Horror movie endings are often surprising, but some twist endings are downright baffling. The prevalence of twists in horror movies has grown in modern cinema, which has garnered horror a substantially higher regard than it previously enjoyed. While this is undoubtedly a positive outcome, certain movies have conclusions so convoluted that they leave viewers confused — sometimes long after the credits roll. Such twist endings can ruin horror movies, even ones that are otherwise solid.
Horror movies have had twist endings for decades. Psycho, Friday The 13th, and The Wicker Man are perfect examples of effective horror movie twists, all of which elucidate the movie’s prior action. Other examples have been less upfront about the meaning behind their revelatory conclusions.
10 Us
Jordan Peele’s 2019 horror movie Us stars Lupita Nyong’o as Adelaide Wilson, a young girl whose family is attacked by a series of terrifying doppelgängers known as the Tethered. The twist at the ending of Us reveals that Adelaide is actually one of the Tethered, who traded places with the original Adelaide earlier. This is certainly an effective reveal, but it creates some confusion. Us does not proffer any substantial explanation for why Adelaide is able to talk if she is one of the typically mute Tethered or why the real Adelaide became so uncannily sinister and attacked her real family.
9 The Shining
The final shot of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining raises questions about the movie’s events, greatly undermining several previous assumptions. Arguably, this is a great example of why The Shining is a perfect horror movie, but it is rather perplexing. Why protagonist Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson) appears in a photograph during The Shining‘s ending is never properly addressed — though the Stephen King novel it’s based upon provides some insight. The ending suggests that there could have been ghosts at the Overlook Hotel, and it even hints that Jack might be one himself. The notion that there is nothing supernatural at work is countered by this incredibly iconic ending.
8 Jacob’s Ladder
Jacob’s Ladder has a confusing ending, which offers little closure regarding the nature of the movie’s events. The film follows a Vietnam War veteran named Jacob (Tim Robbins), who is plagued by nightmarish visions and desperately seeks to unravel their cause. The final scene, however, returns a deceased Jacob to a military triage tent several years earlier. This implies that the whole movie has been a figment of Jacob’s imagination during his dying moments. However, precisely what his visions represent — or why he even has them — is left completely unaddressed. This has prompted speculation over the movie’s meaning, which remains unclear.
7 Hereditary
The ending of Ari Aster’s Hereditary is as confounding and vague as the rest of the movie. Reeling from grief, the Graham family becomes embroiled in a witch coven and various supernatural forces. At the movie’s climax, Peter (Alex Wolff), the only survivor, retreats to a tree house. There, he discovers a group of worshipers, and they crown him a prince of Hell. This implies this is the cult’s primary motive. However, it doesn’t confirm whether the group caused the events leading up to this. Hereditary also reveals that Peter’s grandmother was affiliated with the cult, suggesting a familial connection, but only this makes the family’s deaths more perplexing.
6 Ameican Psycho
The ending of American Psycho features a surprising twist that reframes the narrative. The film depicts the murderous exploits of Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a 1980s investment banker. Perplexingly, after Patrick confesses his crimes, he’s informed that one of his victims is actually alive. American Psycho is deliberately ambiguous throughout, suggesting that Patrick is not a reliable narrator. This is teased earlier, when Patrick is questioned by Donald Kimball (Willem Dafoe). This confusion is expanded by American Psycho‘s ending, which suggests that some — if not all — the murders only occurred in Patrick’s mind.
5 Mother!
Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! is a highly enigmatic psychological horror film from 2017. It stars Jennifer Lawrence as the eponymous “mother” and her unraveling idyllic life with her partner, known simply as “Him.” Eventually, mother burns their house down, badly injuring herself in the process. She is subsequently killed by Him. However, mother later appears alive in the couple’s bed with their home fully restored. This ending is left undefined, leaving audiences to piece together precisely what has happened. Mother! is a decidedly vague movie, with several confusing twists throughout, but this final one is particularly perplexing.
4 The Witch
Robert Eggers’ 2015 folk horror masterpiece, The Witch, frequently shifts its perspective on its unfolding events. At points, it appears that the New England Puritan family is besieged by supernatural forces. At others, these instances are presented as archaic superstition and paranoia. This culminates in the movie’s rather puzzling ending. After her family meets a grisly end, Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) leagues with Satan (revealed to be the family’s goat, Black Phillip) and joins a coven of witches deep within the woods. This directly contradicts previous scenes that imply the perceived witch’s activities are caused by ergot poisoning hallucinations, a briefly popular explanation for historical witchcraft accusations.
3 Midsommar
The enigmatic final image of Midsommar stokes much confusion, particularly regarding the protagonist Dani (Florence Pugh) and her apparent smile. The movie’s twist reveals that Dani’s friends are being sacrificed to purge the rural community of its evils, with a strong implication that Dani will also be murdered. Instead, Dani is crowned the May Queen and is welcomed into the community. This is surprising on its own. But then, as she watches her boyfriend being burned alive, Dani coyly smiles at the camera. This baffling reaction is sure to elicit shock and confusion among viewers, making them question what Dani is thinking at this moment.
2 Carnival Of Souls
Carnival of Souls is a 1962 psychological horror movie about a car accident survivor named Mary (Candace Hilligoss), who moves to a new town and struggles to assimilate. Mary is haunted by ghoulish characters throughout, and the movie’s climactic ending reveals that Mary actually died in the accident. It is an effective ending, but it does raise questions regarding previous plot points. Despite being mostly ignored throughout, Mary has interactions with people who are presumably alive. It’s unclear if this is an oversight or if there’s more to the story than is presented.
1 Don’t Look Now
The ending of Don’t Look Now is one of horror’s most notorious twist endings. After his daughter drowns, John Baxter (Donald Sutherland) becomes convinced she is still alive and desperately attempts to find her. John follows a childlike figure in a red hood, believing it to be his daughter. Instead, it is a monstrous, elderly dwarf, who promptly slashes John’s neck open with a meat cleaver. Much of the revelation pertains to the premonitions surrounding John’s impending death. However, Don’t Look Now never precisely addresses who this mysterious woman is or why she kills John. It remains one of the most confusing twist endings in horror movie history.
