Horror is one of the oldest and biggest genres in cinema. As a super-genre, it has produced several subgenres that have helped redefine the audience’s perception of horror. Although a few have argued that true horror has been watered down with humor, it’s only evidence of the genre’s diversity.
For so long, horror movies were plagued with tropes that made the genre a lot more predictable. However, throughout its history, several films have offered plot twists that left audiences in awe of its ending. These are 10 horror movies with the most surprising ending.
American Psycho (2000)
A good way to kick off horror movies with surprising endings is to begin from the start of the 21st century. American Psycho (2000) introduces audiences to Christian Bale‘s character as Patrick Bateman, a New York City investment banker. Besides his perfectly chiseled teeth, expensive suits, and watches lies a deadly desire to inflict pain on others. For much of the film, Bateman murders people, from colleagues to random strangers. However, just when audiences think he made a mistake by frantically confessing his crimes, a plot twist leaves viewers in shock. All the murders that took place over the last hour of the film’s runtime had been imagined by Patrick Bateman. Much like the character, audiences are left wondering what aspect of the film is true. However, there’s no denying Patrick Bateman is a threat to himself and those around him.
The Others (2001)
Unsurprisingly, director Alejandro Amenábar‘s screenplay and direction saw The Others (2001) receive several award nominations and wins. The gothic supernatural psychological horror film took a twist to a popular horror trope. Rather than have a haunted house and ghosts scare the living, Nicole Kidman‘s character and the children discover they are the ghosts being frightened by the presence of humans in their home. Till today, this twist/revelation remains one of the best, most shocking endings in a horror movie. The Others also stand out with zero violence, blood, or a daunting killer on the loose.
Saw (2004)
Director James Wan and Leigh Whannell introduced movie audiences to the Saw franchise with the first installment in 2004. 10 installments later, it is one of the highest-grossing horror franchises, with over $1 billion at the Box Office. However, while several of its films have had surprising endings, none shocked horror audiences like the first movie, Saw (2004). While audiences had their minds racing on who the Jigsaw Killer could be, no one was expecting the supposed corpse on the bathroom floor. John Kramer rising from the floor was the most glorious, surprising twist anyone could have asked for.
The Uninvited (2009)
The Guard Brothers‘ 2009 psychological horror The Uninvited was a remake of Kim Jee-woon‘s horror drama 2003 A Tale of Two Sisters. With Elizabeth Banks as its star actor, The Uninvited left several mouths agape with the surprising plot twist at the end of the movie. Unless viewers had watched the Korean film, no one ever predicted Anna Ivers (Emily Browning) as the mastermind of the deaths that had befallen her mother and sister. Suffering from severe schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder, Anna had not only imagined her sister Alex Ivers (Arielle Kebbel) being alive but imagined the caring and kind live-in nurse Rachel Worshinsky (Elizabeth Banks) as callous and homicidal.
The Mist (2007)
Frank Darabont‘s science fiction horror gave a unique approach to the horror genre. With Darabont’s screenplay adapted from Stephen King‘s horror novel of the same name, The Mist (2007) was a blend of viewers’ worst nightmare and a stroll into Jurassic Park. Its surprising ending had audiences shocked at David Drayton’s (Thomas Jane) reality. After killing his 8-year-old son to save him from the horrors in the mist, Drayton discovers help is only a few minutes away. David Drayton’s agonizing scream at the end of the film left audiences horrified by the unexpected plot twist.
Orphan (2009)
Orphan (2009) presented viewers with what initially seemed like a possessed 9-year-old Esther. Having been adopted by Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard), Esther begins to wreak havoc in their lives. However, when she starts killing people, the horror immediately kicks in. A shocking ending revealed Esther is far from being a 9-year-old Russian orphan. Suffering from hypopituitarism and a rare hormonal disorder, Esther is a 33-year-old woman who pretends to be a little girl. Esther is far from being possessed but a cold-hearted serial killer.
Would You Rather? (2012)
David Guy Levy‘s 2012 psychological horror film Would You Rather? was adapted from the popular party game of the same name. Would You Rather? is one of those horror films that’s relatable for viewers. There are no possessions or haunted places but centered around the human instinct to survive. While it is closely related to the plot in the Saw movies, Would You Rather? sees a sister go above and beyond to secure funds to treat her brother’s leukemia and find a bone marrow donor. Despite playing the game and emerging the winner, audiences, as well as the main character, Iris (Brittany Snow), are shocked by the surprising ending. Arriving home with funds for the treatment, Iris discovers her brother committed suicide to rid her of the burden of taking care of him.
The Visit (2015)
No horror movie list is complete without featuring one from M. Night Shyamalan, known for his horrors and plot twists. The Visit (2015) is a found footage horror that begins with a happy reunion between aging grandparents and their grandkids. Loretta Jamison (Kathryn Hahn), who has been estranged from her parents, sends her kids on a five-day visit to get to know their grandparents. The happy reunion is cut short when the kids notice how strange their grandparents behave at night. The big shocker for audiences is when Loretta, shown recorded footage of their grandparents, reveals the couple the kids have been staying with isn’t her parents. The movie’s big plot twist is that the grandparents are not the real grandparents.
Malignant (2021)
After directing Aquaman in 2018, director James Wan returned to the horror genre with Malignant (2021). What begins as a woman with a superhuman power to see people die turns out to be more sinister. Malignant plot twist came when it was revealed Gabriel is Emily’s parasitic twin brother. Although doctors had removed the deformed Gabriel, he still shared a brain with Emily. Malignant took dissociative identity disorder to a whole new level with the big reveal.
Us (2019)
With the success of his horror films, Jordan Peele is the undisputed king of modern horror. Us (2019) was Jordan Peele’s last directed movie of the 2010s. With its plot captivating viewers from the first scene, Us is a beautifully written horror that stands out from others of its kind. Its surprising ending came when audiences realized Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) is the Tethered clone, while Red was the real human all along. What was more frightening in the psychological horror film is her son’s realization of who she is and Adelaide’s clone consciousness awakening.
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