Movies with plot twists often leave their mark on the viewer's mind when they are well constructed. Who hasn't felt extremely surprised when that remarkable twist happened in a movie? If you've ever experienced that, you'll never really forget it. Features like Fight Club and Interstellar are always the first to come to mind when it comes to this type of movie.
However, it's not just these two films that make up the entertainment world when it comes to plot twists. Several other titles have managed to captivate with their plot twists. But what exactly does a movie need to have in order to be considered one of the best plot twist movies? We'll explain below.
Elements of a good plot twist
For a movie to be considered one of the best plot twists of all time, it needs to have something that is a big secret in the plot and that is only revealed at the end. It has to be something unexpected, but not to the point where there's no clue about the outcome throughout the movie or it'll just end up being something loose and meaningless.
The producers of the film should always leave subtle clues throughout the story, without giving away the final secret and then, when the moment of revelation finally arrives, the feeling of "Wow! That was in my face the whole time!" is the difference. It was there, yes, but it wasn't so blatant as to be easily noticed, which makes for movies with surprising endings. Here in this article we've selected the seven best so you can see for yourself! Is your favorite film among them?
Hereditary
Hereditary is a horror film released in 2018 and directed by Ari Aster, who is also responsible for the film of the same genre Midsomar (2019). The story follows a family that has just lost its matriarch and begins to be tormented by strange visions and situations involving forces that seem spiritual.
The viewer is surprised right from the start, because at the beginning of the movie the character we believe to be the protagonist ends up having a somewhat unusual outcome, avoiding spoilers. But it's at the end, when we discover the possible end that this same character's brother could have, that a moment occurs that has consecrated this as one of the best movies with a plot twist and earned it a place on this list.
My father
Released in 2020, My Father tells the story of an old man who is determined not to accept help from his daughter as he gets older. It was directed by Florian Zeller (The Other Woman) and won two categories at the Oscars: Best Screenplay and Best Actor, with Anthony Hopkins playing the character who is also called Anthony.
The narrative is at the heart of why this is one of the best plot twist movies ever made. We see the story through Anthony's eyes and he is often confused by the facts around him and tries to understand them. It's at the end that we discover the reason for this and then we have the perfect, surprising twist that every movie-goer loves.
Island of Fear
Directed by Martin Scorsese, Island of Fear is one of the best when it comes to movies with plot twists. It boasts a strong cast, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo in the lead roles of two federal agents sent to an island to investigate the disappearance of a prisoner from a psychiatric hospital on the island.
The film hit the big screen in 2010 and still shocks today with its final revelation. The real reason why the detectives are there and the real origin of the mission they have been given is surprising and quite unexpected. It's worth seeing for yourself and being impressed too!
Viva! life is a party
This animation, released in 2017, is an undisputed success, having won Oscars for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, and is still in the top 100. cinema's biggest box office. It was directed by Lee Unkrich, also responsible for Toy Story 3. The twist at the end of the animation makes it impossible not to mention it in a list of the best plot twist movies of all time.
The plot revolves around a boy called Miguel who dreams of following in his great-great-grandfather's footsteps and pursuing a career as a musician. The problem is that music is taboo in his family, having been forbidden for generations, and he ends up in the Land of the Dead to prove his talent. There he meets Hector, a charming rogue who helps him uncover the truth behind his family's history. Want to know a hint about the plot twist of the whole movie without getting spoiled? Pay close attention to Hector! That's all we can say.
Parasite
Parasite made history by becoming the first non-English language film to win the main Oscar prize in 2020. It's directed by Bong Joon-ho and introduces us to a poor family in which every member is unemployed, except the daughter who starts teaching English in the home of another family, only a rich one.
After this happens, the other members of the family come up with an ingenious plan to infiltrate the lives of the bourgeois family one by one. The plot is very well developed according to critics, full of important twists and interesting social criticisms. It deserves to be one of the best plot twist movies ever made.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Black Mirror is one of Netflix's best plot twist movies. It's a Netflix original directed by David Slade and tells a story set in 1984, where a young programmer decides to adapt a novel into a video game format, calling into question the very reality in which he lives.
The movie is innovative and interactive, with five different endings, each with a more surprising twist than the last. In all of them, the viewer is placed as the central figure and this may come as a shock to many people, especially those who saw it at the time of its release back in 2018.
Run!
Run! is director Jordan Peele's debut film and surprised many people with the intensity of its suspense. The whole plot is full of clues to the big reveal at the end, making it one of the best plot twist movies made today.
Released in 2018, the story follows a black boy who is dating a white girl and goes to meet her relatives in a place that is somewhat removed from society. There, his girlfriend's mother starts trying to get him to stop smoking through hypnosis sessions. But various macabre things happen to show the boy that this isn't exactly what's happening there and that, as the movie's title suggests, he'd better run while there's still time.
Conclusion
Although all the movies with plot twists mentioned here are incredible in their own way, Run! takes the belt for its social criticism and plot construction. It's the kind of movie that makes you think and surprises you in the process. But what about you? Which of the films listed caught your eye the most? Let us know in the comments! Take the opportunity to also check out our article on the correct order to watch the Fast and Furious movies!
