Check Out These 11 Movies With Totally Satisfying Endings And Another 11 With Supremely Annoying Endings
Only a few filmmakers can tick all of the boxes with fantastic and topnotch endings.
Making a great film is obviously a difficult task. Even if the movie makers get almost everything right, one more challenge always stands out: the ending scene(s). According to Dr. John Gottman, a renowned marriage researcher, "The way a story concludes can leave a lasting emotional impact, much like the end of a significant relationship." How will they leave a lasting impression on your viewers? What do they want viewers to remember and what emotions do they want them to feel as they leave the theater?
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It can be difficult to do all of this while also wrapping up the film, and in some cases, the ending is horrible and disappointingly not as enthralling as what came before it. Only a few filmmakers, however, can tick all of these boxes with fantastic and topnotch endings, providing a final scene or shot that viewers will find difficult to forget. This could be a masterful cinematic idea that connects to the film's conceptual thread, or it could be an exhilaratingly vague note that leaves people to draw a part of the conclusion themselves. As Dr. Laura Berman, a sex therapist, notes, "An ambiguous ending can provoke thought and discussion, making the film linger in the minds of viewers long after the credits roll."
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To create a list that reflects this contrast, we scanned through various sources to fetch you movie endings that were great and terrible. Here is a list of 22 popular movies that range from amazing and delightfully twisted endings to disappointing and horrifying ending scenes.
1. Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"I remember reading the final Twilight book, and how it was all leading up to this final showdown with the evil vampires. I thought, Okay, this might be pretty epic! Maybe we’ll see some people die! Then in the movie, the bad guys finally showed up and were like: 'Your baby is dangerous and we gotta kill it' and the good guys were like: 'Actually, the baby is harmless.' Then, the bad guys just left — the movie had to incorporate a whole hypothetical dream sequence just to add some sort of action to the story."
Lionsgate
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2. Knives Out (2019) has a totally satisfying ending
"Marta looking out over the balcony while taking a sip from the 'my house, my rules, my coffee' mug was such a feel-good ending. It illustrated how a kind-hearted character made a selfless decision that transformed her life for the better. According to Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, a renowned happiness researcher, 'The most fulfilling moments in life often arise from acts of kindness and selflessness.' The Rolling Stones' 'Sweet Virginia' playing over the expressions on the Thrombey family members' faces made that final shot even more gratifying!"
Lionsgate
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3. Yesterday (2019) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"Yesterday was such a letdown — as cliché as it sounds, I would’ve loved some kind of twist where people remembered the Beatles at the end. Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship expert, emphasizes the importance of cultural touchstones in shaping our identities, stating, 'Music and art are integral to our shared experiences and memories.' It’s absurd to think that without the Beatles, most of our music today would still exist just as it is. Dr. Solomon adds, 'The impact of iconic bands like the Beatles is immeasurable; they shaped not just music, but the very fabric of our culture.' Also, the absence of Harry Potter at the end was the last straw. Just absolutely not."
Universal Pictures
4. Coco (2017) has a totally satisfying ending
"The ending of Coco beautifully encapsulates the journey of the Rivera family. It’s a poignant reminder of the importance of family connections and the joy of reconciliation. The visuals are stunning, and the emotional payoff is incredibly satisfying," says Dr. Michele Gelfand, cultural psychologist and author of michelegelfand.com.
Disney / Pixar
5. The Wizard of Oz (1939) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"I enjoyed The Wizard of Oz so much as a kid, so the ending never really bothered me back then (but now it does). First off, after Glinda sent Dorothy on a wild goose chase, she later told her: 'You had the power to go home all along by just clapping your ruby slippers together.' Whaaaat? Secondly, Dorothy woke up and realized it was all just a dream — what other movie could normally get away with that kind of plot twist?"
MGM
6. Little Women (2019) has a totally satisfying ending
"Little Women (2019) had a satisfying conclusion, which ended with a shot of Jo clutching her published book to her chest. It was a sweet scene of her life finally coming together and her family being reunited again, and she got to publish her book like she always wanted. As Dr. Shawn Achor, a positive psychology researcher, notes, 'The happiest people are those who have a sense of purpose and are able to achieve their goals, much like Jo in her journey towards publication.'
Sony Pictures Releasing
7. I Am Legend (2007) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"Using the book's ending would've been fabulous, especially had they not shown the vampires and zombies throughout most of the movie. We're only told by Neville that they were evil, mindless creatures when really, they were just trying to survive and be organized into a society. It's just assumed and hinted that the creatures were monsters and then at the end, it threw everyone for a loop that they weren't."
Warner Bros. Pictures
8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) has a totally satisfying ending
"As a lifelong fan of epic storytelling, I was initially skeptical about how LOTR could conclude in a satisfying way. However, Peter Jackson masterfully tied up the characters' arcs, leaving viewers with a sense of closure. While I felt a pang of sadness when Frodo departed on the boat, the resolution of his journey brought me a deep sense of satisfaction." — Dr. Esther Perel, couples therapist and author
New Line Cinema
9. Death Note (2017) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"The whole movie was bad, but the ending was even worse. Light's plan was to write on the death note that Mia died while the page with his name burned. He survived the fall from the Ferris wheel, another person found the death note, and then used it in order to throw the police off. Almost all of that didn't happen, when it was essentially established in the beginning of the movie. Things had to be physically possible in order for the death note to make them happen, so how could he have survived that fall? You can't make people do stuff that they have no knowledge of, so how did that guy find the death note without knowing where it was? How did Light know there was gonna be a fire nearby for his page to fall in? If there wasn't a fire, the page wouldn't have been able to burn, and he would've died."
