Movies with the Best Plot Twists – Films that shocked audiences.

Plot twists are a cinematic tool used to subvert audience expectations, creating a moment of surprise or shock. They are often used to create a sense of suspense, mystery, or intrigue. Some of the most famous plot twists in film history include the revelation that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”, the reveal that Keyser Soze is the mastermind behind the criminal plot in “The Usual Suspects”, and the discovery that Bruce Willis’ character is actually dead in “The Sixth Sense”.

There are many different types of plot twists. Some are simple reversals of expectation, while others are more complex and involve multiple layers of deception. Some plot twists are foreshadowed throughout the film, while others come completely out of the blue.

A good plot twist should be surprising but also satisfying. It should make sense in the context of the story and should not feel like a cheap or manipulative trick. A great plot twist can elevate a film from good to great, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

Here are some of the most common types of plot twists:

The Unexpected Identity: A character is revealed to be someone else entirely, such as a long-lost relative, a secret agent, or even the villain in disguise.

“The Unexpected Identity” is a classic plot twist, a narrative device where a character’s true identity is revealed to be something drastically different from what was initially presented or assumed. This revelation can range from a simple familial connection to a shocking reveal of a hidden profession, secret past, or even a complete change in species. The impact of this twist relies heavily on how well it’s integrated into the story, the emotional resonance it creates, and the logical consistency it maintains.

Here’s a detailed exploration of “The Unexpected Identity” plot twist:

Types of Unexpected Identities:

Familial Connections: This is a common trope where a character is revealed to be related to another in a surprising way. Think long-lost siblings, secret children, or hidden parentage. The emotional impact can be profound, shifting alliances, motivations, and the entire understanding of character relationships. The “Darth Vader is Luke’s father” reveal in Star Wars is arguably the most iconic example.
Hidden Professions/Skills: A seemingly ordinary character might be revealed to be a highly skilled assassin, a secret agent, or a member of a clandestine organization. This twist often adds a layer of danger or intrigue, changing the dynamic of how other characters interact with them.
Secret Pasts: Characters can harbor hidden pasts that dramatically alter their present circumstances. They might be running from something, hiding a criminal history, or concealing a significant event that shapes their current personality. This type of twist often explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the burden of the past.
Disguises and Impersonations: A character might be revealed to be someone else entirely, having assumed a false identity for various reasons. This could be for protection, infiltration, or to manipulate others. The reveal often creates tension and raises questions about the true motives of the character.
Supernatural or Metaphorical Identities: In fantasy or science fiction, a character’s true identity might be something otherworldly. They could be a supernatural being in disguise, a robot, or even a symbolic representation of something larger. This type of twist can add a layer of fantastical wonder or philosophical depth to the story.

Effective Execution of the Twist:

Careful Foreshadowing: While the twist should be surprising, it shouldn’t come completely out of left field. Subtle hints and clues should be woven throughout the narrative, allowing the audience to retrospectively connect the dots after the reveal. This adds a sense of satisfaction and avoids the twist feeling like a cheap gimmick.
Emotional Resonance: The twist should have an emotional impact on the audience and the characters involved. It should change how they perceive the character and their relationships. The emotional stakes should be high, making the revelation meaningful and memorable.
Logical Consistency: Even though it’s a surprise, the revealed identity should make sense within the established rules of the story’s world. It shouldn’t contradict previously established facts or character traits unless there’s a compelling explanation for the discrepancy.
Meaningful Purpose: The twist shouldn’t be included simply for shock value. It should serve a larger purpose in the narrative, contributing to the themes, plot, or character development. A well-executed twist enhances the story rather than detracting from it.
Pacing and Timing: The timing of the reveal is crucial. Revealing it too early can diminish its impact, while revealing it too late can leave the audience feeling confused or cheated. The ideal moment is often near the climax or resolution of the story, where it can have the greatest effect.

