There’s nothing more infuriating than spending your money on a film that has you under its spell, only to have the finale buckle under the strain of itself. Endings matter—they’re the final thing we remember after the credits. As Chris of Triple Zero Films puts it, “a weak ending can retroactively damage a strong beginning or middle – the whole is only as strong as its weakest link.” That being said, here are ten films that began strong but faltered when it counted most.
10. Superman (1978): Turning Back Time
Richard Donner’s Superman provided viewers with one of their first screen superheroes, but the ending had plenty rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Seeing Superman zoom through the air so quickly that he actually reverses time may have been visually appealing, but it devalued the narrative. Lois Lane’s heart-wrenching death scene was canceled out in an instant, and the world-building of the movie lost its ground. Even heroes have their limits.
9. Sunshine (2007): Genre Switch at the End Line
For most of its run time, Danny Boyle’s Sunshine is a considerate, awe-inspiring sci-fi about a mission to get the sun, which is on the verge of death, burning again. Then, in the third act, it suddenly becomes a slasher movie with a monstrous villain stalking the astronauts. The transition comes as a shock—like serving a delicately prepared dish replaced by fast food just before dessert.
8. I Am Legend (2007): Missing Its Own Point
Will Smith’s survival horror thriller is a beautiful portrait of humanity and the infected monsters he’s battling. The narrative suggests that perhaps the creatures aren’t so bad after all—until the climax spoils all that. Rather than developing the moral nuance, the climax reverts to explosions and a miraculous cure. The alternate ending (in which Smith acknowledges the infected human side) is much more coherent, but the studio pushed it aside.
7. High Tension (2003): The Twist That Destroys the Movie
High Tension is a well-built suspense movie, right up until the moment of its notorious twist: the killer was the main character’s alternate personality the entire time. It’s supposed to be shocking, but it doesn’t translate well under analysis. Too many of the scenes that came before just don’t make sense if that’s the case. Instead of adding complexity, the twist deconstructs the film.
6. The Wolverine (2013): From Samurai Drama to CGI Overload
For most of its runtime, The Wolverine feels fresh—an introspective look at Logan’s struggles, set against the backdrop of Japanese culture and martial arts. Then the finale hits, and suddenly we’re watching him battle a giant robotic samurai in a noisy CGI showdown. The tonal shift is so stark that it feels like two different movies stitched together.
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): The Starchild Mystery
Kubrick’s classic is held in awe for its scope and imagery, yet its final scenes continue to polarize viewers. The emergence of the radiant “Starchild” is enigmatic, dreamlike, and impossible to decipher in isolation. While some see it as profound, most walked out of theaters bewildered. Without the novelization to provide answers, the ending is more enigma than a resolution.
4. The Devil’s Advocate (1997): The Reset Button
All the pieces were there: Al Pacino scenery-chewing as the Devil, Keanu Reeves fighting temptation, and a clear moral dilemma. Then, in the final seconds, the movie rewinds to the opening shot. Was it a vision? A trick? A joke from the universe? The uncertainty removes the burden of everything that previously transpired.
3. Signs (2002): Aliens Who Hate Water
M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs is one of the best of his tricks: an isolated family on a farm, with aliens waiting outside. The suspense is high—until the aliens’ deadly flaw is unveiled: water. On a planet that’s 70% water. All of a sudden, the invasion makes no sense, and the glasses all over the house don’t seem so clever foreshadowing, but more like sloppy plotting.
2. The Ninth Gate (1999): Fizzling Out
Polanski’s occult thriller had potential—rare texts, Satanic rituals, and Johnny Depp as an ethically dubious hero. But just as things are coming to a head, a lost page falls conveniently into Depp’s hands, and the film fades to white. Rather than an ominous denouement, we’re treated to a shrug. It’s a conclusion that has you wondering if the directors gave up and went home.
1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001): Two Visions, One Clash
Initially conceived by Kubrick and then completed by Spielberg, A.I. is tonally inconsistent. The dark tale of a machine boy yearning for affection feels Kubrickian—until the conclusion, where Spielberg adds a manipulative jump thousands of years forward. The tragic tones are at odds with the forced optimism of the ending, and the result feels unearned and jarring.
When a movie falters at the final line, it’s not only disappointing—it can spoil everything that has preceded it. As Chris from Triple Zero Films writes, “the ending should resolve the different threads established at the beginning… characters should be altered or confirmed in their morals.”
A good ending doesn’t necessarily tie every last bow, but it has to feel earned and authentic to the heart of the story. In Fiveable’s storytelling principles, they say it this way: “effective resolutions balance audience satisfaction with artistic integrity, often reflecting the themes and character arcs developed throughout the narrative.” That’s precisely why a bad ending hurts: it not only disappoints, but can make even a great movie a little more difficult to love. Because sometimes, regardless of how exciting the ride is, the destination is all that matters.