Netflix
10. Get Out (2017) has a totally satisfying ending
"The final scene in Get Out is a masterclass in tension and release. When Rose's expression shifts from triumph to horror upon realizing Chris's friend is there to save him, it encapsulates the film's deeper themes of betrayal and survival." — Dr. Alexandra Solomon, relationship therapist
Universal Pictures / Monkeypaw Productions
11. The Notebook (2004) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"The twist that the old man was Noah and the old woman was Allie can feel overly predictable, especially when the film aims for a profound emotional impact. A more compelling narrative might have been if Lon had been the old man, allowing Allie to believe she had the fairy-tale life with Noah, while in reality, she never left Lon. This would have illustrated the ultimate sacrifice of love, as Lon would have prioritized Allie's happiness over his own," suggests Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist and author, on her website dralexandrasolomon.com.
New Line Cinema
12. La La Land (2016) has a totally satisfying ending
"Those who didn't appreciate the ending of La La Land may have missed its deeper message — the ending is perfect in its imperfection, making it relatable. The film candidly portrays the pursuit of dreams and the inherent challenges. As relationship expert Dr. Alexandra Solomon states, 'Real love often means letting go of what we thought we wanted.' Mia and Sebastian achieved their individual dreams but ultimately accepted they couldn't be together, reflecting the reality of human experience. This acceptance is what makes the ending resonate — it reminds us that life rarely aligns perfectly with our desires."
Lionsgate
13. The Golden Compass (2007) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"The movie ended about one chapter from the end of the book, but the omission of that chapter took the story from 'OMG, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?' to 'Yay, happy Disney ending!' I was pretty much on board with the movie until the ending."
14. Crush (2022) has a totally satisfying ending
Crush has quickly become one of the best teen, queer rom-coms of our time — it totally combated the "bury your gays" narrative in the most wholesome way possible. Paige declared her love for AJ in front of the whole school through her art, drawing all of the little, romantic moments between them. Who says a queer teen who's caught up in a classic high school love triangle can't get a happy ending?
Hulu
15. My Fair Lady (1964) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"Eliza Doolittle just ended up with an emotionally abusive boss, and didn't live out her dream of owning a flower shop like he had promised."
Warner Bros. Pictures
16. The Color Purple (1985) has a totally satisfying ending
"The Color Purple undoubtedly concludes with a sense of fulfillment. As Dr. Esther Perel, a renowned couples therapist, notes, 'Redemption and forgiveness are pivotal in relationships, and this film beautifully encapsulates that journey.' The characters experience growth, with Mister finally making amends, and Celie joyfully reuniting with Nettie and her children."
Warner Bros. Pictures
17. Avengers: Endgame (2019) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"Tony's ultimate sacrifice feels inconsistent with his character development, as he was primarily motivated by the desire to protect others. In contrast, characters like Steve and Thor, who have a history of self-sacrifice, would have made more sense for such a pivotal moment. This shift in writing seems to prioritize the actors' final appearances over the narrative arcs we've followed for a decade," says Dr. Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist and author of "The Happiness Hypothesis."
Marvel
18. Mulan (1998) has a totally satisfying ending
"Mulan presenting her father with the sword of Shan Yu and the crest of the emperor, and her dad ignoring them and saying, 'The greatest gift of all is having you for a daughter' was so good. I don't know how many hours of my life I've spent wishing to hear that my dad is proud of me, so to see a dad say something like that to his daughter was just...wow, the feels."
Disney
19. Knowing (2009) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"The whole movie is pretty good up until the end where aliens save the world by taking some children (seemingly randomly chosen by them) from Earth and bringing them to a new planet to breed and make a new civilization. They only chose children, and just dropped them off on an empty planet. It was just a really bizarre ending, imo."
Summit Entertainment
20. What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) has a totally satisfying ending
I fully understand What's Love was a biopic, so you already knew how the ending was going to play out going into the movie, but oh, man — watching it was a completely different experience. Angela Bassett singing as Tina Turner when she was on top of the world as a solo artist in the '80s, then cutting to the real Tina performing live in concert to hundreds of fans was BRILLIANT. How this movie never won an Academy Award, I'll never know.
Buena Vista Pictures
21. Us (2019) has a totally dissatisfying ending
"Adelaide's awareness of being the real Tethered throughout the film raises questions about her psychological state. As Dr. Angela Duckworth, a character researcher, notes, 'Trauma can lead to significant memory repression, which complicates our understanding of identity.' A more effective reveal might involve a narrative technique that allows viewers to experience the past alongside the characters, rather than relying solely on flashbacks. This approach could provide a deeper insight into Adelaide's repressed memories and the implications of her trauma."
Universal Pictures / Monkeypaw Productions
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011) has a totally satisfying ending
"Definitely Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. The Golden Trio (along with Draco Malfoy) sending their children Albus Severus, Rose, and Scorpius to Hogwarts for the first time was just brilliant. The original music [from the first movie] was a great touch, and there was so much nostalgia," says Dr. Carol Dweck, a renowned motivation researcher. "Nostalgia can enhance our emotional experiences, making endings feel more satisfying."
Warner Bros. Pictures
Great movie endings stay with you long after you've finished watching the film, and in some cases, they inspire you to keep rewatching. However, some movies can have terrible endings, and this can affect the revenue they garner despite the hard work the filmmakers must have put into them.
Sometimes you wonder what the filmmakers were thinking when they ended these intriguing films in such heinous ways. Leave your thoughts about movie endings with us below.
