Between a Netflix horror, an underrated time-loop sci-fi, and a Coppola movie that isn’t Godfather, these movies’ twists deserve more attention.
Pixar's new movie Lightyear has been out long enough now that the general and critical consensus has settled, and the overall reception is that the Toy Story spin-off failed. The prequel didn't totally land, as audiences were left in confusion over how it fits into the universe, but as a result of the underwhelming performance, the incredible plot twist that Zurg is Buzz from the future has gone totally under the radar.
The twist completely subverted fans' expectations, and it was genuinely well done. But the Pixar movie isn't the first to feature a plot twist that went unfairly overlooked. Between a Netflix original horror, an underrated time-loop sci-fi, and a Francis Ford Coppola movie that isn't The Godfather, these movies' twists deserve more attention.
Creepy-Hamster-2736 thinks The Mist's shocking and macabre plot twist went completely under the radar. The Redditor argues, "It’s gotta be one of the most powerful moments in horror. And it’s not really a very popular movie." The 2007 movie ends with a father killing his own son by shooting him in the head at point-blank range so the boy wouldn't suffer a much worse death by the monsters.
But moments after that happens, the US military is revealed, putting out the mist and killing all the creatures. While The Mist might not have been a huge box office hit when it was first released 15 years ago, it is certainly commonly talked about and has become something of a cult classic, and that's largely due to the movie's grueling and completely unhappy ending.
While writer-director Christopher Nolan is known for his intelligent action blockbusters that generally cost around $200 million to make, his breakthrough movie was the modest low-budget crime thriller Memento. User CranberryMo thinks the movie has one of the best plot twists that nobody talks about, noting, "often listed in the best of 'mindf***' films."
The movie follows a man with amnesia who is trying to uncover and get revenge on his wife's murderer. But the end reveals that he made up the very first clue about who the murderer is just to keep himself occupied. And he could have very well murdered her himself, but he wouldn't remember. When discussing the best murder mysteries of all time, Memento is absolutely at the top of the list.
Elie41 points to the Netflix original horror movie The Boy, which is about a seemingly sentient puppet that is haunting a woman who has been paid to babysit it. Like manyNetflix movies, it's just more content and there isn't much in terms of quality, but it does have an interesting twist. As the Redditor explains, "There is a human killer hiding within the walls of the house all along."
Many would have seen the twist coming, as it's the only explanation. It couldn't possibly have been the actual puppet because the film wasn't remotely supernatural. However, it fooled a lot of viewers, and even though it's one of the worst-reviewed horror films of the past few years, as it has a 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, it was still popular enough on Netflix that it got a sequel, Brahms: The Boy II.
Some think Donnie Darko makes no sense, as the movie isn't the easiest to digest and it definitely requires some extensive research to understand, including watching the rather hard-to-watch director's cut. Donnie Darko is so many things at once, and whether it's the sci-fi, mystery, horror, or coming-of-age aspect, there's a lot for viewers to wrap their heads around, but the pay-off is worth the commitment.
Sixfourfromthefloor thinks the film's plot twist goes totally under the radar and mentions that the ending "was pretty twisted." The movie ends with the titular teenager realizing that he has to sacrifice himself to save the world, and it's extra morbid given that he has to travel back in time to a point where his girlfriend has no idea who he is, meaning that she (and everyone else) also isn't aware of his sacrifice. But the film has become a cult classic, and like The Mist, the twist hasn't been completely forgotten.
Eoopyio thinks the original Saw had a great twist that went under the radar, noting, "Saw had a very nice little twist that absolutely delighted me" Interestingly, while some plot twists like The Mist's and Donnie Darko's didn't get much attention upon release but got bigger over time, Saw's twist has aged a lot differently.
