Directed By Rian Johnson

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is one of the most divisive movies in recent memory, with many either considering it the best or worst of the Star Wars franchise. In particular, fans have expressed outright anger over how Luke Skywalker’s story ends, choosing not to take part in the battle yet sacrificing himself to help the rebels escape.

The movie, avoiding a final battle sequence, shows how writer-director Rian Johnson was willing to give audiences something new in a Star Wars movie. When it comes to Luke’s arc, Johnson’s choices are actually the best way to honor the strength of the character.

It was The Force Awakens that decided to have Luke living in isolation as planets were destroyed and the First Order rose. For him to suddenly come back to the fight once Han died would have betrayed Luke as a hero. The Last Jedi gave weight to his decision to stay, but showed he is still the hero we love.

1

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Directed By Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

No Country for Old Men is certainly an acclaimed movie, as it won Best Picture Oscars and was named as one of the best movies of the 21st century. However, the ending has always been a source of controversy for how it concludes the tense chase between Llweyn Moss and the sadistic Anton Chigurh.

Instead of building to a final battle between these two characters, Moss is killed off-screen by other antagonists, and Chigurh gets the money. The movie then shifts attention to Sheriff Bell, the older lawman who has been on their bloody trail. No Country for Old Men ends with Bell cryptically describing his dreams before an abrupt cut to black.

Many felt it was a lackluster ending after such a thrilling setup. However, that reaction fails to realize that the movie was not about Moss and Chigurh’s battle, but rather Bell confronting a violent world he no longer understands, with his dreams brilliantly reflecting his heartbreaking realization of that fact.