The 5 Greatest Plot Twists in Movie Endings We've Encountered

      Here are the five greatest movie twist endings.

      Spoilers are obviously ahead.

      We’ll be unveiling a variety of unexpected conclusions.

      Just so you know

      We aren’t discussing twists that take place earlier in the film but instead establish the groundwork for further story development.

      We’re focusing on scenes at the very conclusion of the movie that completely alter everything that has happened before and might prompt you to rewatch the entire film.

      Ready? Let’s dive into the best movie twist endings.

      Number 5: Primal Fear

      Paramount

      The Setup: Ambitious defense attorney Martin Vail (Richard Gere) represents the seemingly innocent Aaron Stampler (Ed Norton), an altar boy accused of murdering an archbishop. Vail theorizes that his client suffers from dissociative personality disorder due to years of abuse, including by the archbishop, which led him to adopt the violent persona of Roy.

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

      Why It’s One of the Best Movie Twist Endings: Ed Norton delivers a striking performance that makes the revelation impactful, and it’s satisfying to witness 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 — isn’t included, it’s because the significant twist occurs with about thirty minutes left in the film.

      It’s undoubtedly an incredible twist, but it doesn’t fit the criteria for a list of movie twist endings since there's still substantial film left after the big reveal.

      Number 4: The Wizard of Oz

      MGM – Credit: C/O

      The Setup: Dorothy (Judy Garland) lands in Oz after a tornado sweeps her and her dog, Toto, away from Kansas. She teams up with the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion on a thrilling, musical journey down the Yellow Brick Road to meet the Wizard, whom they all believe will fulfill their dreams.

      The Twist Ending: “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” The Wizard (Frank Morgan) is an imposter — just an ordinary man using tricks to seem powerful. Dorothy and her friends realize they must create their own destinies through the courage and character they developed during their adventure.

      The Wizard offers symbolic gifts to the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion to represent this. When he attempts to return Dorothy to Kansas in a balloon, Toto jumps off, prompting Dorothy to follow, leading her to discover she has the ability to return home on her own.

      Why It’s One of the Best Movie Twist Endings: In today’s era, especially with the popularity of Wicked, it’s common knowledge that the Wizard of Oz is not a wizard at all. However, imagine being a child in a 1939 theater, watching the film in vibrant Technicolor, and realizing that Dorothy’s entire journey was based on a false premise. Yet, being reassured that, like Dorothy, you can find your own way home. It’s a deeply resonant twist.

      Number 3: The Usual Suspects

      Gramercy Pictures

      The Setup: Customs Agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) questions Verbal Kent (Kevin Spacey), who appears to be the weakest link in a criminal organization led by the ruthless Keyser Söze. Verbal seems pitiable — with a slow, shuffling gait, he’s cowardly and seemingly as docile as Ed Norton’s Aaron in Primal Fear.

      The Twist Ending: Verbal is actually Keyser Söze, weaving a false narrative for Kujan based on items in the room.

      Why It’s One of the Best Movie Twist Endings: The twist is utterly unexpected yet completely logical. The Usual Suspects (named after a famous line from Casablanca) explores the nature of storytelling and myth-making, a concept screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie clearly considered deeply. He won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this film, launching a remarkable career including numerous collaborations with Tom Cruise, notably in the twist-laden Mission: Impossible franchise.

      The Usual Suspects earns its spot on our list of the 12 Most Mind-Blowing Movies We’ve Seen — alongside the No. 1 film on this list.

      Number 2: The Sixth Sense

      Buena Vista Pictures – Credit: C/O

      The Setup: M. Night Shyamalan’s third film, which established him as the “twist guy,” The Sixth Sense is a supernatural thriller pairing child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) with troubled boy Cole (Haley Joel Osment), who claims he can see dead people.

      The Twist Ending: In a twist reminiscent of The Third Man, Malcolm is revealed to be dead. Though we witness him getting shot at the beginning, we mistakenly assumed he survived. He did not.

      Why It