10 Movies That Were Saved By Great Endings

Finding a satisfying ending for a movie is no easy feat. The amount of pressure on the filmmakers to do so is immense, as they know that the ending will likely be the part that sticks with the audience the most. Therefore, it is crucial to make sure that the final moments before the credits roll will leave the viewers with a positive impression of the film.

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Just as easily as a bad ending can ruin an otherwise great movie, a spectacular ending has the power to improve the overall quality of an otherwise underwhelming film. Even some of the greatest directors of all time can sometimes struggle with finding the right way to end a story. Likewise, some of the best movies ever made are remembered as such partially due to their endings. Even some not-so-great films still managed to work due to their final minutes.

10 The Mist (2007)

Directed by Frank Darabont

Even though Stephen King is widely accepted to be one of the greatest horror writers of all time, it is no secret that some of the endings to his stories leave a bit to be desired. Fortunately, this was not the case for The Mist, the 2007 feature based on King’s 1980 novella of the same name. Directed by Frank Darabont (who also directed two other King adaptations; The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile), The Mist follows a group of individuals who struggle to survive when their small town is overtaken by deadly creatures hiding in a mysterious mist.

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Related 10 Best Stephen King Book Endings, Ranked

Stephen King’s books are sometimes criticized for their endings, but which of his novels had the most satisfying and memorable conclusions?

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While much of the film is not particularly outstanding, the final moments of The Mist are sure to haunt the viewers for long after the credits roll. Feeling as though all hope is lost, the protagonist makes the heartbreaking decision to shoot the remaining survivors, including his own son, in what was meant to be an act of mercy. In a shocking twist, the military arrives to kill the monsters a mere few seconds later, proving the gruesome act to be entirely unnecessary. This chilling ending cements the film as a daring, effective work of horror.

9 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Directed by Jonathan Mostow

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Fans of the Terminator series knew that it would be nearly impossible for the third installment in the franchise to live up to the high bar set by Terminator 2: Judgment Day. While the film did lack some of the filmmaking wizardry that James Cameron provided for the first two, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was revived by its surprising ending, which effectively set it apart from the other films. In the film, John Connor must fight to survive (with the help of a T-850 Terminator) to help prevent the downfall of the entire world.

In a shocking turn of events, the heroes prove to be unable to save the day, as nuclear missiles are launched all over the world, presumably bringing the downfall of the human race. Needless to say, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines had a much bleaker ending than the previous installments in the franchise. While audiences were not thrilled to see the heroes fail, the ending did receive praise for its drastic change from the previous films, solidifying Terminator 3 as a valuable addition to the series.

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8 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Directed by Peter Jackson

Unfortunately, the Hobbit trilogy did not quite live up to the impossibly high standards set by the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, that is not to say that the series did not have redeeming qualities of its own. While much of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug may have felt too slow and/or convoluted to many, this second installment in the trilogy received consistently high praise for its ending.

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In a film titled The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the titular dragon appears for a disappointingly small amount of time. However, in the final act, when the fearsome creature dominates the screen, the film becomes breathtaking to behold. The interactions between the protagonist, Bilbo, and the imposing dragon, Smaug, are thoroughly captivating, both in terms of the visual effects and the dialogue. The reinvigorating energy created by these scenes continues to build up until the exciting cliffhanger ending, leaving viewers desperate to see what happens next.

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7 Aftersun (2022)

Directed by Charlotte Wells

The 2022 A24 drama, Aftersun, is far from being a bad film, but what propels the film above and beyond is its ending. This semi-autobiographical film from writer-director Charlotte Wells chronicles a childhood vacation shared by eleven-year-old Sophie and her father, Calum, who had just recently separated from Sophie’s mother. In the present day, Sophie is an adult who watches videos from the vacation as she reflects on her relationship with her dad.

Defying viewers’ expectations, Aftersun ends without ever providing a concrete explanation about what happened to Calum in the years following the vacation. The film drops many hints that he may have been struggling, both financially and mentally, but chooses to follow a more ambiguous ending. This open-ended conclusion sparked widespread conversation following the film’s release, with viewers having a wide range of opinions, both regarding what happened to Calum and on the realistic, tragic-yet-beautiful nature of never being able to find out.

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6 Doctor Strange (2016)

Directed by Scott Derrickson

The Marvel Cinematic Universe made a bold decision with its 2016 feature, Doctor Strange, offering an origin story that wasn’t that different from what characters like Tony Stark had experienced in Phase 1. Despite its breathtaking visual effects, much of the film failed to fully impress its audience. That is, until the film’s ending, which cemented Dr. Stephen Strange as a unique, exciting new character for the franchise.