Examples in Literature and Film:

Severus Snape in Harry Potter: Snape’s true allegiance and his complex relationship with Harry Potter are revealed gradually, culminating in a shocking revelation that recontextualizes his entire character arc.
Norman Bates in Psycho: The revelation of Norman’s dual personality and his relationship with his mother is a classic example of a psychological thriller twist.
Tyler Durden in Fight Club: The reveal that Tyler Durden is a figment of the narrator’s imagination is a mind-bending twist that explores themes of identity and societal alienation.

“The Unexpected Identity” is a powerful tool in storytelling. When used effectively, it can create memorable moments of surprise, emotional depth, and thematic resonance, leaving a lasting impact on the audience. However, it’s crucial to avoid clichés and ensure the twist serves a meaningful purpose within the narrative.

The Red Herring: The audience is led to believe that a certain character is the culprit or that a particular event is important, only to discover that it was a misdirection.

The Red Herring is a classic and versatile literary device used to mislead the audience, diverting their attention from the true culprit, solution, or direction of the plot. It’s a form of misdirection, a narrative sleight of hand that can create suspense, mystery, and surprise. The effectiveness of a red herring lies in its plausibility and its ability to blend seamlessly into the narrative, making it seem like a genuine clue or lead.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the red herring:

Purpose of the Red Herring:

Create Suspense: By leading the audience down the wrong path, red herrings heighten the tension and anticipation. The audience becomes invested in solving the puzzle, and the red herring creates a sense of urgency and intrigue.
Misdirect the Audience: The primary purpose is to distract from the real solution or the true nature of the situation. This can be used to protect a plot twist, conceal the villain’s identity, or create a sense of doubt and confusion.
Increase Complexity: Red herrings add layers of complexity to the story, making it more challenging and engaging for the audience. They encourage critical thinking and analysis, prompting the audience to question their assumptions.
Provide Emotional Impact: A well-placed red herring can create emotional investment in a particular character or outcome, making the eventual reveal even more impactful. For example, if the audience is led to believe a character is guilty and then discovers they are innocent, the emotional relief can be significant.

Characteristics of a Red Herring:

Plausibility: A good red herring must be believable within the context of the story. It should have some degree of credibility, making it a plausible option for the audience to consider.
Integration: The red herring should be seamlessly integrated into the narrative. It shouldn’t feel forced or contrived, but rather a natural part of the story’s progression.
Misdirection: The red herring should actively mislead the audience, drawing their attention away from the truth. This can be achieved through suggestive dialogue, misleading clues, or carefully crafted scenes.
Subtlety (Often): While some red herrings are blatant, the most effective ones are subtle. They blend into the background, appearing as just another piece of the puzzle, only to be revealed as a distraction later on.

Types of Red Herrings:

Suspect: A character is presented as a prime suspect, only to be later exonerated.
Clue: A piece of evidence or information is presented as crucial, but it ultimately leads nowhere.
Event: A particular event is given significant weight, but it turns out to be irrelevant to the main plot.
Location: A specific location is emphasized as being important, but it’s a dead end.
Dialogue: A character’s words or actions are misinterpreted, leading the audience to draw incorrect conclusions.

Effective Use of Red Herrings:

Foreshadowing (with a twist): While the red herring itself is a misdirection, it can be foreshadowed to make it seem more plausible. This can involve planting subtle hints or clues that initially appear to support the red herring’s validity.
Balancing Act: The red herring should be strong enough to be convincing, but not so strong that it completely overshadows the true solution. There needs to be a balance between misdirection and fairness to the audience.
Timing: The timing of the red herring’s introduction and reveal is crucial. It should be introduced at a point where it can effectively mislead the audience, and revealed at a point where it will have the greatest impact.
Avoid Deus ex Machina: The red herring shouldn’t be resolved through a deus ex machina (an unexpected and improbable event). Its resolution should be logical and consistent with the established rules of the story.

Examples:

In many detective novels, a seemingly obvious suspect is often a red herring, diverting the detective’s attention (and the reader’s) from the real killer.
A character’s suspicious behavior might lead the audience to believe they are the villain, when in fact they are trying to protect someone else.
A piece of evidence, like a dropped item or a cryptic message, could be presented as the key to solving the mystery, but it turns out to be a misdirection.

