The following are movies where avoiding spoilers is not just encouraged but necessary.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is left shaken by a visit from a former patient but agrees to take on a new client who claims to see dead people[a]. This compelling tale is thrown into disarray by the twist at the end, leaving audiences shocked.
Memento (2000)
Memento follows the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), who is suffering from memory loss. The last thing he remembers is that he must find the man who killed his wife. This movie has a unique non-linear storyline, making the twist all the more unexpected.
Shutter Island (2010)
This psychological thriller has a remote island, a disappearing patient, and plenty of mystery. An eerie movie that will stick in your mind long after the credits roll, with the final twist giving viewers plenty to think about.
The Prestige (2006)
Take a trip back in time to Victorian London in this dark movie about rivalry and ambition. Starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as feuding magicians, this story is constantly changing what you think you know, and the final twist is no exception to this.
Primal Fear (1996)
This courtroom drama studies the murder of a prominent archbishop and the attorney who is convinced his client is innocent. Gripping and suspenseful, viewers will be on the edge of their seats right up until the very end and the shocking twist.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Told through narration and flashbacks, this drama follows the interrogation of Roger “Verbal” Kint (Kevin Spacey). Complex storytelling drives a gripping plot about the five criminals, headed by mastermind Keyser Söze, before ending with a twist that turns the whole narrative on its head.
Se7en (1995)
Dark and disturbing, Se7en follows two police detectives out to catch a serial killer. As the movie goes on, it is clear the killer is inspired by the seven deadly sins. The gut-wrenching ending will still catch you off guard, lingering in your mind long after you’ve stopped watching.
Fight Club (1999)
Discontented with his life and stuck in a job he hates, the nameless narrator (Edward Norton) starts an underground fight club with Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) to add some excitement. As time goes by, the club gets more and more violent, spurred on by Tyler. It all culminates in one of the biggest twists in cinema, shocking first-time viewers.
Psycho (1960)
If you haven’t already seen this horror classic, you’re in for a treat. Set at the Bates Motel, the plot hinges on a search for the missing Marion. An early example of the slasher genre, this movie’s twist is as horrifying as it is unexpected.
Get Out (2017)
Another notable movie in the horror genre, Get Out focuses on a black man visiting his white girlfriend’s family. But nothing is as it seems and we’re soon swept up in the mystery along with Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), hurtling towards the final twist.
The Illusionist (2006)
In this romantic mystery movie, a brilliantly talented magician tries to rescue the woman he loves from an upcoming marriage. When she is tragically murdered, he sinks into depression and starts to summon spirits at his shows. Beautiful and haunting, this twist is one you’ll remember for days after.
The Village (2004)
A remote village in Pennsylvania lives in fear of creatures that live in the woods, taking all possible precautions to deter them. Despite this, the creatures draw ever closer. The final twist flips everything we know on its head for a truly unexpected conclusion.
Moon (2009)
Living alone in a mining facility on the Moon, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is nearly ready to return home when he starts having hallucinations about a young girl and a disheveled man. There are two major twists in this mysterious sci-fi movie, each as satisfying as the other.
The Others (2001)
This movie focuses on Grace’s move to a new house with her children. But it seems it is occupied, with various strange occurrences disturbing the family. Grace is convinced the house is haunted, but the gut-wrenching twist stands out from all the scares.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Mathematician John Nash (Russell Crowe) is the subject of this biographical movie. He is highly respected, and a Nobel Laureate in Economics, but he remains troubled. The big twist occurs at the midpoint of this movie, leading into a compelling second half.
Identity (2003)
Based on the classic Agatha Christie book And Then There Were None, this horror mystery proves to be just as baffling. Ten strangers are stranded at a hotel while a storm rages. None of them know who to trust, but the one thing they know for sure is that one of them is a killer. The cast is picked off one by one until the final twist reveals who the killer is and why.
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
When four-year-old Amanda goes missing, Angie (Michelle Monaghan) and Patrick (Casey Affleck) are hired to find her. The more the search goes on, the more sinister the case gets, with gangs, pedophiles and the drug trade all making an appearance. All this build-up pays off, with the final twist as shocking as it is sad.
Saw (2004)
This first Saw movie opens in a bathroom with two men chained by their ankles and a corpse between them. Listening to cassette tapes reveals they are part of a twisted game of survival, playing against each other. But the final piece of the puzzle isn’t revealed until the end.
Arrival (2016)
This award-winning movie focuses on Louise Banks (Amy Adams), a linguist whose daughter dies aged just 12. Aliens arrive in spaceships and Louise is sent to try to communicate with them and understand their language. She realizes that their true message is split between 12 nations to try to ensure unity. The heart-wrenching twist only comes when Louise starts to fully understand their language.
The Game (1997)
Michael Douglas stars as Nicholas Van Orton, a rich banker who meets his estranged brother for lunch one day. He is gifted a voucher for a “game” that he applies for but seems to be rejected. But it turns out the game follows him into his real life, and the stakes keep rising. The final twist provides a satisfying conclusion and makes this movie well worth a watch.
Predestination (2014)
This sci-fi movie is all about time travel and a mysterious agency that seeks to use it to alter the past. Throughout the movie, their agent goes back and forth through the years, creating a baffling paradox. The movie doesn’t stop at just one twist; there are several, all leading up to the dramatic conclusion.
Black Swan (2010)
Natalie Portman stars as Nina Sayers, a role that won her an Academy Award. Nina is desperate to get the lead part in the ballet Swan Lake, but newcomer Lily is also a serious contender. Nina becomes obsessed with keeping her role, slipping into hallucinations before the twist catapults the story to a chilling conclusion.
Frailty (2001)
Opening in an FBI office, this movie explores a family with a horrifying past: a father believes he receives messages warning him of demons that he must kill, with his two sons assisting. The sense of unease grows throughout the movie, with the twist leaving the viewer with more questions than answers.
The Machinist (2004)
Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) is the titular machinist, a man plagued by insomnia. Strange incidents propel him into paranoia, with a man called Ivan (John Sharian) seemingly at the center of them all. The final twist provides the answers and leads to a memorable ending.
Matchstick Men (2003)
This black comedy follows Roy Waller (Nicholas Cage), a con artist with mental health issues. He sees a new doctor who helps him get in touch with his previously unknown daughter and finds that she keeps him stable better than his medication. He starts to teach her cons, but things start rapidly escalating and Roy is soon out of his depth. The twist comes right at the end and sharply alters how the viewer sees the movie.
Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) is a Vietnam vet who watched his platoon-mates die in an unexpected attack. Now back in New York, he is suffering from bizarre and disturbing hallucinations. He starts to believe that he and his platoon were experimented on and sets out to investigate. But the twist awaiting him leads the movie to its shocking ending.
Prisoners (2013)
When two girls go missing, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is called to investigate a suspicious RV. The trail leads back to Alex Jones (Paul Dano), but Loki quickly realizes he couldn’t be responsible for the kidnapping. The twist about the kidnapper’s true identity is sure to catch the viewer off guard.
Us (2019)
Us starts with a flashback to 1986, when a child called Adelaide is terrified by her doppelgänger in a funhouse. Thirty-three years later, an adult Adelaide and her family experience several strange incidents before they discover a secret world underground with doppelgängers of every human. As the doppelgängers close in, the awful truth is finally revealed.