Most big-budget superhero movies culminate in a loud, explosive battle of good versus evil. While Doctor Strange still did this to an extent, the film took a much more clever approach to the idea of the final face-off. In the climactic scene, Dr. Strange trapped himself and Dormammu, an evil entity from the Dark Dimension, in a time loop. No matter how many times Dormammu killed Strange, the newfound hero continued to reappear until the evil being finally conceded to Strange’s terms. This unique finale set Doctor Strange apart from other MCU films.

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5 Onward (2020)

Directed by Dan Scanlon

The release of Pixar’s 2020 feature film, Onward, was strongly derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. By the time it became available to stream on Disney+, audiences were ready for a heartwarming dose of what the studio does best. Unfortunately, most of the film felt rather unexciting. The story follows a pair of elf brothers who set off on a quest to find a magical item that will allow them to bring their deceased father back to life one day.

Even with its unusual premise, Onward felt rather formulaic to many. However, this belief was quickly changed by the film’s surprising conclusion. In the end, the protagonist, Ian, runs out of time and is unable to have a final interaction with his father. However, he comes to realize that his brother has acted as a father figure all along, and feels a new wave of gratitude for him. This unexpected, sad yet heartwarming turn of events breathed a new sense of life into the film, making Onward a worthwhile addition to Pixar’s acclaimed filmography.

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4 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)

Directed by Gore Verbinksi

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While the topic certainly inspires some debate, the third installment was not the strongest entry in the Pirates of the Caribbean series (at least at the time it was released). Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End follows the familiar swashbuckling characters as they set off to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker, while simultaneously facing a strong threat from the East India Trading Company. Upon its release, the film was criticized for putting its convoluted plot above the pirate antics viewers had come to love.

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Fortunately, the exciting conclusion of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End gave the people more of what they were hungry for. The ending of the film serves as the climax of the original trilogy of pirate films as a whole, showcasing an action-packed, high-stakes battle at sea. This thrilling sequence, paired with Will Turner’s dramatic takeover as captain of the Flying Dutchman, gave audiences the satisfying ending they desired, one that was both refreshingly fun and emotional.

3 Buried (2010)

Directed by Rodrigo Cortés

The 2010 Spanish thriller, Buried, may be a riveting experience throughout, but its dismal ending is what really allowed the film to stick with audiences. The unique film stars Ryan Reynolds as Paul, an American truck driver who finds himself in a bleak situation while working in Iraq. For the entire duration of the movie, Paul is buried alive, with a BlackBerry phone being his only way to communicate with the outside world as he attempts to negotiate his rescue.

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Though the ending of Buried may not have been what audiences were hoping for, it is impossible to deny the boldness of the choices made by the filmmakers. Just when it appears that Paul is going to be saved, it is revealed that the rescue team was led to the wrong location, leaving Paul to suffocate as his coffin fills with sand. The ending is shocking and bleak, effectively setting Buried apart as a film unafraid to end on an unhappy note.

2 Big Fish (2003)

Directed by Tim Burton

Tim Burton has established a strong reputation for himself in terms of his unique storytelling abilities, and his 2003 feature, Big Fish, is a celebration of the art of storytelling itself. The film follows a young man, Will, who reunites with his father, Edward, to listen to him tell his famous tall tales one last time before he passes away. Big Fish offers a touching depiction of a son staying by his father’s side in his final moments but seems to lack the memorable punch that is featured in various other works by Burton.

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That is, until the dazzling conclusion of the film. Once Edward passes away, a funeral is held for him. There, Will discovers that all the characters from his father’s “tall tales” truly were based on real people from the man’s life, all of whom have come from far and wide to pay their respects. The appearance of these characters, even though (or perhaps because) they don’t appear exactly the way Edward described, turns Big Fish into an inventive, satisfying tribute to storytelling, and a beautiful story of a father/son relationship.

1 BlackBerry (2023)

Directed by Matt Johnson

At first, the idea of making a movie about the creation of BlackBerry cell phones in 2023 may seem somewhat strange, given that the product was completely obsolete by then. Much of BlackBerry feels like a straightforward recreation of the astronomic rise of the company in the late ’90s and early 2000s. However, as the conclusion draws near, the movie effectively manages to fully redefine itself.

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Related BlackBerry Ending Explained

BlackBerry was about the rise & fall of the company that brought the phone to life. We break down the film’s ending & what happened to the characters.

Within the final few scenes, BlackBerry transforms from a simple film about the birth of a company to a gripping commentary on how wealth and power can disappear just as quickly as they arrive. The decision to include the dramatic downfall of BlackBerry adds a compelling dynamic to the film, setting it aside from other product-inspired motion pictures. The extended final shot of the original inventor agonizing over the poor quality of his company’s latest product leaves a lasting, surprisingly emotional image in the viewer’s mind.

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