The twist at the end of Saw, which was that John Kramer was alive in that small room all along, was huge at the time, and it left viewers totally stunned. But in the time since, every Saw movie has tried to chase that shock value and outdo the big reveal. And as a result, the 2004's movie twist has unfortunately been diluted. When people think of Saw, very few minds go to that final scene. But with another sequel in development, fans think Saw 10 should go back to its grounded roots.
The Francis Ford Coppola-directed The Conversation follows Harry Caul, a surveillance expert who is hired to spy on a business mogul's wife, whom the mogul suspects of cheating on him. A deleted user thinks the 1974 movie's final act went completely under the radar. When the spying leads to Harry uncovering a murder plot, audiences learn at the same time as him that he has been suspecting the wrong people the whole time.
It's a great plot twist, and while it is a beloved moment, it has never been able to escape The Godfather Part II's shadow. Both Coppola-directed movies were released in the same year, and given that the sequel was following one of the most celebrated movies of all time, The Conversation's effect was diminished.
Holocaust dramas are almost always tough to watch, and whether it's Schindler's List or Life Is Beautiful, they will always leave audiences distraught. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is no different, as it follows a young Jewish boy in a concentration camp who befriends a German boy on the other side of the fence.
The Comic_Book_Reader thinks not enough people appreciated the movie or the plot twist, noting, "I'm kinda shocked they actually had the balls to go where they went with the ending of The Boy With The Striped Pajamas." The movie ends with the German boy sneaking into the camp in a prisoner's outfit just as the prisoners are being sent into the gas chamber.
The Game is David Fincher's most overlooked movie, as the 1997 release is sandwiched between the beloved movies Se7en and Fight Club, and it doesn't get half as much love despite having just as shocking of a twist. Seven_of_Samhain praises the movie and thinks the end went under the radar, claiming, "My favorite Fincher movie. I love that spooky-ass clown."
The film is about a millionaire who has everything, but all of his wealth and belongings are mysteriously stripped from him on his birthday, and he's all but left for dead. However, it's revealed at the very end when he attempts suicide that it was all a birthday prank. But the biggest twist might be that everyone actually survives in the 1990s Fincher-directed movie.
Ryan Reynolds seemingly only stars in huge high-concept movies anymore, and they're almost always self-aware and self-referential too. But Buried is a showcase of how great of an actor Reynolds is and how well he fits into dramatic movies. The 2010 movie is set entirely inside a box, as Paul (Reynolds) has been buried alive, and he has just a few tools to try to escape.
Darthnaved thinks the movie's plot twist went under the radar, which is surprising given that the film only made $20 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo), which is pennies compared to what the actors in other movies make. The endings give audiences the impression that he is about to be saved and pulled out of the box, but that isn't exactly the case.
Conthesleepy points to the shipwrecked horror thriller Triangle as having the best twist that went completely under the radar. The film follows a group of friends whose sailboat gets capsized in the ocean, but they're saved when boarding a deserted ocean liner. However, not everything is as it seems on the ship, all sorts of strange things happening, and a masked serial killer starts picking off the group.
Who the masked killer really is both ties the movie together and creates even more questions. Triangle is an extremely overlooked movie and deserves way more attention. When it comes to time-loop movies, few nail it on the head like the 2009 Australian production does, so it's a wonder why it doesn't get enough credit.
Currently residing in Madrid, Stephen Barker has been a staff writer at Screen Rant since 2020. Since graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University with a bachelor’s degree in Film, Television, and Cultural Studies in 2014, he has written for numerous movie and music websites. Stephen has been obsessed with movies since he first watched Jurassic Park on VHS, and with a deep interest in screenwriting, he loves 70s character-driven movies. But he’s just as much of a defender of Batman & Robin, The Fast and the Furious, and Small Soldiers. Visit Stephen‚Äôs personal blog, Quaranste, where he writes about guilty pleasure movies, his latest musical discoveries, and how he stays creative during global pandemics, or contact him directly: Quaranstine@gmail.com.
10 Shocking Movie Twists That Fell Under The Radar, According To … – Screen Rant
