Watching a movie in today’s day and age is a particularly distractive experience. From constant social media notifications, to never-ending phone calls, our attention spans have decreased while our impatience has increased. Moreover, watching a film nowadays, is a sizable investment of time and energy, both seemingly rare in the current generational scenario. While movies, at large are a source of pleasure and artistic stimulation, there’s nothing worse than a movie that starts out with potential but by the end fizzles away into chaos and confusion.
There’s another category of films that start and end on a completely different tangent. Something that no viewer, critic or cinephile can see coming. The climax of such films defy the conventional norms of storytelling and end up posing questions rather than offering answers. While the other films might momentarily seem entertaining, it’s such films that carve out a place in our memories. Here’s a look at some of the most frustrating movie endings, ranked.
8There Will Be Blood (2007)
Paul Thomas Anderson’sThere Will Be Bloodis a moving tale of greed and the lust for power. The story follows Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), a ruthless oil prospector and his descent into madness as he aims at becoming the most powerful oil tycoon in America. Plainview’s drive and ferocity is countered by Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a cunning preacher.Eli berates Daniel publicly in his church, questioning his virtue and morality. Towards the end of the film, Eli visits Daniel in his mansion and offers to help Daniel sell his property rights, Daniel agrees on one condition: Eli denouncing his faith and credibility. As Eli agrees and admits to morally straying, Daniel coldly reveals that his property rights aren’t worth much since the oil reserves have already been drained… Daniel goes on to beat Eli to death, in an explosion of emotions.
7Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Directed by one of the best filmmakers to have ever lived,Eyes Wide Shutis Stanley Kubrick’s last film. When Dr. Bill Hartford’s (Tom Cruise) wife Alice, tells him about her sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes hellbent on experiencing a sexual encounter himself. This pursuit leads him to a secret underground sex society that’s way more dangerous than it seems. As Bill gets tangled in the nightmarish orgy, dreams and reality get distorted. In the end, Aliceconcludes that the whole truth doesn’t lie in the dream, or in the waking reality. Both are real
6Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrelsisa classic British comedyabout a bunch of no goods who lose a large sum of money to a dangerous gangster. With their backs against the wall, the group decide to rob another, professional group of thieves causing chaos to ensue. The film ends on a cliffhanger, where a member from the group of no goods is standing on the edge of a bridge, attempting to dispose of antique guns that are actually worth millions.
5Parasite (2019)
A social commentary on aspiration and capitalization,Parasitefollows a struggling Kim family as they cunningly gain employment working for the wealthy Park family. As the Kim family gets comfortable in their jobs, they emulate parasitic vibes. The Kim family leeches on to the wealthy Park family. With the Parks living above them and the Kim family living below in the bunkers. Thefilm ends with a bloody climax, where the father of the Kim family is hiding from the police and becomes a resident of the bunker in the same house.
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4Chinatown (1974)
InChinatown,Mrs. Mulwray hires Detective Jake (Jack Nicholson) to spy on her husband, a prominent personality in town. When Mrs. Mulwray dies, Jake finds himself facing a foe of immeasurable influence and stature. Towards the end of the film, Jake helplessly looks on as the real Mrs. Mulwray is shot dead by the police, while her husband, walks away with murder right in front of the law. As Jake tries putting up a fight, his colleague tells him the now famous line “Forget it Jake, It’s Chinatown".
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3Uncut Gems (2019)
Uncut Gems’narrative structure walks along the lines of an Italian proverb “Big mouthfuls often choke”. When an opportunistic jeweler, Howard Ratner makes thebet of his life expecting a high pay-off,his actions set off a chain of violent reactions, eventually culminating into his death. The film ends on a somewhat morose note, with Ratner gaining the money but losing his life.
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2The Chaser (2008)
After one of his call girls goes missing, ex-cop, now-turned-pimp Joong-ho-Eom finds himself chasing the shadow of a bloodthirsty psychopath. Eventually, Joon manages to catch the psychopath but only has 24 hours to find the evidence in order to convict the killer, before the police department are forced to release him. The climax of the film depicts Joon-ho almost on the verge of killing the psychopath, right as the cops arrive.
1Memories of Murder (2003)
The ending ofMemories of Murderis still hotly debated among the varying corridors of film fanatics. The story follows an investigation of a few killings in a small town in Korea.Memories of Murderis loosely inspired by Korea’s first confirmed serial murders. At the point of the release of the film, the killer wasn’t caught, almost portraying the film as an investigation. The film ends on a cliffhanger, where detective Park is convinced that Hyeon-gyu is the murderer, but doesn’t have enough evidence to convict him.Park then breaks the fourth wallstaring directly into the camera, indicating wether the murdered is in the audience, watching the film.
