The 5 Greatest Plot Twist Endings in Movies

      Here are the top five movie twist endings.

      Spoilers ahead, of course.

      We’re set to unveil some shocking conclusions.

      Just so you know

      We aren’t referring to twists like the one in Fight Club that appear later in the film, setting the stage for additional developments.

      We’re discussing moments at the very conclusion of the movie that alter everything that occurred prior, potentially prompting you to rewatch the entire film.

      Are you ready? Let’s dive into the best movie twist endings.

      Number 5: Primal Fear

      Paramount

      The Setup: Aspiring defense lawyer Martin Vail (Richard Gere) defends the seemingly harmless Aaron Stampler (Ed Norton), an altar boy accused of murdering an archbishop. Vail believes Aaron developed a dissociative identity disorder due to years of abuse, including by the archbishop, which caused him to adopt the violent persona of Roy.

      The Twist Ending: Aaron confesses that he fabricated his dissociative identity disorder — he is truly Roy at his core.

      Why It’s One of the Best Movie Twist Endings: Ed Norton delivers an impressive performance, and it’s always entertaining to see an arrogant character like Vail have the rug pulled out from under him.

      Just so you know

      20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O

      If you’re curious why another Ed Norton film — Fight Club — is absent from this list, it’s because the significant twist occurs around thirty minutes before the film concludes.

      It’s undoubtedly a fantastic twist — but we feel it doesn’t fit into a compilation of movie twist endings since there's still too much film left after the reveal.

      Number 4: The Wizard of Oz

      MGM – Credit: C/O

      The Setup: Dorothy (Judy Garland) is swept away to Oz by a tornado, along with her dog, Toto, from Kansas. She teams up with the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion on an adventurous, musical trek down the Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard, hoping he can fulfill their wishes.

      The Twist Ending: “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” The Wizard (Frank Morgan) is actually a fraud — just an ordinary man using stage tricks to appear powerful. Dorothy and her companions realize they must create their own happiness through the strength and character they gained during their travels.

      The Wizard provides the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion with symbolic gifts to illustrate this. When he attempts to return Dorothy to Kansas in a balloon, Toto jumps off, prompting Dorothy to leap after him, eventually discovering she can find her own way back to Kansas.

      Why It’s One of the Best Movie Twist Endings: While many now know that the Wizard of Oz was no real wizard thanks to the success of Wicked, consider watching the movie in 1939 as a child, experiencing its Technicolor brilliance, and suddenly realizing that the premise of Dorothy’s journey has been deceitful. The comfort comes from realizing that, like Dorothy, you have the power to find your way home. It’s an emotionally profound twist.

      Number 3: The Usual Suspects

      Gramercy Pictures

      The Setup: Customs Agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) interrogates Verbal Kent (Kevin Spacey), who appears to be the weak link in a criminal syndicate led by the ruthless Keyser Söze. Kent seems pitiful — he has a slow, shuffling gait, is cowardly, and comes across as submissive, much like Ed Norton’s Aaron in Primal Fear.

      The Twist Ending: Verbal is actually Keyser Söze, manipulating Kujan with a fabricated narrative inspired by items around him.

      Why It’s One of the Best Movie Twist Endings: It strikes with complete surprise while making total sense. The Usual Suspects (named for a line in Casablanca) encompasses the theme of storytelling and legend-making, a concept that screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie thoughtfully explored. He won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this film, paving the way for a remarkable career, including collaborations with Tom Cruise and the twist-laden Mission: Impossible series.

      The Usual Suspects is included in our list of the 12 Most Mind-Blowing Movies We’ve Ever Seen — right alongside the number one movie on this list.

      Number 2: The Sixth Sense

      Buena Vista Pictures – Credit: C/O

      The Setup: The third film by M. Night Shyamalan that cemented his reputation as “the twist guy,” The Sixth Sense is a supernatural thriller that pairs child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) with troubled boy Cole (Haley Joel Osment), who insists he can see dead people.

      The Twist Ending: In a twist reminiscent of The Third Man, Malcolm is actually dead. We witnessed him being shot at the start but assumed he recovered — he did not.

      Why It’s One of the Best Movie Twist End