The red herring is a powerful tool in storytelling, capable of adding layers of intrigue and suspense. When used effectively, it can create a more engaging and satisfying reading or viewing experience. However, it’s important to use red herrings judiciously and avoid making them feel cheap or manipulative.

The Unreliable Narrator: The story is told from the perspective of a character who is later revealed to be lying, delusional, or otherwise untrustworthy.

The Twist Ending: The film ends with a revelation that changes the entire meaning of the story, often casting previous events in a new light.

The Twist Ending is a narrative technique where the conclusion of a story subverts the reader’s or viewer’s expectations, often revealing a crucial piece of information or a shift in perspective that dramatically alters the understanding of everything that came before. It’s a powerful tool that can leave a lasting impression, prompting reflection and reinterpretation of the entire narrative. However, it’s a delicate art, and a poorly executed twist can feel cheap or manipulative.

Here’s a detailed exploration of the Twist Ending:

Key Characteristics of a Twist Ending:

Subversion of Expectations: The core function of a twist ending is to defy what the audience anticipates. This can involve revealing a hidden truth, a character’s true nature, or a completely unexpected outcome.
Recontextualization: A good twist ending doesn’t just add a surprise; it reframes the entire story. Events, motivations, and character relationships are seen in a new light, often prompting a reevaluation of previous assumptions.
Sense of Surprise and Shock: The twist should be genuinely surprising, catching the audience off guard. This requires careful pacing and misdirection throughout the narrative.
Emotional Impact: A well-crafted twist ending resonates emotionally. It can evoke feelings of shock, surprise, sadness, confusion, or even amusement.
Logical Consistency (Usually): While surprising, the twist should generally be logically consistent with the established world and rules of the story. Even in fantastical settings, there should be an internal consistency that makes the twist believable within the context of the narrative. However, some twists deliberately play with unreliable narration to create a sense of ambiguity.

Types of Twist Endings:

The Revelation: A crucial piece of information is revealed, changing the audience’s understanding of the plot or characters. This could be a hidden identity, a secret relationship, or a previously unknown fact.
The Unexpected Outcome: The story concludes in a way that is completely different from what was anticipated. This could involve a character’s unexpected death, a sudden change of heart, or a surprising turn of events.
The Unreliable Narrator: The narrator is revealed to be lying, delusional, or otherwise untrustworthy, casting doubt on everything they’ve narrated.
The Ambiguous Ending: The story concludes without a clear resolution, leaving the audience to interpret the events and the characters’ motivations. This can create a sense of unease and encourage discussion.
The Ironic Twist: The ending is the opposite of what was expected, often with a sense of irony or poetic justice.

Effective Execution of a Twist Ending:

Planting Seeds: While the twist should be surprising, it shouldn’t come out of nowhere. Subtle hints and clues should be woven throughout the narrative, allowing the audience to retrospectively connect the dots after the reveal. This is called foreshadowing.
Misdirection: Skilful misdirection is crucial. The writer or filmmaker should lead the audience down one path, making them believe they know where the story is going, only to pull the rug out from under them with the twist.
Emotional Resonance: The twist should have an emotional impact. It should change how the audience feels about the characters and the story.
Logical Justification: Even though it’s a surprise, the twist should make sense within the context of the story. It shouldn’t feel like a cheap or arbitrary gimmick.
Timing is Key: The timing of the twist is crucial. It should be revealed at a point in the story where it will have the greatest impact, usually near the climax or resolution.

Pitfalls to Avoid:

Deus ex Machina: Introducing a sudden and improbable event or character to resolve the plot feels contrived and unsatisfying.
Twist for the Sake of Twist: A twist that doesn’t serve a larger purpose in the story feels pointless. It should contribute to the themes, character development, or plot in a meaningful way.
Telegraphing the Twist: If the audience can see the twist coming, it loses its impact. Subtlety and misdirection are essential.

Examples in Film and Literature:

The Sixth Sense: The revelation that Malcolm Crowe is dead is a classic example of a twist ending that recontextualizes the entire film.
The Usual Suspects: The reveal of Keyser Soze’s true identity is a masterclass in misdirection and surprise.
Fight Club: The twist that Tyler Durden is a figment of the narrator’s imagination is a mind-bending revelation that explores themes of identity and societal alienation.
Gone Girl: The complex and manipulative twists in Gone Girl challenge the audience’s perceptions of the characters and their motivations.

The Twist Ending is a powerful narrative tool that can elevate a story from good to unforgettable.

When executed effectively, it can leave a lasting impression, prompting reflection and reinterpretation. However, it’s a delicate art that requires careful planning, skilful misdirection, and a deep understanding of storytelling principles.

The Sixth Sense (1999): A child psychologist discovers that his patient is seeing ghosts, but the biggest shock comes when he realizes that he is a ghost himself.
The Usual Suspects (1995): A group of criminals are brought together for a police lineup, but it turns out that they are all part of an elaborate scheme orchestrated by the mysterious Keyser Soze.
Memento (2000): A man with short-term memory loss uses Polaroid photos and tattoos to track down his wife’s killer, but the truth is far more complicated than he remembers.
Oldboy (2003): A man is imprisoned for 15 years without knowing why, and when he is finally released, he sets out to find his captor and uncover the truth.
The Others (2001): A woman living in a darkened house with her children begins to suspect that they are not alone, but the truth is far more terrifying than she could have imagined.

These are just a few examples of films with great plot twists. There are many other films that use this technique to great effect. If you are looking for a film that will keep you guessing until the very end, then you should definitely check out one of these films.

In addition to the films listed above, here are some other films that are known for their plot twists:

Planet of the Apes (1968)
The Sting (1973)
Fight Club (1999)
The Prestige (2006)
Shutter Island (2010)
Psycho (1960)
Gone Girl (2014)
Parasite (2019)

Let’s explore the plot twists in these films:

Psycho (1960): The chilling twist reveals Norman Bates’s dissociative identity disorder. He’s not just the motel owner; he’s also his deceased mother, whom he murdered and whose personality he’s adopted. This twist isn’t just about who the killer is, but the deeply disturbed psychology behind the violence.
Planet of the Apes (1968): The iconic ending reveals that George Taylor hasn’t traveled to a distant planet, but to a post-apocalyptic Earth. The ruined Statue of Liberty signifies humanity’s self-destruction, a powerful twist that recontextualizes the entire narrative.
The Sting (1973): This film is less about one big twist and more about a series of smaller cons culminating in a larger one. The final twist reveals the full extent of the con, showing how Gondorff and Hooker manipulated not just their target, but also the audience’s perception of the events.
Fight Club (1999): The central twist is that Tyler Durden, the charismatic leader of Fight Club, is a figment of the narrator’s imagination. This revelation forces the narrator to confront his own mental instability and the destructive consequences of his actions.
The Prestige (2006): The complex twist reveals Robert Angier’s method for performing his “Transported Man” trick. He uses a cloning machine, creating duplicates of himself for each performance, with one version being killed each time. This reveals the dark and obsessive nature of his pursuit of magical perfection.
Shutter Island (2010): The twist reveals that Teddy Daniels is not a U.S. Marshal, but a patient at the mental institution. His investigation is a constructed reality, a form of therapy to help him confront the trauma of his wife’s death and his own mental illness.
Gone Girl (2014): Amy Dunne’s disappearance isn’t what it seems. The twist reveals she meticulously planned her own vanishing to frame her husband for murder, exposing her manipulative and sociopathic nature.
Parasite (2019): While Parasite has several smaller reveals, the overarching twist is the tragic and cyclical nature of social inequality. The Kim family’s temporary rise is ultimately unsustainable, highlighting the deep-seated class disparities and the precariousness of their situation. The final moments underscore the idea that they are still trapped in the same cycle of poverty.